Notes from a Circus Clown

It's Been A While

2010-11-27T21:42:00.004-05:00

I know, I know. It's been a while. But I'm here. Posting for the year 2010.

It's been an eventful couple of years! Most recently, Elizabeth broke her femur this past summer. That made the summer very interesting. She was in a half body cast, which made her completely immobile for 4 weeks. While that sounds like it's not such a long time, believe me, it was. We had to completely potty train her again and re-teach her how to walk. But it didn't kill us, so it made us stronger, right? We like to think so.

Charlie is in 1st grade now and is doing fantastic! We couldn't be prouder of him. Elizabeth, on the other hand, regressed so much with the broken leg that we are considering keeping her out of Kindergarten next year. We'll decide closer to the time, but if we had to decide right now? She would not be going.

In the meantime, I ran my first and second 5k! I'm very stoked that I accomplished this goal and got great times (in my opinion) as well! This has always been a goal of mine and I finally did it. At 32!

My husband is kicking butt with his DJ business and it's only getting better. Things couldn't be better with us in this moment.

So that's the 411 on what's happened in this circus in the last year or so. I plan to redo this blog and post more often. Stay tuned!

Neela Bag Giveaway!

2009-07-21T21:39:00.003-04:00

Lindsay at Frugal and Fabulous has another great giveaway! Click here to register to win a Neela Bag Denali pack. Hurry, this giveaway ends on July 24!

Carolina Pad Eye Candy Office Products Giveaway

2009-07-20T06:45:00.001-04:00

Visit Lindsay over at Frugal and Fabulous to enter for your chance to win Carolina Pad Eye Candy Office Products! If you love office supplies, you'll love these stylish products! Check them out!

Restaurant.com - $25 Gift Certificates for $4!

2009-06-19T06:52:00.003-04:00

Just go to Restaurant.com and enter Discount Code DAD to get a $25 restaurant gift certificate for only $4. That's a savings of 60%! But hurry, this offer expires Sunday, June 21, 2009.

New Printable Coupons

2009-06-10T21:39:00.001-04:00

There are some great printable coupons out there right now. Get them before they're gone!

Eat Better America - General Mills, Yoplait, Nature Valley, and more

Right@Home - $1 off Edge Shave Gel

Pillsbury - General Mills, Chex Mix, Fiber One, Betty Crocker, and more

Kraft - Register to get summer savings

Coupons.com - General Mills, Keebler, DiGiorno, Gorton's, Kleenex, and more

Red Plum - Eggo, Kellogg's, Degree, and more

SmartSource - Snapple, Jose Ole, Kotex, Taco Bell, and more

Dove - $1 off Dove Go Fresh

Tide - $1.50 off new Tide Stain Release

Website Review: Mayo Clinic Health Manager

2009-04-22T14:37:00.002-04:00

Have you ever switched doctors and filled out those long forms of medical history, only to forget half of it? Have you ever worried that you'd have an emergency and not be able to communicate a drug allergy or an important piece of medical history to the doctors treating you?

Well, now with the Mayo Clinic Health Manager you can keep all of your medical information in one central location, accessible only to those you give permission. This site was just launched Tuesday, April 21 and I had the opportunity to set up an account and check it out a bit. The site is fantastic! When you sign up, you get recommendations based on your gender and age. For example, one of my recommendations was that I calculate my BMI. Another recommendation was that I enter my vaccination history. The more information you enter, the better and more accurate the recommendations will be.

The other thing I like about this that you can be reminded of upcoming appointments or appointments you need to make, such as annual exams, etc. You can also track your entire family under 1 account, which is very nice. Other features include personalized tools like the weight tracker, a place to keep health-related contacts, allergy tracker, and a helpful tool to prepare for an appointment.

The site upholds strict privacy guidelines and only those people you specify can have access to your information. These individuals might be doctors or other family members.

Overall, the Mayo Clinic Health Manager is a very useful tool for the health conscious person. Check it out and leave a comment letting me know how you like it!

Website Review: SparkPeople.com

2009-04-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of 2009, I decided I needed to start eating healthier and maybe even drop about 5 lbs. However, I found this to be very difficult. I tried to count calories throughout the day, but would lose track or wouldn't know how many calories were in a particular food, so I would guess. Was I guessing accurately? Probably not.

Also, I was so focused on avoiding the things I didn't want in the foods I ate that I wasn't paying attention to the nutrients I needed. Was I getting enough? Probably not.

The uncertainty of how much of what I needed and didn't need was daunting to say the least. Needless to say, my diet wasn't working very well for me. Then I stumbled upon SparkPeople. I first noticed that they offer a Free Online Diet Plan. That seemed pretty cool, so I decided to sign up and give it a try.

I found that the website has tons of features like a nutrition tracker, fitness tracker, message boards, articles, recipes, and blogs to name a few. The first thing I did was set up my goals. You can select from a plan to lose weight or to maintain your weight. I then took a look at the nutrition tracker, where you can track everything you eat throughout the day and your water consumption. I love this feature! I simply select the food from the dropdown menu (or add a food if it's not in the list) and enter how much I ate. It adds your food to the day and tracks the calories, carbs, and protein. You can also add numerous other nutrients to track. For example, I also track fiber, vitamin D, sodium, and calcium just to be sure I'm getting the correct amounts. The totals run at the bottom of your list along with the amounts you should be getting, depending on the goals you set.

The fitness tracker is great as well. You can easily track the exercises you do throughout the day and see how many calories you have burned. I have also joined a few of the message boards, which help me to stay motivated. Another fun feature is the points. By doing different things on the SparkPeople website, you can earn points, which earn you trophies. While these points and trophies don't mean anything, they are motivating to a competitive person like me who likes to see how many points she can rack up in a day.

The only downside to this website is all of the advertisements. However, the ads are what keep the site free, so I don't mind them at all.

Overall, SparkPeople is a fabulous website that has a lot to offer. Whether you're trying to lose weight or just maintain a healthy lifestyle, this website is the perfect tool.

Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's 4/21

2009-04-20T18:45:00.000-04:00

Ben & Jerry's shops are giving away a free cone of ice cream tomorrow, April 21. This promotion goes from noon - 8pm. Click here to find a shop near you.

Enjoy your ice cream!

Giant Deals Week of 4/19

2009-04-20T13:26:00.002-04:00

Here are a few good deals at Giant this week.

Boneless Sirloin Steak
Price: B1G1FREE ($9.49/lb)
Total: $4.75/lb

Kellogg’s Cereal-Frosted Flakes-14 oz., Froot Loops, 12.2 oz. or Corn Flakes-18 oz. box
Price: $2
Coupon: $1/2 printable
Total: $1.50 each (not my stock-up price, but a good deal if you need cereal)

Totino’s Pizza Rolls-7.5 oz. box
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $0.35/1 from insert
Total: $0.30 each

Gorton’s Crunchy Fish-Popcorn Shrimp, Fish Portions, Fish Sticks, Crispy Fish, Beer Battered Fish or Potato Crunch Fillets 14-24.5 oz.
Price: $3.99
Coupon: $1.25/2 from insert or $0.75/2 printable
Total: $3.25 each or $3.50 each

Kelloggs Fiber Plus bars 6.3oz box
Price: 2/$5
Coupon: $0.75/1 printable
Total: $1.50 each
Gas Deal: In group of buy 4, get $0.20/gallon

Weis Deals week of 4/16

2009-04-16T13:27:00.002-04:00

Looks like it's a good week to shop at Weis Markets. Here are some of the highlights. To see all of the Weis Deals, click here.

Zatarain’s Rice Mixes-Chicken, Spanish, Yellow or Cheddar Broccoli 5.7-8 oz.
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $0.75/2 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Heluva Good Refrigerated Dips-12 oz.
Price: $1.50
Coupon: $0.50/1 printable
Total: $0.50 each

Doritos Tortilla Chips 11.75-14.125 oz.
Price: BOGO ($3.99)
Total: $1.98 each

Turkey Hill Teas or Drinks-64 oz.
Price: 3/$4
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $0.83 each

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pastas-selected 14.5 oz.
Price: 4/$5
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $0.75 each

Musselmann’s Apple Sauce-Totally Fruit or Healthy Picks-4 ct.
Price: 3/$5
Coupon: $.30/1 printable
Total: $1.16 each

Printable Coupon Websites

2009-04-08T06:34:00.006-04:00

Are you new to the printable coupon world? If so, it can be very confusing to say the least. The last time I was involved in couponing, most stores wouldn't take printable coupons, so I didn't really know what was out there. When I came back to couponing last year, I was amazed at the number of printable coupon websites there are. Now that all my stores accept them again, I can save much more money at the grocery store.

I thought I'd share a few of the good ones with you to help in your money-saving adventure!

Coupons.com
This website has all kinds of manufacturer coupons with long expiration dates, which are updated very regularly. No registration needed, but if you do register, you will get emails when the coupons are updated.

Smartsource.com
This is website for Smart Source, which is one of the inserts that come in the Sunday paper. This website has different coupons than the inserts.

Mambo Sprouts
This is a website for Natural and Organic products. They update their coupons regularly.

Red Plum
Red Plum is the other coupon insert you get in the Sunday paper. Some of these tend to be the same as Smart Source, but there are also additional coupons, so worth checking out.

Bettycrocker.com
This is Betty Crocker's website, which has coupons for all sorts of General Mills products. Updated about once a month.

Pillsbury.com
If you purchase Pillsbury products, here is a way to save money on them. There are not tons of coupons on this site, but, hey, every little bit helps!

Target
If you shop at Target, this site has Target store coupons you can print for groceries. And don't forget, you can combine Target store coupons with manufacturer coupons for even more savings!

Other places to find printable coupons are on the websites for the manufacturers of the products you buy and the websites of the stores you shop.

Weis Deals week of 3/26

2009-03-27T13:08:00.002-04:00

There are a lot of BOGOs this week. Using coupons with these sales is a great way to build your stockpile!

Chex Mix or Bugles Snacks-selected 7.5-8.75 oz.
Price: BOGO ($2.09)
Coupon: $1/2 from inserts
Total: $0.55 each

Light & Fluffy Egg Noodles12 oz.
Price: 4/$5
Coupon: $0.50/2 from insert
Total: $0.75 each

Wish-Bone Salad Dressings or Spritzers-7 or 16 oz.
Price: 3/$5
Coupon: $0.75/1 from insert
Total: $0.67 each

2000 Flushes Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner 1.25 or 3.5 oz.
Price: BOGO ($2.79)
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.90 each

Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover-14 or 22 oz.
Price: BOGO ($4.85)
Coupon: (2) $1/1 printable
Total: $1.43 each

General Mills Apple Cinnamon or Multi-Grain Cheerios-12.8 or 12.9 oz.
Price: BOGO ($3.29)
Coupon: $1/2 printable from a few weeks ago
Total: $1.15 each (I will only buy cereal when I can get it for $1, but if you are in need of it, this is pretty good, even if you don't have the coupon)

Lysol Products: Toilet Bowl Cleaner-24 oz.; Wipes-28 or 35 ct., Kitchen Spray-22 oz., All Purpose Cleaner-4 oz. identical item only
Price: BOGO ($2.07)
Coupon: Various Lysol coupons from inserts
Total: As low as $0.54 each

Sparkle Paper Towels - 3 rolls
Price: BOGO ($3.85)
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total:$ 1.43 each ($0.48 per roll)

Cheap Leapster Games at Target 3/29-4/4

2009-03-26T13:52:00.002-04:00

Target has Leapster games on sale next week for $15. Use the printable $5/1 coupon to get them for $10 each. These are normally $25-$30 each, so this is a great bargain! Perfect for those Easter baskets!

Happy Shopping!

Giant Deals Week of 3/22

2009-03-25T13:16:00.002-04:00

Here are some notable deals at Giant this week. Don't forget to cut out your Dollar Doublers from the ad this week!

Knorr-Lipton Sides
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1/3 from insert + dollar doubler
Total: $0.33 each

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers - 12 oz.
Price: $5/4 (must buy 5)
Coupon: $1/1 printable (BettyCrocker.com from a few weeks ago)
Total: -$0.20 (money maker!)

Olivio - 15oz.
Price: $2.25
Coupon: $1/1 from insert + dollar doubler
Total: $0.25

Marcal Napkins
Price: 2/$4
Coupon: $1/1 from insert + dollar doubler
Total: FREE

Smart Ones
Price: 6/$10
Coupon: $1/5 printable + dollar doubler
Total: $1.05 each

Johnson Kids Band aids
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1/1 from inserts
Total: FREE

Coffee Mate
Price: $2
Coupon: $1.50/1 printable
Total: $0.50 each

Weis Deals week of 3/19

2009-03-18T13:47:00.002-04:00

There are not many deals this week. Here are 2 that caught my eye.

Kellogg’s Special K Cereal-selected 5.2-14 oz. MUST BUY 4; all others $2.50
Price: 4/$8
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $1 each
*Buy 3 Kellogg's cereals, get a FREE gallon of milk, 2 FREE gallons wyb 5, and 3 FREE gallons wyb 7.

Ball Park Meat Franks-reg., Lites, Bun-Size, Singles, or Turkey Franks 12.8-16 oz.
Price: B1G1FREE ($3.99)
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $1.50 each

Don't forget, you can always order coupons on ebay very inexpensively. This is a good way to stock up on essentials like these!

Jergen's Naturals Hydrate Moisturizer

2009-03-09T14:09:00.001-04:00

I received new Jergen's Naturals Hydrate moisturizer from Jergen's to try out and let people know how I liked it. So, without further ado, here is my review.

The day I received it in the mail was the first time I had ever seen this product. I hadn't noticed it at my grocery or drug store. Even if I had, I am not sure I would have purchased it as it costs about $8. Without a great sale and a high-value coupon, I never would have bought this product. I would have missed out...

The first thing I noticed, and liked, was that it is made with 92% natural ingredients. This prompted me to think about all of the chemicals I was routinely putting into my body with the products I already had. Something I rarely thought about was that chemicals can be absorbed into the body from things like lotions. I have more recently begun to try to use natural products both in and on my body. So the fact that this particular moisturizer was mostly natural appealed to me.

So, I put the full sized bottle in my bathroom right on the vanity so I would be sure to use it whenever I was there. I first used the moisturizer right out of the shower and my first reaction was, "Wow, this stuff smells great!" As I smoothed it on, I noticed how soft it was making my skin. I just wanted to keep putting more and more on! As I went about my business, I realized that my skin felt great all day. By the end of the day, my skin still felt moisturized, not dry and scaly as it usually does.

I would highly recommend Jergen's Naturals Hydrate moisturizer. With over 90% natural ingredients, it fits the bill for anyone trying to reduce chemical use. Also, it has the power to moisturize even the driest skin. Finally, it smells great!

Don't let the price stop you from purchasing this moisturizer. The bottle is huge. I've had it for about a month and it's still more than half full after daily usage. It really is a great value.

Definitely try this product for yourself!!

Weis Deals week of 3/5

2009-03-05T12:39:00.004-05:00

A few good deals at Weis Markets this week.

4-Day Sale Thurs., March 5-March 8
$1.69/lb Boneless Pork Loins-LIMIT 2 w/ a $25 purchase
$3.95/lb California Navel Oranges-8 lb bag-LIMIT 2 w/ a $25 purchase
$2.99/lb Farmland Cooked Ham & Weis American Cheese-LIMIT 2 lbs w/ a $25 purchase
$0.99 Tastykake Family Packs 8-12.75 oz. LIMIT 2 w/ a $25 purchase
$0.99 Weis Ice Cream-56 oz. LIMIT 2 w/ a $25 purchase

Totino’s Pizza Rolls-7.5 oz.
Price: $1
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Gorton's Seafood
Price: $2 off at checkout (instant savings) wyb 2 (on sale for 40% off)
Coupon: $1/2 from insert

Hillshire Farm Sausage-14 or 16 oz. ($3.99)
Price: B1G1FREE
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $1.50 each

Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes-Dark Chocolate or Family Fudge-18.3 or 19.9 oz.
Price: $1
Coupon: $0.55/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Giant Deals Week of 2/15

2009-02-16T14:53:00.007-05:00

There are some pretty good deals this week at Giant!

Kunzler Sliced Bacon ($4.99)
Price: BOGO
Total: $2.50 each

General Mills Cereals (Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios, & Apple Cinnamon Cheerios)
Price: 4/$6 (must buy 4)
Coupon: There are many printable coupons for $1/1 for these specific cereals
Total: $0.50 each with the coupons (this is the cheapest I've EVER seen cereal!)
Hint: If are going to purchase 8 or 12 (or more), do them in separate transactions, with 4 boxes in each transaction, in order to get the sale price.

Kunzler Meat Franks
Price: BOGO

Colgate Toothpaste
Price: $0.99
Coupon: $1/1 (expires 2/19) from insert
Total: -$0.01

Gas Deals
Buy any 8, save .20 per gallon
10/$10~s
Powerade Sports Drink-Lemon Lime, or Fruit Punch, 32 oz.
Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce 26-26.5 oz.
Banquet Value Meals 6.75-12 oz. box
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta w/ Meat or Mac & Cheese, 14.5-15 oz.
2/$6 Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice or Grapefruit Juice-64 oz.
$1.79 Kid Cuisine
2/$6 Campbell’s V8 Fusion-Strawberry Banana, Tropical Orange, or Peach Mango-46 oz.
$2.09 Healthy Choice Simple Selections 6-9.1 oz., EXCLUDES Complete Selections and Deli Steamers
4/$5 Banquet Brown ‘n Serve Sausage Links or Patties-7 oz.
$5.99 Caribou Coffee-Blend, Columbian or Daybreak Morning, 12 oz.
3/$4 Banquet Select Dinners 9-11.25 oz. pkg
$4.49 Banquet Boneless Chicken Bags-Nuggets, Strips, & Breast Nuggets, 26-28.8 oz.
$4.99 Our Famous Store Made Traditional Dutch Fastnachts-
2/$3 Kleenex Facial Tissues-White or Assorted 85-200 ct., Expressions 90-184 ct., Lotion, 80 ct., or Anti-Virus, 75-112 ct. box, EXCLUDES Kleenex Ultra Family Tissues
.99 Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding-14 oz.
$2.79 Blue Bonnet Spread-45 oz.
2/$6 Little Debbie Big Pack Favorites 16.8-31.78 oz.

Buy any 6, save .20 per gallon
2/$11 Scott 8 Roll Paper Towels
$6.99 Viva 6 Roll Paper Towels, Cottonelle 12 Double Rolls, or Triple 8 Rolls
2/$6 Scott 4 Roll Bath Tissue
$5.59 Cottonelle Fresh Moist Wipes-refill, 140 ct.
$2.99 Kotex Maxi Pads or Tampons-pads, 14-24 ct., or Tampons, 18 ct.
$1 off Bausch & Lomb ReNu MultiPlus Multi-Purpose Solution 4-24 oz.
$10.47 Huggies Baby Wipes -Soft Skin or Natural Care 320-360 ct.
$15.59 Huggies Training Pants-Pull-Ups, 33-44 ct., or Goodnites 21-27 oz.
$15.59 Huggies Mega Pack Diapers 2-6, 40-72 oz.
2/$5 Huggies Baby Products
$1 off Poise Pads 30-72 c

There is also another gas deal - buy 3 participating meat products and get $0.40 off gas

Weis Deals week of 2/5

2009-02-04T13:33:00.002-05:00

Lots of great deals at Weis Markets this week! Time to build your stockpile!

Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken, & Tuna Helpers
Price: $1
Coupon: $1/3 printable from last month (bettycrocker.com)
Total: $0.67 each

Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes
Price: $1
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Suave Shampoo or Conditioner-15 oz.
Price: $1
Coup0n: $2/3 from insert
Total: $0.33 each

Pillsbury Cookies-Ready-to-Bake or Create ‘n Bake-16 or 16.5 oz.
Price: $2.50 ( + $4 off wyb 4 Pillsbury products)
Coupon: (2) $0.75/2 printable
Total: -$1.00 each (Money Maker!)

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers-12 oz.
Price: 3/$5
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.67 each

Lucky Charms Cereal
Price: 3/$6
Coupon: $0.55/1 printable
Total: $1 each

Nature Made Supplements ($3.99)
Price: B1G1F
Coupon: Lots of Nature Made coupons from inserts (most $1/1)
Total: $1.50 each

Giant Deals week of 2/1

2009-02-02T06:54:00.002-05:00

Not too much going on at Giant this week as far as good deals go. The (4) $1 coupon doublers could come in handy.

10/$10
San Giorgio Pasta-Elbows, Rotini, Rigatoni, or Spaghetti 12-16 oz.
Pepsi, Diet, & Mt. Dew 2-Liters
Campbell’s Spaghettios-no meat, 26 oz. can
Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes-28 oz. or Sauce, 29 oz. can
Celeste Pizza for One
Giant Hot Dog 12 ct., 19 oz. pkg
2-Liters-Canada Dry, 7-Up, A&W Root Beer or Sunkist Orange

Other deals
Wege Pretzels 16-17 oz.
Price: 2/$5
Coupon: $1/1 from insert (with doubler coupon $2)
Total: $0.50 each

Baked! Lay’s Potato Chips, Sun Chips, Baked! Doritos, Baked! Tostitos or Baked! Cheetos 9-11.5 oz.
Price: 3/$10
Coupon: $1/1 printable (with doubler coupon $2)
Total: $1.33 each

Land O’ Lakes Buttery Taste Spread or Soft Margarine-15 oz.
Price: $1.99
Coupon: $1/2 from insert (with doubler coupon $2)
Total: $1 each

Olivio Spread-$2.25
Price: $2.25
Coupon: $1/1 from insert (with doubler coupon $2)
Total: $0.25 each

Weis Deals week of 1/29

2009-01-28T21:30:00.002-05:00

There are some pretty good deal this week at Weis. Here's what looks good to me.

Lays Chips
Price: B1G1F ($3.99)
Total: $2 each

Ball Park Franks - Meat Singles-12.8 oz., lites-14 oz., bun size, meat, or turkey franks-16 oz.
Price: B1G1F ($3.99)
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $1.50 each

Nabisco Crackers 6.75-10 oz. Must buy 4
Price: 4/$8
Coupon: $2/2 from insert
Total: $1.50 each

Hanover Soft Pretzels-13 oz.
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Selected Eggo Waffles 17.2-19.8 oz.
Price: 3/$8
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $2.17 each

FREE Coffee at Panera Bread on 1/28!

2009-01-26T14:09:00.001-05:00

Panera is giving away FREE coffee and samples all day January 28. Click here for more details.

Enjoy your free coffee!

Rite Aid Deals week of 1/25

2009-01-25T21:57:00.002-05:00

This is the first week of the February Single Check Rebates. Don't forget to request your January checks! There are also 2 coupons in the ad for $25 gift card with prescription transfer.

Garnier Fructis Body & Volume Shampoo or Conditioner (specific variety)
Price: $2.99
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
SCR: $2.99
Total: -$1.00

Huggies Goodnites
Price: $9.99
Coupon: $2/1 from insert
SCR: $5
Total: $2.99

Stayfree Maxi Pads
Price: $2.50
Coupon: $2/2
Total: 2/$3 or $1.50 each

Weis Deals week of 1/22

2009-01-22T06:50:00.002-05:00

There are a lot of BOGOs this week at Weis Markets. Time to stock up!

BOGO
Sunkist California Navel Oranges-4 lb. bag ($4.99)
Thomas’ Original English Muffins-6 ct. ($3.39)
Tyson Fresh Roasting Chickens ($1.59)
Top Round Roasts or London Broil ($5.29)

Superpretzels or Pretzelfils-9 or 13 oz.
Price: $2.69 BOGO
Coupon: $0.75/1 from insert
Total: $$0.85 each

Utz Potato Chips-10 oz.
Price: $3.69 BOGO
Coupon: $0.75/1 from insert
Total: $1.85 each

Butterball Turkey Bacon-12 oz.
Price: $3.49 BOGO
Coupon: $1/1 printable
Price: $1.25 each

Shedd’s Spread Country Crock-15 oz.
Price: 3/$5
Coupon: $0.35/1 from insert
Total: $0.97 each

Pringles Crisps 5.13-6 oz.
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $0.20/2 from insert
Total: $0.80 each

Enter to Win $15 in Kraft Coupons

2009-01-19T06:01:00.002-05:00

Enter to win $15 in Kraft coupons at Kraft's So Good Together on Game Day site! You can enter multiple times if you don't win the first time around. I won on my first shot. The coupons will be mailed in 2-4 weeks. Good luck!!

K-Mart Super Double Coupons this week!

2009-01-18T19:54:00.001-05:00

K-Mart is doing their Super Double Coupons this week again. They will double any coupon up to $2. So a $1 coupon will double to $2 and a $2 coupon will double to $4. Pretty sweet!

Here are some things that will be good deals at K-Mart:

L'Oreal single eye shadows
Price: $3.49
Coupon: $2/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Motts for Tots
Price: $2
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Pledge Multi-Surface Duster
Price: $2.50
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Revlon Colorstay Single Eye Shadow
Price: $3.49
Coupon: $2/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Revlon Nail Clippers or Tweezers
Price: $1.49
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Suave Solid 2.6 oz
Price: $1.67
Coupon: $0.75/1 from insert
Total: $0.17 each

Kellog's Special K Cereal
Price: $2.50
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Giant Deals week of 1/18

2009-01-16T21:42:00.003-05:00

It's the third week of the Gi-Can-Tic Sale. Lots of BOGO offers this week.

BOGOs
Top Round London Broil ($5.99/lb)
Boneless, Center Cut Pork Roast
Kunzler Sliced Bacon ($4.99)
Hillshire Farms Lil' Smokies or Weiners
Kunzler Meat Franks
Thomas' Original English Muffins - 6 ct ($3.39)
Arnold Whole Grain Classic Loaf - 24 oz ($3.99)

Get $4 off your order wyb 5 Pillsbury refrigerated baked goods - There are tons of insert coupons out there. (Don't forget - Giant will not double more than 1 like coupon in 1 transaction).

Gas Deals include:
1. Buy any 3 participating meat products, save $0.20 per gallon
2. Buy any 4 participating CareOne, Dove, & Unilever products, save $0.20 per
gallon (there are many Dove and Unilever coupons from inserts - see ad for
complete list of products)
3. Buy any 8 participating products (majority is Unilever products), save $0.20 per
gallon

Quaker Simple Harvest OR True Delight Granola Bars
Price: 3/$6
Coupon: $1/1 True Delight from insert
Total: $1 each

Glad Plug-in Gel Warmers
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: B1G1Free from insert
Total: $0.50 each

KN Chenille Lounge Socks Giveaway!

2009-01-16T06:31:00.000-05:00

Frugal and Fabulous is giving away KN Chenille Lounge Socks. All you have to do is check out the KN website and then post a comment at Frugal and Fabulous about which is your favorite product. They will choose a random winner by Jan 19. Good luck!

Rite Aid Deals week of 1/18

2009-01-15T13:13:00.002-05:00

Looks like a pretty good week at Rite Aid.

Huggies Wipes/Lotion/Bath Wash
Price: 2/$5
Coupons: $1/1 body/bath product; $0.50/1 wipes from insert
SCR: $2 on 2 and qualifies for Kimberly-Clark RA giftcard SCR offer
Total: $0.50-$1 each

Dove Body Mist or Ultimate Clear Deodorant
Price: $3.00
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
SCR: 2.00
Total: Free

Mentos Gum
Price: 2/$2
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: Free

GE Light Bulbs
Price: $2.00
SCR: 2.00
Total: Free

Colgate Kids Toothpaste

Price: $1.50
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.50

Bic Razors 4pk
Comfort Advance or Soleil
Price: $4.99
Coupon: $2 from 1/18 insert
SCR: $2.00
Total: $0.99

Trident Multipack
Price: $1.99
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.99 for the 3 pack

Free Coupons

2009-01-14T22:38:00.001-05:00

Sign up for Eat Better America and receive a coupon booklet in the mail worth $10. Also, go to Proctor & Gamble for a coupon booklet worth $27. Visit P&G Everyday Solutions an login or register for a free sample of Head & Shoulders.

Weis Deals week of 1/15

2009-01-14T22:08:00.002-05:00

I'm not too impressed with Weis Markets this week, but there are a couple of things worth making the trip.

Meat Sale - beef, pork, poultry, all packaged meat, bacon and sausage
Coupon: 20% off (coupon on front page of flyer)

$2 off your order wyb 3 Frito-Lay and 3 Pepsi 12-packs

Pillsbury Specialty Breads 11-13.8 oz.
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $0.40/2 from insert
Total: $1.10 each

Progresso Bread Crumbs
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $1/2 printable
Total: $1 each

Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers or Fruit Roll-Up Stackers-5.4 or 5.9 oz.
Price: 2/$4
Coupon: $0.50/2 from insert
Total: $1.50 each

Quaker Quick or Old Fashioned Oats-18 oz.
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $0.60/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Welch’s Grape Jelly or Jam-22 or 32 oz.
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $0.75/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Karns Deals week of 1/13

2009-01-14T06:28:00.002-05:00

Karns has some good deals this week with 50% off some items. Here are some that jumped out at me.

Ziploc Bag Vacuum Pump Starter Kit
Price: FREE (they are giving this away free at the check-out - no rainchecks)

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
Price: $1.64
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $0.64 each

Sparkle Paper Towels (8-pk)
Price: $4.24
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert (doubles to $1)
Total: $3.24 ($0.41/roll)

Old Orchard Fruit Sense Juice
Price: 5/$10
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: $1 each

Fiber One Bars
Price: 4/$10
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert (doubles to $1)
Price: $1.50 each

Nature Valley Granola Bars
Price: 4/$10
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert (doubles to $1)
Price: $1.50 each

Free Suave - Today Only!

2009-01-14T06:18:00.002-05:00

Go to Suave's website and fill out the form to receive coupon for a free bottle of suave. Coupons will be mailed in 2-4 weeks. This offer is only valid today, 1/14/09, so hurry!

Do I Offend?

2009-01-12T13:53:00.007-05:00

A few months ago, our local paper began running a column about clipping coupons and saving money at the grocery store. I was really looking forward to reading this column. That is, until I read the first article. Now, I don't pretend to be any kind of expert when it comes to writing or even finding good deals, however, this column was...well...let's just say, it wasn't very good, in my opinion.

First off, the writing style was very boring. It didn't hold my attention at all and I'm actually interested in the subject matter. I can't imagine someone who never thought about saving money reading this and making it through to the end.

Second, there were typos and grammatical errors in every paragraph. Maybe I'm a perfectionist; maybe I'm a little more sensitive to this particular issue because I proofread as part of my day job, but for a newspaper article to be so messy with misspellings and awkward grammar style is pretty substandard if you ask me.

Last, and probably the most annoying factor, the writer did not write about the best bargains out there. Instead, it seemed like he closed his eyes, pointed to a location on the page of the flyer, and wrote about whatever item his finger happened to be touching. It would have taken very little effort to actually look at the coupons and the deals to figure out where one could gain significant savings.

I fumed over this for a few weeks and then finally was so fed up, I felt he needed to know how I, Mrs. Jane Public, felt about his so-called money-saving column. After all, wasn't the whole point of the column to help us save money?

So I wrote. And I wrote some more. And I kept on writing until I felt my point was clear. (I also spell-checked numerous times before sending the email out into cyberspace to end up in the Editor's inbox.) I awaited a response.

No response came.

I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was relieved that I was able to voice my opinions, which is something I rarely do in person. It made me feel better to be able to get my views out there, even if they would never be read by a human. That feeling of relief soon evaded as my husband read to me from that column yesterday.

The man specifically answered my email in his column (and I might add that it was very oddly placed in the middle of the article, but I digress). It was not so specific that he named me or anything, but specific enough that I knew he was thinking of me as he typed. He defended himself like my husband does when he knows I'm dead-on right about something but doesn't want to admit it, so he makes up 101 excuses. He ended with, "Enough said." I suppose that was his male chauvinistic way of telling me to back off. I think he was about to get the claws out.

I would have been fine with the fact that he answered my letter in the column if he had not gone on to use my examples and not give me an ounce of credit. So, he basically told me to shut up because he was doing the best he could, then insulted the public by saying he was trying to keep it simple for the average Joe, but must have secretly thought I had a brain because he used my logic and insight for this week's deals.

That's OK; he can have them. The whole point I was trying to make was that the general public are smart enough to read a deal and be able to do it, so why not write about the best deals? If he needs to steal someone else's ideas in order to do it, I'm fine with that. I'm guessing there is probably some ulterior motive here. This most likely has something to do with them trying to get more people to purchase the newspaper in order to get the coupons he writes about. Or giving the deals of only 1 grocery store, which happens to be the one with the most advertising in the paper. It probably has very little to do with wanting to help people save money.

Book Giveaway: Sundays at Tiffany's

2009-01-12T06:45:00.000-05:00

Monie at Reading with Monie is giving away James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's. 5 winners will receive a paperback, 3 winners will win the audiobook, and 1 winner will receive the hardcopy. Contest ends at 9pm CST on January 19. Good luck!

Giant Deals week of 1/11

2009-01-11T21:43:00.001-05:00

It's the second week of the Gi-Can-Tic Sale. There are also 3 gas deals this week. Very sweet!

Progresso Classics Soups
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1.10/1 printable
Total: -$0.20 each

Scotties Facial Tissues-160 ct. or Cube 65-85 ct. box
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert
Total: FREE after doubled coupon

Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta
Price: $0.99
Coupon: $0.35/3 from insert
Total: $0.76 each

Quaker Oats Oatmeal-18 oz. (part of buy-8 gas deal)
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $0.60/1 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers-12 oz. (part of buy-8 gas deal)
Price: 3/$5
Coupon: $0.50/1 from insert
Total: $0.67 each

StarKist Chunk Light Tuna-2.6 oz. pouch
Price: $1.22
Coupon; B2G1 Free
Total: $0.81 each

Detour Nutritional Energy Bar
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: B1G1F printable
Price: $0.50 each

Weis Markets Deals week of 1/8

2009-01-09T13:59:00.001-05:00

Weis is implementing a Price Freeze, so get the deals while you can!

Totino's Pizza Rolls
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1/1 printable
Total: FREE

Blistex Lip Balm (.15oz)
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1/2 from insert
Total: $0.50 each

Kellogg's Cereals
Price: 3/$6
Coupon: There are some $1/1 coupons from various inserts
Total $1 each

Doritos Tortilla Chips
Price: BOGO ($3.99)
Total: $2 each

Progresso Classics Soups
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1.10/1 printable
Total: $-0.10 each

Dawn or Ivory Dish Liquid-selected 11 or 14 oz., Ivory-12.6 oz.
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: $1/1 from insert
Total: FREE

Rite Aid Deals week of 1/11

2009-01-09T06:30:00.002-05:00

A couple good deals at Rite Aid this week. And don't forget about those Prescription Transfer coupons from the 1/4 ad that give you a $30 gift card with any prescription transfer!

Excedrin 20 ct.
Price: $1.99
Coupon: $2/1 from 10/19 insert
Total: Free

Electrasol
Price: $4.49
SCR: $2
MC: $2.50 from 1/4 insert
Total: Free

Ziploc bags
Price: $1.99 x 2
Coupon: .50 in ad coupon x2
Coupon: $1/2 from 12/7 insert
Total: $1.98/2

Glade Scented Oil Refills
Price: 2 for $5
Coupon: $1/2 in ad coupon
Coupon: $2.50/2 from 12/7 insert
Total: $1.50 for 2

Glade Candles
Price: 2 for $5
Coupon: $1/2 in ad coupon
Coupon: $1 x2 from 12/7 insert
Total: $2/2

Maybelline Cosmetics
Price: B1G1F
Coupon: $1/1 Maybelline mascara
SCR: $2 on any 1 Maybelline mascara
Total: Not sure of prices, but could get you some cheap mascara

Huggies Pullups
Price: $9.99
SCR: $2
Coupon: $1/1
Caregivers Marketplace Rebate: $1
Total: $5.99 and qualifies for SCR 48 for $10 gc wyb $25 worth of Kimberly Clark products

Rite Aid Deals week of 1/4/09

2009-01-04T21:15:00.000-05:00

It's an OK week for Rite Aid deals. And don't forget, you can combine in-ad coupons with manufacturer coupons for some good bargains!

Garnier Fructis shampoo, conditioner or stylers
Price: $3
Coupon: many $1/1 floating around from various inserts
SCR: $2 (limit 2)
OOP: FREE

SoyJoy bars Price: 10/$5
Coupon: $3/10 from 1/4 paper
SCR: $5 on 10
OOP: FREE to -$3.00

B1G1F Nature Made Vitamins (also coupons in 1/4 paper)
Aquafresh Toothpaste & Toothbrushes (also coupons in 1/4 paper)

Giant Deals week of 1/4/09

2009-01-03T22:54:00.003-05:00

Take advantage of the gi-can-tic sale this week and those 5 inserts that will come in the paper on 1/4. There are also 2 gas deals this week, they are pretty pricey products to save $0.20 per gallon. Here are some notable deals.

Ben & Jerry's ice cream (pint size)
Price: $2.79
Coupon: $3/1 (printable)
OOP: -$.21

Betty Crocker Hamburger Helpers
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: Many $1/3 mfr coupons out there (and others)
OOP: 3 for $2 ($0.67 ea)

San Giorgio Pastas
Price: 10/$10

Kleenex Upright Lotion Tissues
Price: 10/$10
Coupon: A couple coupons out there that will double to $1/3
OOP: 3 for $2 ($0.67 ea)

Egg Beaters (part of buy 8 gas deal)
Price: 2/$5
Coupon: $1/1 (printable)
OOP: $1.50 each

Healthy Choice Complete Selections or Cafe Steamers Frozen Meals (part of buy 8 gas deal)
Price: 5/$10
Coupon: $1/1 (printable)
OOP: $1 each

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish
Price: 10/$10

Campbell’s Select Harvest Light Soups 18.6-18.8 oz.
Price: 10/$10

Stayfree Maxi Pads 14-24 ct., Carefree Liners 34-60 ct., or OB Tampons, 18 ct. pkg. EXCLUDES Maximum Maxi (part of buy 4 gas deal)
Price: $2.93
Coupon: Many $1/1 coupons out there
OOP: $1.93 each

Grands! Biscuits
Price: 4/$5
Coupon: $.50/2 (printable)
OOP: $1 each

Hunt's Tomato Sauce
Price: 5/$2
Coupon: $1/3 (printable)
OOP: $0.20 for 3

Hanover Kidney Beans 40.5oz can
Price: 2/$3
Coupon: $1/2 mfr from insert
OOP: $1 each

Here's a link to the list of coupons that will appear in the 1/4 paper. Enjoy!

Still not so much in the Christmas Spirit

2008-12-23T06:43:00.002-05:00

I thought by now I would be all excited about seeing the kids on Christmas morning, drooling over everything that "he" brought. I'm not. I had hoped that wrapping the gifts and opening another tab in the Christmas countdown calendar would make me feel all Christmasy. It didn't.

I think it's a combination of things, really. I've been sick for a while and they can't see to pinpoint the cause. It's really wearing me out, whatever it is. I barely have enough energy for the most important things each day.

My parents are going through a divorce that is already ugly (well, it was ugly for years before they finally decided to put an end to the madness).

Doug's family is simply a mess and now they're taking it out on us. He had a nice chat with his mother on Sunday (his birthday) and she informed him that she was sick of him acting like he was too good for everyone because we decided not to drive down there for Christmas (however, they were invited here).

A good friend started chemo this month for Lymphoma, which really puts things into perspective.

We're having more behavioral problems with Charlie and we've run out of ideas for helping him. His anger is getting worse and I feel like we're part of the problem, but I can't figure out exactly what we're doing to cause it.

Work has been really crazy and, well, interesting. We'll just leave it at that.

And we're having this horrible potty battle with Elizabeth. It was her idea to start potty training, but now she doesn't want to do it, which would be fine with me, except that the diapers are now giving her the worst diaper rash I've ever seen. Think completely raw skin ALL over (not just the hiney part). Doug doesn't like to put her in underwear during the day because then he has to be vigilant about making her go to the bathroom, which he doesn't care for. So I get the pleasure of hearing her scream bloody murder when I try to bathe her and wash the "area".

So, it's not the most festive of holiday seasons. I'm trying, though, to muster up the excitement for the kids. It really is about the kids anyway.

Acting Debut

2008-12-18T22:06:00.002-05:00

They practiced for weeks. He learned 3 different parts before the settled on who would play what. He wouldn't tell us anything during the weeks leading up to the big day. And then it was time.

As parents, grandparents, and siblings packed into the church's All-Purpose room, we awaited the highly anticipated performance. Charlie was among the first 2 kids to come out. He sat in a chair on stage in the cutest little costume. He was a "visitor". He took his job very seriously, with a huge smile, waving and giving us the thumbs up the entire time. It was finally time for his big part. He stood up and pointed to Bethlehem. Then sat back down.

Well, no wonder he has been bored the last few weeks in school. While everyone else had parts where they walked up on the stage and did stuff, Charlie had to sit on stage and do nothing. For Charlie, this is no small task. I'm not saying his part was any smaller than the rest, but they surely did not pick the best part for him. Apparently, he was supposed to be a shepherd, but the kid who originally was playing the visitor couldn't sit still. So they picked Charlie to do that part instead. Have they met my son? I was stunned when I saw him sitting like a little angel up on stage. Not getting up and running around. Not trying to talk to everyone. Not sticking his hands in his pants (he gets that from his father, by the way). Just sitting there, so sweet and innocent. Aside from the goofy faces he was making, he was actually following direction like a champ! He'll probably learn to regret that, however. Now I know he can sit still for 30 minutes.

How to stay sane through the holidays

2008-12-13T22:52:00.002-05:00

The holidays can be a wonderful time filled with family and friends, good food and gifts, memories and laughs. Sometimes, though, the holidays mean living through the freak show you are legally bound to call your family. So, if you fall into the latter category, here are some tips to stay sane through the madness.

1. Keep a well-stocked liquor cabinet. You will surely need this to unwind after a gruesome get together that includes pregnant swinger cousins, a weed smoking aunt, and a sister who doesn't think it's her responsibility to watch over her own children.

2. Have lots of chocolate on hand. This will mask the pain when your mom threatens to come and take your 2-year-old's furniture from her bedroom just to 'stick it' to your dad. Yea...that'll get him.

3. Have a code word with the one you love. This code word will come in handy when you just can't take another story from your husband's cousin about how hard it is to be a single parent and how she never thought she'd be divorced, even though you saw it coming a mile away, and you need to get outta there.

4. Be yourself and have fun. You're never going to please everybody. Someone will always feel that you wronged them in some way. You might as well have some fun while you're at it.

I hope these tips serve you as well as they have served me. Whether you love your family or simply put up with them, have a great holiday season. And remember, you can't spell 'families' without 'lies'.

A good indication that it's going to be a bad day

2008-12-10T06:28:00.003-05:00

I just had a pretty lengthy blog post written when my Internet Explorer crashed. Apparently the "autosave" feature in blogger is not functioning properly because only 1 word was still there when I got IE back up and running. I may rewrite it later, but for now, I'm just stewing. Surely a great day lies ahead (said with dripping sarcasm).

Ho Ho...Oh Whatever

2008-12-09T06:33:00.003-05:00

I can't put my finger on the why, but I am so not in the holiday spirit this year. It's odd though, because this is the first year we've been invited to holiday parties outside of our families. We even hosted my company's holiday party this past weekend. I'm even trying to pull together a last minute cookie exchange with the neighbors. But my heart isn't really there.

For example, last year, I went way overboard with gifts for the kids. They're 5 and 2, so Christmas is a big deal for them. I was all into the buying and the wrapping and didn't care how much I was spending (that particular feeling went away by January when the kids had stopped playing with any toy brought by Santa). But I was happy to do it because it just felt so good.

This year, not so much. We scaled way back on the gifts, partly because Charlie needs to learn that he can't simply get everything he wants. This problem is somewhat our fault and somewhat the fault of all his grandparents, but we know we have to nip it in the bud. The other part of why we pared down the list is because it just doesn't sit well with me to spend hundreds of dollars (on a gift for ANYONE) in the name of a holiday. Doesn't anyone remember what Christmas is actually supposed to be about? In my little corner of the world, that answer is a resounding NO.

I don't want to teach my kids that we have to go into debt to satisfy the selfish wants of others for Christmas. Granted, I love seeing my kids' excited faces on Christmas morning as they tear away the wrappings to find the toy they've longed for all year. But in my kids' cases, these things will be things they've only craved for about 2 weeks, when I finally told Doug that we need to stop buying things because it's almost Christmas! It's not his fault; he loves to see Charlie's face when he receives a new CARS car or Star Wars figure. He gets SO excited. But I say, enough is enough.

So this year, I hope my Bah Humbugs aren't loud enough to sadden anyone else's Christmas celebrations. Maybe it's another symptom of the phantom illness. Who knows? In any event, this year, just call me Scrooge.

Is it just me?

2008-12-05T06:35:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, I went to a new doctor. It was an initial visit that was supposed to take up to 2 hours, but I had no idea why so long. I was stunned to hear the reception staff (there were probably 6 of them at the front desk) discussing other patients, by name, completely in earshot. While I'm not a huge fan of HIPAA, nor do I care if my particular health information stays private (if you really want to know about it, you've got way too much time on your hands and will probably be very disappointed), I thought this was very odd given the laws. But I brushed it off. So I go back to the room with the nurse. She leaves the door hanging wide open while she asks me many questions about my history. Again, this really didn't bother me, I thought it was strange. Whatever.

So the doctor comes in. In this particular office, there are 3 doctors. Two are American and one is some kind of foreign with a heavy accent. The odds must have been against me because I get the very difficult to understand foreign doctor. It was a struggle the entire time to figure out what he was asking me. And he had to perform a slew of tests that involved him asking me to do different things. He had to repeat himself many times. This was very frustrating, but not as frustrating as what came next.

The doctor was in the middle of asking me a question when his cell phone rings. He answered the phone and left the room for 10 minutes!!! When he came back, he didn't say, "Boo" about it! I was so angry! Then he tells me to get undressed and put the robe on, blah blah blah. He said he'd be back in a minute. He went into the room next door and proceeds to make a phone call. He came back 20 minutes later!! Does he honestly think it takes me that long to get undressed? I doubt it; I guess he's into multitasking. Anyone who knows me well knows I can appreciate that and, in fact, encourage that. But when I'm scared, frustrated, freezing cold, and in the middle of my initial visit with a new doctor, I would think he'd be a little more respectful of my time.

The girl who took my blood must have been new. It took at least a half hour to get my blood drawn. Dang. It's never taken that long. And I'm still hurting from it.

Overall, a pretty disappointing experience. What is it with some doctors today? Is it just me? Am I the only one who expects a little more from these insanely paid doctors? I think not!

The Funeral

2008-11-26T06:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my grandma's funeral. I am not big on funerals; partly because I don't like to show my emotions to anyone, really, and partly because I don't really like the whole funeral process. Of course I went, though, because I was supposed to. And because my dad had already volunteered me to read at the mass.

The only word I can use to describe the day is "comical". I know that this is not a word most would think of when describing a funeral, but, believe me, it's the most appropriate word. Yes, I am sad to see grandma go, but she was 93 and we all knew it was coming. While that does not make it any less sad, I think most had been grieving for the few weeks prior. So there were a few tears, but it was not an overwhelmingly sad day. And we all knew that grandma would want us to be happy because she was finally back with grandpa, and heck, that's all she has ever wanted for the last 9 years. So she's definitely happier now.

Back to the comical day. So first, my uncle's girlfriend announces that I really should go and rummage through grandma's basement because there is some really nice jewelry there. She then proceeds to show me the bracelets she "stole" (her word, not mine). Um....the woman is not even in the ground yet and she's already taking her jewelry? This is comical to me because it's just her. That's just what she does and doesn't see anything wrong with it.

Then, Kathie shows up. We all knew she would, as appearances are her top priority. So she is going down the line, hugging my uncle and cousins. She proceeds to pass right over me and hug each of my brothers. My older brother noticed as well and gives me this look like, "what just happened here?" She looks over a minute later and says, "Amy! I didn't recognize you; you look so good!" Ahh..nice to have you back, mom. I'd almost forgotten how complimentary you could be. Comical.

Another aspect I found quite comical is how we all sort of found out who our true friends are yesterday. You can always tell who they are in a situation like that. Because they come to support you. My dad mentioned a couple who did not come and he seemed a bit surprised. This couple had been best friends with my parents since high school. They knew my grandma well and didn't even bother to call or show up. Nice friends, huh?

Otherwise, the funeral served as a nice family reunion. Even though most live in the area, we still never see them, for one reason or another. I'm sure the old excuse of "I'm so busy" comes into play a lot, but it shouldn't. I think grandma would want us to make time to see our family. So this becomes one of my goals for 2009 - to visit with family members more often.

Thanks grandma for bringing these things into perspective. You've helped me more than you will ever know.

Remembering Grandma

2008-11-23T21:20:00.005-05:00

My grandmother died yesterday morning. She was 93...it was expected. I'm actually surprised she held on this long. Unfortunately, my last memory of her was not great.

I went to see her at the hospital with my dad. She didn't look good at all. She was sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed with a tray full of uneaten food in front of her. She had completely stopped eating and it was obvious. We knew her memory was not good and that she had a habit of asking the same questions over and over again. We humored her anyway. But when she started talking about the wedding, that's when the discomfort set in for me and I knew she was getting worse.

It was a rainy Saturday evening. She asked about how the weather had been. Dad said it had been nice earlier. She said how nice it would be for the wedding. Both my dad and me were a little unsure of what she was talking about, but we kept on. Then she began asking about how we were getting to the wedding and where we were staying. She even went on to say that she didn't have anything to wear to the wedding and she couldn't believe she even came for the wedding. She also pointed out how excited she was to see my kids at the wedding. At this point, I knew she had lost it.

What wedding was she talking about, you ask? Well, we're not really sure. We do know that she wasn't talking about any recent wedding, that's for sure. My dad's guess was that she was probably remembering some other wedding that we all had to travel for. My cousin was married like 6 years ago and we all had to travel. Maybe that's what she was remembering.

She was a different woman back then. It's hard to believe that 6 years can age a person that much. But, I guess at that age, 6 years is like a lifetime. No one could believe that she was as old as she was. She got around great; no walker, sound mind, no health problems. Not your normal 80-something senior citizen. I remember always thinking how I wanted to be like that when I was old and gray.

But the woman I saw 2 weeks ago was not the lively woman still making tons of Christmas cookies each year, humming while she baked and cleaned. She's the one who first showed me the Golden Girls. Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE the Golden Girls. I still remember sitting in "grandpa's" chair, eating Snyder's cheese pretzels, while grandma sat on the couch. We watched the Golden Girls together every time I stayed overnight there. Grandpa couldn't hang that long like the girls. So we stayed up "late" and did our girl thing. I thought it was so neat that she actually wanted to stay up with me to watch TV. That's something Kathie never would have done....even if I had begged her (but I knew better than to do that).

No, the woman I saw 2 weeks ago was frail and had trouble swallowing water. It was very hard for me to see her like that and I almost wish I hadn't. I wish I could hang on to only those happy memories. But now, I have that 1 not so great memory barging in whenever I think happy grandma thoughts. I'm sure it made her feel better to see me before she took her final nap, though, so that makes it all worth it.

I miss you grandma. I hope you find true happiness where you are now. You will always be my Golden Girl.

What a weekend

2008-11-16T21:34:00.004-05:00

My Saturday morning began like many other Saturday mornings. Charlie woke us up at 7am telling us how incredibly hungry he is. (We have tried, on numerous occasions, to tell him that if he would simply eat dinner, he would not be so hungry in the morning. He does not like to listen to us, so he very rarely eats dinner.) So far, normal Saturday. I always fall for that alarm he sounds because, well, I'm a mom. The kid wants to eat. It's my responsibility to feed him. So I get up and get him some breakfast. Doug finally rolls out of bed like an hour and half later. I was extremely jealous (I know, I know...love is not supposed to be jealous, but come on! He gets to sleep in until 8:30? That is so not fair!), but I just let it go. So around 9, we decide to go wake up sleepy head (i.e. Elizabeth). She normally does sleep later than the rest of us, but that day, it was much later.

We went in and were having trouble getting her to get out of bed. She was limp and wasn't moving a whole lot. We managed to get her dressed, but she definitely wasn't herself. We called the doctor's office and they said to take her in (thank goodness for the after hours pediatric center). Doug took her in and I stayed with Charlie. He said at the dr. she turned blue in the face and they were about to take her to Hershey Med. Instead, they called Hershey and said it was her blood sugar. Her blood sugar was at 30. For those who are like me and didn't know the significance of that number, when it gets as low as 60, an ER trip is warranted. So hers was very low. After eating some food and drinking some milk, they got it back up to 130. Much better. Talk about scary!

They diagnosed her with ketotonic hypoglycemia. Apparently this is something small children can get where their blood sugar drops super low after not eating for a while. So now we have to monitor her blood sugar weekly to make sure it's within normal range. We haven't gotten full instructions yet, but I assume this will mean she will have to have more scheduled eating habits. The good news is that they grow out of it. I'm so glad this will not be something she has to deal with as a teenager or an adult. It doesn't sound like it's too big of a deal, thank goodness.

MIR Sure Deodorant

2008-11-13T19:33:00.002-05:00

Click here for a printable MIR form for Sure with Natural Extracts or Sure MAX Clinical Power deodorant.

Free Sample of Benefiber

2008-11-12T19:41:00.001-05:00

Enjoy a free sample of Benefiber compliments of Walmart! Enjoy!

Ride the Potty Train

2008-11-12T14:08:00.002-05:00

So we're unsuccessfully trying to potty train our 2 year old. This was so not my idea. After the pain and suffering that ensued while training my son, I wanted to wait until after she turned 3. But she had other plans.

She thinks it's fun to tell us she has to go, make us drop what we're doing to get her to the potty on time, just to have already gone in her pull-up. She also thinks it's fun to tell us she wants to wear "big girl underpants", but then go in them anyway (about which she really does not care). The bribery of M&Ms every time she goes #1 and a trip to Dairy Queen for a whole day of staying dry have lost their luster.

She will also only go on the potty if I can take her. This causes a few problems because Doug is our resident Stay At Home Dad. So for 40+ hours per week, she absolutely refuses to use the potty. The weekends are when she decides to cooperate because I'm there.

I am so ready to be done with potty training. I've even gone so far as to make up songs to make it fun for her. One of my favorites is "Ride the Potty Train" sung to the tune of "Come On Ride That Train". She now thinks that there is an actual train involved somehow.

And to get her to go #2 in the potty (which hasn't happened yet), I made up a song I call "There's a Party in the Potty", sung to the tune of Yo Gabba Gabba's "There's a Party in my Tummy". Thinking about it now, this could also be interchangeable with "There's a Poopy in the Potty". Same idea. Hasn't worked yet.

Am I doing something wrong? I decided this time to heed the warnings in all the books and articles, and let her decide when she's ready. She expressed to me she wanted to do this. This was her idea to begin going down this road. Granted, she was under 2 and probably didn't realize what she was really in for, but it's been like 9 months now and we have had almost no progression. We've even taken a couple weeks off. If she wanted to go, we let her, but otherwise, we were not pushing the issue. This has not helped.

A friend of mine (who does not yet have kids) took a class with a professor who wrote a book on how to potty train in 1 day. It involves feeding them salty snacks to make them drink a bunch and basically hanging out in the bathroom all day (I have not read it, but this is how it was described to me). I have to say, this is my second attempt at potty training and I really have my doubts about this method or any method that touts training is possible in 1 day. My son took a full year to train. My daughter is on month 9 with no end in sight. I'm just plain tired of this.

Has anyone tried this potty training in a day thing? Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong here? Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

Win Wall-E!

2008-11-12T13:20:00.000-05:00

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away 3-Disc standard definition DVD Version of WALL•E, which includes the “DisneyFile” Digital Copy. Good luck!

Win an Epson Artisan 800 Printer

2008-11-11T06:46:00.000-05:00

Win an Epson Artisan 800 Printer over at 5 Minutes for Mom! This printer looks awesome!

Sudz & Bubbles Giveaway!

2008-11-11T06:37:00.001-05:00

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a $50 gift certificate to Sudz and Bubbles! They have the cutest glycerin soaps for kids. Check it out!!

Free Sample of Bear Naked Fruit & Nut Granola

2008-11-10T06:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Free Snatcher, I found out about this free sample of Bear Naked Fruit & Nut Granola. Enjoy!

Win Through the Storm by Lynne Spears

2008-11-10T06:40:00.001-05:00

Over at Reading with Monie, they are giving away the book Through the Storm by Lynne Spears. There are a bunch of ways to get extra entries, too! Good luck!

To Hell in a Hand Basket

2008-11-08T19:50:00.003-05:00

I'm losing my mind. Literally. My mind is slowly, but oh so surely, going to Hell in a hand basket. My poor husband must be going crazy. People must think I'm a total idiot. I seem like your stereotypical blond bimbo (without the big boobs...I still have trouble finding mine). But, really, I'm not. I used to be so on top of things. I could remember anything. But now...

I've had to fast for a few things in the past couple of weeks. The first time, I showed up and realized that I had forgotten to fast! How does one do that? So I had to go the next day and I put post it notes all around the house (on the toaster, on the OJ) to remind myself not to eat. How sad is that?

This morning, I was going for yet another test, and I'm so proud of myself because I'm right on time. 8am on a Saturday was not ideal for me, but I did it. As I sat in the parking lot, I wondered why there were no other cars there. Could it be that I beat the staff? Wow...I am good. I called Doug to tell him how weird it was and he looked the place up in the phone book (yes, we actually still use the phone book). When he started telling me that there were 3 locations, it dawned on me. I was at the wrong location. When I called the correct location to tell them I would be late, she tried not to laugh at me. But I just had to laugh at myself.

The other day, I forgot to put detergent into a load of laundry. I didn't realize it until the next day as I was standing at the bus stop in a pair of pants that was in that load. Um...that's kind of gross. I have, on one occasion or another, forgotten to wash my body in the shower. I washed my hair and face, but turned the shower off before washing the rest of myself. I didn't realize it until I was all dressed. Thank goodness that happened on a Saturday when I didn't have anything really going on.

Doug has to repeat things to me numerous times throughout the day because I forget that he has told me already. If I put something important away, I have to tell him where I put it because, undoubtedly, I will forget where I put it the next day.

What will be next, I wonder? I don't know, but I really hope it's nothing very big. I've already screwed up a couple things at work because of my brain malfunctions. I'm sure they won't put up with that very long.

I figured this would happen someday, but at 30? Am I the only one who has to send herself emails throughout the day reminding her of things she needs to do at home? Is that even normal? Well, what is normal, anyway?

I'll let you know when I remember.

Free Sample of Glad Storage Bags

2008-11-06T06:44:00.001-05:00

Here's a free sample of Glad Storage Bags, compliments of WalMart.

Free Sample of Always Infinity

2008-11-06T06:43:00.002-05:00

Get your free sample of Always Infinity from WalMart.

Free Sample of Stayfree/Carefree

2008-11-06T06:43:00.001-05:00

Click here for your free sample of Stayfree & Carefree from WalMart.

Freebies and Samples

2008-11-06T06:42:00.000-05:00

Found these on CouponGeek!

Free holiday ornament from Holidays at Home.

Free sample of Orville Redenbacher Lime & Salt Popcorn from WalMart.

Free sample of Huggies Diapers from WalMart.

Barnes & Noble Deal

2008-11-06T06:30:00.001-05:00

Thanks to CouponGeek for this great deal!

10% off at Barnes & Noble good through 11/16/08 with this printable.

The American Voting Experience At It's Best

2008-11-04T13:38:00.004-05:00

I had the most comical voting experience this morning. We get to the polling place, a Catholic church rectory, at 7am, kids in tow, and are waiting in line, which is wrapped out the door. OK, I expected there to be a line at opening with the "before work" crowd.

So we finally get inside and find out why the line has been moving so slowly. They have a table set up to the left where they have the books. So we're just standing in line and every so often they come to get more "M-Zs". Only a few people can fit in the M-Z line, so the rest have to stay in the A-L line until there is room. So, in addition to the 2 books, they have these 2 old ladies writing down every name in separate books. I don't know if this is normal, but it seemed like overkill to me.

Then they handed me a white plastic card to take with me to yet a third line, where we were to wait to go to one of the 5 voting stations, which were not covered at all. I know I've never voted before, but shouldn't there be some privacy? Anyway, so we were waiting in the third line, but then this lady starts "making another snake". She kept yelling at people because they were getting in the wrong snake. How on earth was anyone to know which "snake" to get into? What the heck was this lady talking about?

So then it's finally my turn. I hand another worker my white plastic card, but I have to wait for another worker to take me to a voting station. It was painfully obvious that this old woman's first and only computerized experience was this polling system. She tried to explain it to me, but in the end, I had to figure it out myself.

To top this comedy off, they had everyone leaving out of the same small doorway we came in, which was where there was still an incoming line! There was another door on the other side of the room that would have been simply perfect as an exit, but they said that was where the priests' offices were and we weren't allowed in that area of the rectory. For 1 day every 4 years, they couldn't accommodate? Ridiculous!

Now, I've never voted before, so maybe this is the norm. But judging from the reactions of the other voters, I'd say probably not.

It only comes once every 4 years. This particular polling place is always the polling place for our area. They've had plenty of practice and time to prepare. And this is what they came up with?

Green Giant Just For One!

2008-11-04T13:38:00.001-05:00

I bought these as part of a gas promotion at my grocery store a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I'd like them, but they were cheap enough and were going to earn me cents off gas, so I went for it (with a coupon and a sale, of course).

The idea behind the Green Giant Just For One! is that it is a single serving of veggies, so you don't have to make a whole bag of veggies that might not get eaten. That sounds good, right?

Holy cow, these things are so good! I had the broccoli & cheese flavor (and I see from the website that there is only 1 other flavor, which is corn in butter sauce). Each serving is in it's own plastic bowl, so you don't have to dirty any dishes. Only 2 minutes in the microwave and you have a yummy snack or side dish for yourself. My only complaint is that they are way too small, and maybe that is their point, portion control. But my thought is that it is a vegetable, so a bigger serving might not be a bad thing. I like to eat these for dinner, as a meal, but I have to eat 2 or more in order to feel satisfied. I understand this is not the point, but they are so good that I simply want to make them an entire meal! Maybe I should buy the bigger bags and add some chicken to make a yummy dinner.

Bottom line: Love this product, but need to find a way to make it a full meal.

Don't Forget to Vote!

2008-11-03T20:08:00.002-05:00

I've never voted before, so I feel strange reminding others to vote. But I think this is an important election. If you can vote, you should. Regardless of who you vote for, get out there and exercise your right as an American!

OK, I'm off my soap box now...

Surprise!

2008-11-03T06:20:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it.

My husband planned a surprise 30th birthday party for me. This is a huge deal for my husband. Not that I don't think he can do things like this, but we generally don't do things like this. (For instance, I received 2 birthday cards from him. One was all lovey dovey and the other one had 2 pigs sleeping in bed, under which he wrote, "Here's to the most boring couple in the world". LOL. ) Also, because he is horrible at keeping secrets. He just can't wait to tell people (i.e. me) things. Every Christmas, I know what I'm getting weeks before Christmas actually arrives. He just gets so excited when he knows he's done good.

This was also an unbelievable feat because both of the kid have known for weeks. A 5-year-old and a 2-year-old kept a secret for 3 weeks. It's totally possible that they slipped and said something that, to a normal person, would be a clue. However, my brain fuzziness prevents me from picking up on things like that right away.

I've never had a surprise party before. And I've always secretly wanted one. I think it's because I've never really been surprised by anything before. My life revolves around planning things, so it's normally really difficult to get one by me. But this was amazing! He had someone to get me out of the house all morning and there were actually people there. This surprises me because I don't have any real girlfriends, I have a very small family and they live pretty far from us, and while Doug's family is bigger and all live only about 30 minutes away, they act as though we live on another planet and it's so hard for them to "make it up". But there they all were! It was mostly Doug's family and friends, who I've come to be friends with as well. And my dad and brothers made it, which was really nice too. And the kids were occupied because there were other kids there, which was great!

I did, unknowingly, throw him a curve ball a couple weeks ago. Apparently he'd had this party planned for quite some time, but it was supposed to start at 4pm. So when I called him a few weeks ago to tell him not to make any plans on Nov. 1, he must have panicked. Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwod from "Who's Line Is It Anyway" were going to be in town but only for that one night. I bought him tickets as an early birthday gift for him. The show was to start at 8pm, so he had to call everyone and change the time! So we both planned surprises for each other on the same day. Too funny!

Then, after the show, we met up with our friends for drinks. We got home late and then were invited to our neighbor's house, who had a party as well. So we got to know our neighbors a bit and finally made it in around 2am (the kids were staying at grandma & grandpa's overnight). We had to get up sort of early because we had to go to the grocery store, pick up the kids, and take them to a birthday party. Holy cow...we did more this weekend than we've done in our entire 7 years of marriage! We were totally exhausted by last night, but were glad we did everything.

I guess it's back to our old, boring life again. I am hoping all the fun we had this weekend will remind us to get out and do more things.

What fun things did you do this weekend?

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-10-29T13:48:00.001-04:00

While we were in Disney this month, someone bestowed upon us a Random Act of Kindness. We were in Animal Kingdom and sitting on a bench trying to figure out what to do next. It was a pretty secluded bench in the games area of Dinoland. A young couple walked over to us and handed Charlie a small stuffed dinosaur. They had won it at one of the games and must have felt that Charlie would be much more happy with it than they would. Well, I believe they were right. That dinosaur is almost his favorite stuffed animal. The whole rest of the week we were there, that dinosaur had to be with him at all times. Even still, the dinosaur shows up everywhere he is around the house. And don't even think about losing it at bed time!

I'll bet that couple has long forgotten this act of kindness, but my 5-year-old has not. Neither have I. My thoughts constantly revert back to that day, and I'm glad they do, because that is when I decide I must bestow a Random Act of Kindness myself. Some recent RAOKs I have done include leaving coupons on store shelves, sending coupons to random people, and opening a door for a woman with a walker while I was passing by. I know there are others, but these stand out in my mind.

What Random Acts of Kindness have you done lately?

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers

2008-10-28T19:52:00.000-04:00

I picked up the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers on a whim (combining a coupon with a sale, of course) and paid $1. I normally don't buy frozen foods, but I figured it would be good to try and review. Thank goodness I did not pay full price (but, then again, I don't pay full price for ANYTHING anymore LOL)! I'm a little disappointed that I paid anything for it at all, really.

I had the Grilled Basil Chicken flavor. As I was looking at the directions, my first thought was, "this looks complicated". The 'Heat' instructions were simple enough, just put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. That I can handle. But then there were separate 'Serve' instructions. You have to take the "basket" of noodles, chicken, and veggies out and dump the contents into the bowl of sauce, then stir it around. While executing the dump, I dropped part of the basket's contents onto the table. Had I been at home, I would have scooped it up and put it back in. Since I was at work, I passed on that. So I lost some right from the get go.

So I sit down to eat it, thinking how yummy it was going to be because it smelled heavenly. But when I took my first bite, there was almost no flavor at all! I thought, "OK, it was just the first bite, maybe I need to stir it some more or something. Give it a chance." Nope. By the time I was halfway done with it, I still had tasted no yumminess whatsoever. I could only down half of it before I threw it in the garbage. Very disappointing!

Bottom line: While the concept of a quick, healthy, steamed lunch is a great one, I tend to lean towards those that will offer some taste as well. They could have saved themselves some money by omitting the sauce altogether and it wouldn't have changed the taste at all. Try Stouffer's macaroni and cheese (in the red box). Not nearly as healthy, but a much higher yum factor!

More Giveaways!!

2008-10-27T21:19:00.004-04:00

Over at Frugal Finds From Your Frugal Friends, they are giving away a $5 Old Navy gift card. Also, score at $10 Barnes & Noble gift card. Wisconsin Mommy is giving away a $25 BP gift card. Who couldn't use free gas??

Enter more giveaways at Bloggy Giveaways.

Good Luck!

Macy's 150th Birthday Celebration

2008-10-25T21:56:00.008-04:00

Macy's is celebrating 150 years! Go to Macy's to print a 20% savings pass to use in stores until 10/26. They are also giving away FREE items! And today when we went, the were giving away free $15 gift cards to use today only. My husband and I both got 1, so we got $30 worth of merchandise for free! We ended up getting 2 blanket sleepers and a pair of pants for Elizabeth. Very cool!

Ways to Save Money

2008-10-24T22:59:00.005-04:00

Since we're all trying to figure out how exactly we're going to make it in this horrible economy, I figured it might be a good time to write about some ways to save money. I hope you find these helpful!

The very first thing I did when I decided I needed to slash some bills was join www.hotcouponworld.com. This is a free website that joins together money savers around the world to share money saving ideas. You can trade coupons, learn about sales, free samples, compare prices of different stores, etc.
Rite Aid has a fabulous rebate program called Single Check Rebates. Each month, Rite Aid begins a new Single Check Rebate program. They include dozens of products that you can purchase and receive money back. Many of these items are free after the rebate. You enter each receipt into their website and can request 1 check per month. You get your check in a couple of weeks. To learn more about this program, go to https://riteaid.rebateplus.com
At the grocery store, purchase everything combining sales and coupons. This maximizes my savings. I have been able to get my grocery bill down to $300 per month for a family of 4 (with 1 still in pull ups!).
If your grocery store offers gas deals, make sure you take them! I take advantage of every gas deal I possibly can at Giant. When they have groups of products that will earn $0.20/gal for purchasing so many, I try to get that many of the cheapest item and use that many coupons. The last time I filled up my minivan, I only paid $0.91/gal ($13 total)!
Use insulated curtains for all of our windows to keep the heat out in the summer and the cold out in the winter.
Take your screens out of the windows in the winter. The metal in the screens will absorb the heat from the sun preventing it from coming in through the windows. Removing the screens maximizes the amount of heat that enters the home through the windows.
Stockpile non-perishable items when you find a good deal. If something like shampoo goes on sale for $1 and you have a few $1/1 coupons, buy as many as you can! These will last forever and you don’t have to worry about running out. You can do this with all health and beauty products, cleaning products, canned goods, etc.
Run all of your errands at one time. Travel to the farthest store first and then work your way back home. This saves on gas.
Take advantage of the Flexible Spending Account offered through your employer. This allows money (you choose the amount) to be taken out of your paycheck before taxes and put into an account to be used for medical expenses (dr. appts., prescriptions, OTC medications) and/or daycare.
Fill your freezer. The fuller your freezer, the more efficiently it will run.
Shop for new insurance quotes (auto & homeowners) each year to ensure you are getting the best deal. Sometimes you may already be getting the best deal you can but sometimes you may not.
Check to see if you can pay your mortgage bi-monthly instead of monthly. Pay half of the mortgage 2 times per month. You are still paying the same amount each month, but you’re saving yourself tons in interest and will pay off your home years earlier. (A similar effect will occur by paying 1 extra full payment per year).
Call your credit card companies to see if they will lower your interest rates. They most often will. If they don’t, transfer your balance to a credit card that is offering 0%. Just be careful with this one. You must be diligent about watching that promotion end date! You’ll want to pay it off or transfer the balance again before that date.
Use a water heater blanket.
Create a budget and stick to it. Use cash for the grocery store and spending money. This way, you are more likely to stay within the budgets for those areas.
Use a gas credit card that offers cash back and only use it for gas purchases. Depending on how much gas you purchase, this can be a significant savings.
Just be sure to pay it off each month so you are not paying interest!
If you have PPL electric, check out their website http://www.pplelectric.com/. They offer an analysis tool to show where you can save on electric in your home.
Pay your bills online! I pay all of our bills online through my bank. It is free and I haven’t bought checks or stamps in a long time. I still have to write the occasional check, but this definitely cuts costs.
Check the clearance aisles of your favorite stores. I know at Giant, Rite Aid, CVS, and Walmart you can use coupons on clearance items. This means cheap or even free items!!!
I have a price book where I keep regular prices of the things I buy on a regular basis of the 3 stores I shop (Giant, BJs, and Walmart). BJ’s takes manufacturer coupons and their own coupons. Many times, BJ’s is the cheapest place to get certain items. But one of the other stores may have a sale that makes it cheaper there. I reference the price book to determine the cheapest place to purchase an item at any given time.
Print coupons online. Sites like www.smartsource.com & www.redplum.com offer printable manufacturer coupons each month. I know Giant, Target, and Walmart take internet printed coupons.
I joined My Points (www.mypoints.com) a few years ago. I earn points by clicking on emails they send me or purchasing things at my favorite online retailers through their website. You can then cash in your points for gift cards to many different restaurants and retailers. I normally use my points to purchase a restaurant gift card to use for a date night with my husband.
Use The Caregivers Marketplace (www.caregiversmarketplace.com) to get rebates on my purchases of Pull Ups. This site offers rebates on brands caregivers use like Pull Ups, Huggies, Good Nites, Nature Made, Poise, Citrucel, Cottonelle, Gold Bond, Icy Hot, and Cortizone 10, to name a few. You don’t have to be a caregiver to receive the rebates, just purchase the items, print the form and fill it out, and send in the form with the original receipt(s). They will send the rebate a few weeks later.
Sign up for free samples. I find out about different free sample offers through Hot Coupon World and sign up for any I am interested in. A lot of times you will also receive high value coupons with your free samples. These samples are great for traveling or even stocking stuffers.
Sign up for Pssst (pssst.generalmills.com.) This is a program offered by General Mills to try their products for free. Then you fill out a survey about what you tried. I just signed up and received a Macaroni Grill boxed meal. When I opened the box, tons of $1.25/1 coupons fell out too.
Also sign up for BzzAgent (www.bzzagent.com). This is a similar program, but in addition to a survey, they want you to tell people about the product and then report back about what you told them and their response.
Sign up for e-newsletters from the manufacturers of the products you buy. They will often send coupons in those newsletters that you can print and use.
Sign up for e-newsletters from the stores you shop. There are often coupons in those newsletters as well. I know that Giant always has a coupon in their monthly e-newsletter. This month, I received $2 off $5 produce purchase. And you can print and use these as many times as you want before the expiration date.
Take the bus to work (if this is an option). I only spend $45/month on the bus pass and I save tons in gas money. While I only live about 5-10 miles from where I work, sitting in all that traffic really drained my gas tank. Now I am not only saving money, I am also helping the environment (and I can sneak in some alone time with a magazine).

Some Super Duper Giveaways!

2008-10-24T22:58:00.006-04:00

I would like to let you know about a coupon bag giveaway at Dani Saves Money! Click the link to enter the drawing and win one of the beautiful coupon bags! Also, Polly at Perfectly Provident is giving away assorted makeup! You have until Sunday, October 26 to enter both. Good luck!

October Rite Aid Stash

2008-10-24T22:54:00.006-04:00

It was a good month at Rite Aid!!! And since I had $40 in gift cards ($10 from the P&G rebate last month and $30 from a prescription transfer), they literally paid me over $40 to get the products!!! Everything I bought this month was Free After Rebate, plus I had a few coupons, plus some manufacturer rebates, plus the Pull Ups will be rebated ($1/package) from Caregivers Marketplace, plus I had the $40 in gift cards. Whew! And we'll never feel sick in this house again!!!

Crazy at Kmart

2008-10-20T06:11:00.004-04:00

Saturday was Charlie's birthday. He turned 5 and is thrilled about it. We decided not to have a party since we just returned home from Disney. We figured that was enough craziness for one month. So instead, we took him to Kmart. Under normal circumstances, this would be a lame gift. However, on this particular day, the store was having a CARS event. We'd never been to one of these events, but we read that there was a chance to be able to buy a few CARS cars that were not out in stores yet. That made Charlie ecstatic. He talked about it for a month. We didn't know what to expect, but were hoping, for Charlie's sake, that it wasn't some impossible feat.

Not knowing what to expect, we showed up an hour early for the event. Doug, being the smartie that he is, went straight to Customer Service. I'm not sure I would have thought about that right away, but luckily he did. We had to get tickets, 1 per person, which my husband, in another smart move, got 1 for each of us, so 4 tickets in all. Not sure I would have thought about that either. Then they sent us to the Toys Department. So straight to Toys we went. We figured we would be among the first people there. There were these 2 grown men standing there, tickets in hand. No biggie; I figured there would be collectors. But these guys were hardcore. You could tell they didn't like that there were kids there as competition. For the entire hour long wait, they were talking about CARS and Hot Wheels like they were gold. One was worse than the other, who at least one had a kid with him. But they were both salivating once the staff brought out the boxes.

The rules were then explained. They would call a ticket and whoever won got to go up and look through the cases for 5 minutes and could pick any 5 CARS they wanted. Then they would cal another ticket, etc. I heard that they would only be calling 6 tickets and then it would be a free for all. The collectors were almost on top of the tables. They called the first number and this woman won who did have a kid with her, but the kid didn't even go up to the table. She had this list of numbers and was looking for the numbers. She didn't even know their names. This made the collectors really mad! Then another kid won, which made me happy. Then no one claimed the 3rd ticket number. So we were the 4th ticket called and Charlie's face made it so worth while! He was so excited!! He picked out the CARS he wanted. There were others up there that he didn't have, but I convinced him to give his remaining tickets to another kid. It wouldn't be right for us to go up more than once if another kid didn't get to go up at all. And that kid got to go up next! I felt really good that we helped another kid get some of them too. We left after that because the kids were getting antsy. I really wanted to stick around to see those collectors get nothing.

What an interesting "event". Apparently they have these events for Hot Wheels all the time, so the collectors knew what to expect. It was funny because they were actually mad that they had to let kids go first. It probably really chokes their chains that these kids are going to take the CARS home, open the packages, and probably beat them up from playing with them so much. That makes me laugh. We've already seen a bunch of these on EBay selling for much more than we paid. That is just so sad.

That was our experience at a CARS event. It made Charlie's year to be able to get some new CARS that are not even out in stores yet. It made my day to see the collectors get so bent!

My turn to be sick

2008-10-17T06:26:00.002-04:00

So as I sat at work on Wednesday, I began feeling sick. My muscles started aching and I was a little lightheaded. I went home that night and the symptoms got worse. I couldn't clean up from dinner at all and I didn't even have it in me to get the kids to clean up (which, believe me, is a tough job). I almost let them go to bed without baths, but I really didn't want to do that. They had been playing in dirt that day and when Elizabeth doesn't get a bath daily, she tends to smell bad. So I enlisted Charlie's help. I gave them a bath together, but he cleaned himself, got himself dry, dressed himself, and brushed and flossed his teeth himself. So I only had to worry about Elizabeth. They let me slide on the story, too, so I only had to read a page or 2. Once I got them to bed, I went straight to mine.

When the alarm went off at 5:30am on Thursday, I automatically knew I wasn't going to make it to work. When I stood up, the whole room was spinning and my head was pounding. I emailed the office to let them know I wouldn't be in (nice thing about my office is they rely heavily on email, so a simple email is all they need) and went right back to bed. I slept until about 10 and then got up and took something for my headache. I'm not kidding when I say it was literally the worst headache I've ever had. I felt like I had a really bad hangover, but that couldn't be, could it? Definitely not. I went back to bed for most of the day. I did come down among the living for a little bit. I knew if I didn't get out of bed for a bit, I wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

When I woke up this morning, I felt much better. Still a little lingering dizziness, but nothing to call off work for. Besides, it's Friday. Jeans day. Not a day to be off if you don't really need it.

It was really nice to be able to be sick. That's not to say I enjoy being sick, but I do get sick from time to time. What was nice about it was that I actually got to take care of myself by staying in bed this time. I did hear some things from downstairs I didn't particularly like, but I wasn't budging this time.

Here's to being sick and actually getting to be sick!

A good night

2008-10-15T06:35:00.005-04:00

I had a great night last night. I got more accomplished in 1 night than I have in the last month it seems. First, I took the kids out front to pull some weeds. They think this is the coolest thing. Charlie actually helps with the weeding, while Elizabeth "pulls" tanbark and puts that into the trash bag. She thinks she's helping, so it doesn't bother me. Charlie thinks it's cool to wear a gardening glove, which is way too big for him by the way. We were smiling and singing and it was really fun. So not only were we getting a household chore done, we were spending quality time together. No one was fighting and the kids really felt important.

Then, we came in and I had to vacuum the house. It really needed it. Normally, when I vacuum, the kids feel that it's open season for fighting because I can't hear them real well. But last night was different. Maybe it was the fresh air they just got or the feeling of importance, but they actually were getting ready for their baths by themselves while I was vacuuming. It was the cutest thing! Charlie was helping Elizabeth get her pajamas picked out and then he helped her use the potty! The fact that they were getting along made the night go very smoothly. And I got some things done to boot.

After I got them to bed, I was able to prepare food for my lunches this week, write instructions for Elizabeth's doctor appt. today for Doug, made little lunches for the kids to eat in the car today since they will be running errands with Doug over lunch, and did a few other things. I don't know where I found the energy to do all of this, but I'm glad I did. I feel better knowing I was able to get some things done.

So, what did you accomplish today?

Job Description: MOM

2008-10-13T21:03:00.003-04:00

When I was pregnant with my 5-year-old, I had wonderful dreams of toting the baby around to stores, showing him off to anyone who would look, and singing him to sleep. For a while, that is how it was. No one warned me, however, that there would come a time when that dream would no longer be my reality.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. I finally took some vacation from work. Aaahh...wonderful vacation. So, I have been off work since the 2nd of October. We were away from the 3rd to the 9th and I tacked on a few extra vacation days at the end to just relax. Since we've been home from our trip, I have not stopped. Not even for a second. All 3 of the children (OK, 2 kids and 1 childlike husband) have been sick. The 2-year-old had a fever for 2 days and was miserable. Then my husband starts throwing up for 2 days straight. Then my 5-year-old catches that. He's a great sick person, never complains. But he's the "silent attacker". He woke us up in the middle of the night telling us that he was going to use the bathroom. OK, he never does that, so I knew something was up right there, but I stayed in bed anyway. Then he comes in to tell me that he wanted to sleep with us. Why, you may ask? Well, so did I and the answer was because he threw up in his bed. And ATTACK! So now I'm worried the rest of the night that he's going to throw up on me or in my bed, which will, in turn, cause me to start hurling. And I keep thinking about how I now have to strip his bed in the morning, on top of the mile long list of other things I have to do on my last day of "vacation". No sleep for me. So what else is new?

So today, my husband still cannot muster enough strength to do anything, really. It is day number 4 of this "illness" and he can still do nothing but sit on the couch watching TV. I can honestly say that in the last year I have literally taken 1 day off work for actually being sick, and I was in bed only a few of those hours. The remaining time I spent tending to the kids and the house because somehow me just being home is some sort of signal to him that he can do nothing. But I digress. I did 5 loads of laundry and put it all away, ran a bunch of errands, made lunch and dinner, played with the kids outside, emptied all the garbage cans (which were disgustingly full), vacuumed, talked to our insurance guy for a half hour, pulled together a week's worth of snacks for preschool this week, and straightened out our daughters Dr. appt. for which my darling husband wrote the wrong time in the calendar. Whew! So much for a vacation day!

Unfortunately, this type of chaos occurs any day I have off work. If I stayed home with the kids, these things would be done throughout the week, but since I can't be here, I have to do them when I am. I guess my job away from home is my second job, really. My first job is here, at night and on the weekends (and sick and vacation days, too). Not exactly what I dreamt about as a new mom all those years ago!

Vacations are supposed to be fun, aren't they?

2008-10-12T19:51:00.003-04:00

So we're finally back from our vacation. I want to preface this recount by saying that I love my family and had a great time with them. That being said, here are the highlights:

We had to stay at a hotel in Baltimore on Thursday night because we had to be at the airport at 5am on Friday. We picked this particular hotel on the recommendation of my mother-in-law and because we could park both cars for free all week (worked into the price of the rooms, I'm sure). So the hotel was definitely not the best hotel (probably the worst I've ever stayed at, but you can't go by me because I very rarely travel). I didn't get a wink of sleep the whole night because I was convinced there were bedbugs. I kept feeling biting sensations all over my body, but no one else did, so I guess I was just being my psychotic self. They did take us to the airport and pick us up, so that was nice.

When we go to check our bags, they informed us that our smallest bag was over sized by 1.5" and we had to pay $39 for that. Umm...it's our smallest bag...what? I was a little PO'd because our travel agent should have gone over the size/weight requirements with us (isn't this one of the reasons we would go through a travel agent in the first place?) OK, so we paid the damn $39 and were bound and determined to have a good trip. My exact words, which I don't think have ever come out of my mouth, were, "it's only money". The kids did GREAT on the plane. I was nervous that one or the other would scream the whole way there, the way I did when I was little, but they were totally fine. I think I was more freaked out than they were.

So we get there and we use the Disney Dining Plan to buy a counter service lunch. When we looked at the receipt, the remaining counter service lunches seemed to be short a few. So Doug went to the front desk to ask. Come to find out that our 2-year-old isn't included on the meal plan, so we have to pay outright for all of her meals. I was doubly PO'd that our travel agent failed to relay this information to us as well. But I was tired and just figured we'd deal with it. Until we went to our first table service meal. We didn't order her a dinner, instead, she shared off of the rest of our plates. But they included her as part of the party of 6 (there would be only 5 not including her) that is required to pay the 18% gratuity that is automatically added to the bill! Excuse me? So she doesn't exist in the eyes of Disney when it comes to the meal plan and we don't order her a meal at all, so no extra work for the server, but she magically appears when it's time to add that automatic 18% gratuity?? How wrong!! They justified this by saying that we didn't pay for her to get into the parks, so we're saving there. I don't think so! If she doesn't exist on the meal plan and doesn't exist in the parks, then she shouldn't exist for gratuity's sake! Most nights, I wouldn't have minded. But 1 night in particular, we had a horrible waitress and we never would have paid an 18% gratuity to her. But we were forced to.

Some other highlights included my mother-in-law deciding that flip flops were the way to go for footwear when walking 5-10 miles a day. She proceeded to blow out her knee on day #2 and had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair the rest of the week. This made most rides great because we got to get in the front of the line, but the buses on the other hand, took forever. Oh well, not the end of the world.

We arrived home on Thursday night and quickly got the kids to bed. The next day, we go out to lunch because we have very little in the way of food at the house. So Doug eats a salad and then gets food poisoning. He was throwing up all night Friday night and it was coming out the other end all day Saturday. By today, he was feeling a little better, but not 100%. Elizabeth spiked a fever on Thursday during travel that lasted until Saturday. Charlie spiked one today.

And I decided to see an endocrinologist to get my dosage increased since my other doctor (who was not an endocrinologist) had left the practice. The endocrinologist told me that she doesn't think I even have any thyroid problems. She said my thyroid is normal size and she can't imagine why my other doctor said the things she said. Of course she can't explain why I feel the way I feel. Now what do I do? I'm pretty much back at square one. I'll probably get fired from my job because I can't concentrate or remember anything and have to call off because I'm too tired to get out of bed.

Anyway, I did have a nice time on vacation. I know, though, that our next vacation will be very relaxing instead of chaotic. I'm thinking beach chair, book, sounds of the ocean, glass of wine in hand. Aaahhh...

Butterflies

2008-09-29T06:36:00.002-04:00

So I'm getting nervous about our trip. I know people travel every day, but we don't. Doug and I haven't flown in 7 years (since our honeymoon) and we haven't even been on vacation in 3 years. I was nervous when I was just Doug and I, but it gets more complicated when we have 2 little kids.

For example, we're almost all packed, but what if we forget something important? I get that we're going to Florida and not some other planet where they won't be able to sell us anything we need, but to have to pay for something we forgot just doesn't fly with me. There's a lot of pressure for me to remember everything for everyone (and if you think this responsibility doesn't all fall onto the mother, you're sorely mistaken). Don't get me wrong, Doug is very good with this kind of stuff, but he's already sick of me talking about planning and packing, so he's probably not going to be the best help.

Then there's my in-laws. I'm beginning to wonder why we thought it was a good idea to have them come along. I have done a lot of planning to make sure the kids get to see what they want to see without having to stand in line all day (therefore, missing some things). However, my in-laws are so not about planning things. They'd rather just play it by ear, which is fine for them, but I have a bad feeling it's going to cause some tension. While I realize they can go do their own thing, they're also going to want to see the kids enjoying the rides. And this will put the kids in the middle as well because they're going to want to hang out with them.

Finally, and here's my big worry, I worry that something will happen...to the kids. Like getting lost or getting hurt. Heck, Doug and I lost each other in Target yesterday!!! We've discussed with Charlie what to do if he ever finds himself lost, but will he remember? Who knows! I feel a little better that we have 4 adults to 2 kids, but the possibility still exists for something to go wrong. I know it's unlikely, but it's still in the back of my mind.

While it seems I'm over-worrying, I really am very excited. I think we all need a vacation right now and I'm going to make sure we have a great time!

Are we there yet?

2008-09-23T06:39:00.002-04:00

We are Disney bound next week (in exactly 10 days, to be precise, but who's counting)! And I can honestly say, after a grueling summer at work, that I am SO looking forward to leaving my work (both work work and housework) behind for a week. And what's even more exciting is that I will be turning 30 while we're there!!! And then when we get home, our son will turn 5. So lots of happiness going on around here in the next month. I think we're all ready for a huge dose of overloaded happiness as only Disney can do.

We will be going with my in-laws, which I'm hoping turns out to be more helpful than burdensome. With them, it could really go either way, but I think they'll be good. I know there will be a few rifts, though, because I'm a planner and the in-laws like to fly by the seat of their pants. When Doug and I went for our honeymoon in 2001, we didn't have any real plans in place. No dining reservations, nothing. It was nice, but my thought was, with kids, a little planning is needed. There are many things they want to ride and I'm sure they don't want to stand in line all day only to be able to actually get on 3 rides. But I've decided that if they don't like it, we can always split up. No harm no foul.

That's all for today. I have begun the "final countdown" (thanks Charlie for reminding me by singing this song every day)!

Losing Your Temperature

2008-09-19T14:48:00.006-04:00

Last night, my 4-year-old told me that we needed to have a talk. He was very concerned about his 2-year-old sister wasting electricity. She just learned that if she stands on a step stool, she's tall enough to turn the light on and off. She prefers to turn them on and this drives my son nuts because he doesn't like waste. So we discussed that.

I then apologized for losing my temper earlier. He said, "That's OK, mommy. I lose my temperature a lot! Maybe we should talk about that next." He proceeded to educate me on what I should do the next time I lose my temperature and why the rules for losing your temperature are different for him.

This conversation was a real eye-opener for me. I'm glad we talked because now I will probably think of him, very seriously, sitting on the step stool in his jammies telling me how not to lose my temperature.

I hope this story made you smile :)

Flying the friendly skies

2008-09-17T16:14:00.009-04:00

Recently, a friend of mine flew from Philadelphia to Orlando. She had an interesting encounter while on the flight. Her boyfriend had the window seat, she had the middle, and a very large woman was sitting in the aisle seat right next to her. The woman was so large, she took up her own seat and half of my friend's seat. This forced my friend to sit halfway on her boyfriend's seat, making the 2 of them very uncomfortable. Not to mention all arm rests had to be kept up to accommodate this situation. At one point, my friend tried to put her seat back, which involves a button on the side of the armrest. She literally had to reach behind the woman's back/shoulder to get to this button and the woman had the audacity to flash her a dirty look. SHE was annoyed? Did she not see the inconvenience she was causing to the other people in her row?

My friend and her boyfriend decided to suffer through it and not to say anything to her or the flight attendants as it was a full flight and there was, most likely, nothing that could be done. My friend, being the nice person she is, also figured it would probably hurt the woman's feelings and would do more harm than good. When she returned home from her trip, she decided a letter to the airline was in order. After all, she had paid for a full seat, not the half seat she ended up getting. She did not ask for a refund of any kind (although she may be hoping for one), but merely felt the need to voice her opinions to the airline. The airline has not yet responded.

Hearing this story made me think. Should a person who takes up more than 1 seat have to pay for more than 1 seat? I think so. Should a person who only gets half a seat be required to pay for a whole seat? I think not. I will be flying in a few weeks and if this were to happen to me, I would be livid, especially since we will be travelling with small children. The way I see it, it's not about discrimination, but about what's fair. It's not fair that my friend and her boyfriend, who paid the same amount of money for their seats as this woman did, had to endure an uncomfortable 2 hour flight, while this woman was totally comfortable taking up a seat and a half. Disgraceful.

Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult?

2008-09-16T06:42:00.004-04:00

I am constantly asking myself this question. Maybe this isn't an issue for most people, but it's certainly an area in my life where I am lacking. I may be at a disadvantage because I don't remember ever really developing social skills as a kid. I was painfully shy and for that reason, most people thought I was snobby and just didn't want to be friends. This couldn't have been farther from the truth. I desperately yearned for friendship, but just couldn't figure it all out. I suppose that's still true for me.

I've gone through most of my life without any strong friendships. I had a horrible friendship in high school that involved emotional and mental "abuse", which I stuck around for because I didn't feel I had any other options. Now, as I near 30 (and when I say near, I mean in 3 weeks), I find myself without any close girlfriends. I keep reading that having close friendships is an important part of a healthy life; this makes me feel even worse.

It's not that I don't try. Believe me, I do. It just seems that women my age aren't looking for one more person in their lives. People kept saying that once my kids started school, this would all change. But he's been in preschool for 2 years and nothing. I seem to be shunned because I work. All the stay-at-home moms get together during the school week with the kids. Well, I can't do that because I have to work. I try to set things up in the evenings and on the weekends, but that doesn't work for them because their husbands are home then and they want to spend time with them. I'm not saying I blame them, it's just hard to mix a working mother with a SAHM. And where I live, there seems to be a shortage of working moms.

I'm not trying to turn this into a pity party. I'm just trying to figure out why this seems so easy for some gals and so tough for others. I know women who have tons of friends. They have someone they can call in any situation. If they need to go out and have fun, they have a friend to call on. If they need someone to watch their kids in a pinch, they have another friend perfect for that. If they need a shoulder to cry on, there's someone for that as well. And so on, and so on. I do have my husband, and he is great in most situations. But that is very different than having a real girlfriend.

I look at my husband and his friends and wonder what it's like. He has a few VERY close friends. They've been friends since high school and are tighter than ever. They talk often and even though some live very far away and some have crazy jobs, they always find the time for each other. (On a side note, I also tried to befriend these wives at one time. Although I am the youngest of the group, we are all about the same age. This approach did not work either; they all seemed to be too busy with the people they already had in their lives. Sure we all get together as a group from time to time and the guys go do their thing and the girls sit and talk, but it's one of those forced sort of talks. Not natural like you'd have with a friend.)

So, I continue on my search for real, true friendship.

Things that make you think

2008-09-14T21:03:00.004-04:00

Recently, friends of ours lived through an extremely traumatic event and then witnessed a miracle. I won't go into details because I received the information by a 3rd party who heard it from another 3rd party, but the gist of the story is that their baby wandered into the pool, was under water for a minute until they noticed she was there, and was brought back to life. The miracle is made even sweeter by the fact that the doctors say there was not a single shred of damage done.

I had a very difficult time digesting this story. Even though this "horror story had a happy ending", as the father told a friend, I was deeply disturbed. I couldn't help but think how sick I would feel if I had lived through something so traumatic. I hate to admit it, but my first thoughts were harshly judgmental (this is a side effect of growing up with an extremely judgmental mother. I am constantly trying to better myself in this area, however, sometimes I screw up). I then immediately said to myself, "How dare you!" This was an accident that could have happened to anyone. In an instant, anything can happen to anyone.

I cannot pinpoint exactly why, but this bittersweet story has left a scar on my heart. Maybe it's because I have to leave my own kids each day, for what feels like days on end, and not know each moment what they are doing or where they are. While my husband is more than capable of caring for the kids and should get the dad of the year award, I can't help but feel like a bad mom because I'm not there. I've always felt a little pang of this in the past, but after hearing this horrific story, I feel it on a higher level.

I will close by saying that I hope this family does not dwell on the bad part of the story, but on the very happy ending. Life is so precious and short. I hope I think of this story every time I start taking something for granted.

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." -- Buddha

Well good morning to you too!

2008-09-11T06:35:00.005-04:00

Maybe I have my facts wrong. Maybe the laws are different in the different towns, cities, and states on this one. But aren't bicyclists supposed to "share the road"? I had an interesting experience with a high school kid on a bike the other day while I was waiting for the bus. My bus stop is right on a sidewalk. So naturally, I stand on that sidewalk while I wait patiently for my bus. I always stand closer to the road than the yard because, well, that's where I'll need to get onto the bus. Seems quite logical to me (but then, who am I?). So, Monday, I'm standing there, in the same place I stand every day looking in the direction my bus will hopefully soon be coming. All of a sudden behind me I hear someone say something, but I can't quite hear what they said. So I turn toward the voice and see this kid on a bike coming right for me! Now, I haven't moved since I planted myself in that spot 5 minutes ago, but for some reason, this kid thinks I should move, I assume because I happen to be on the right side of the sidewalk. He has plenty of room to the left of the sidewalk, but he doesn't seem to think that makes sense. Instead, he heads right for me, without even slowing down, I might add. So my first instinct is to move more to the right (closer to the curb/street) into the grassy area between the sidewalk and the curb, which I guess was his first instinct too because he about brushed me with the bike as he passed me, screaming "Whoa!" like he was surprised that this happened. I apologized, even though I did nothing wrong (I do that all the time...one of my many flaws).

I couldn't believe this kid! He was going fast enough that he had to have been hauling down that sidewalk for some distance, which means he had to have seen me standing there, not moving and not looking in that direction. How could he not know this was going to happen? Maybe it's because he's a kid and was thinking about other things, like asking Lafonda to the Homecoming dance or how that big zit on his chin was going to ruin him, who knows! But for heaven's sake, pay attention! If he would have hit me, I would have been seriously injured because he was going so fast. And let's not forget the fact that I believe that bikers are supposed to ride in the street, I'll bet for this very reason!

At least no one was hurt, but damn. You know how you're supposed to do one thing a day that scares you? Well, that was mine on Monday.

So, it's been a while...

2008-09-07T20:50:00.006-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've updated. I've been...well, I don't really have any excuse except that I've been tired. Yes, I said tired. Exhausted, really. I was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in May (although I knew this had to be the case since January, it took the doctors a while longer to figure it out. Great health care system we have, huh?) and I've been sleeping through every spare minute of every day. So I'm finally on some medication and I've cut back on some other activities I normally do in my free time so that I can update my blog.

Not much is going on around here. The kids are more at each other's throats than ever. I'm really hoping that Charlie starting school again on Tuesday helps this issue. I think the problem is that Elizabeth has finally learned to fight back when she thinks she is being wronged, which is pretty much all the time. I'm sure this is just a phase, but it's tough. I know, I know, I have it easy because Doug stays home with the kids 40 hours a week, but I deal with it at night and on the weekends. But I have found that red wine in their sippy cups with dinner helps. Just kidding...but it does help when I drink a glass! I am more relaxed and I respond better. They like this and it seems to work for me. Not to mention all of the other health benefits of red wine.

We also found out that Doug has some nasty fungus on his feet. Gross. I think that's really all I have to say about that.

So we have preschool orientation tomorrow evening, so I'm excited that I get to be Crazy Psycho Mom for a night. It saddens me that I cannot do this on a daily basis like those Stay At Home Moms I deeply envy. But on this particular night every year, I am always there, asking all the questions I know will come up throughout the year that my husband will undoubtedly "forget" to ask (even though I will mention them 182 times, not in a nagging way, of course). I get to meet all of the other moms for the second time (I met them all last year at this time too) and they will all scowl at me because we're not a "normal" family with a father who works 80 hours a week so that his wife can stay at home with the kids and pop bon-bons all day, um, I mean tend to the kids and household. Nope, we're freaks because mom goes to work every day and dad does the bon-bon thing. Thank goodness I only have to survive 1 night of horrible mommy guilt from the "other" mothers (as if I don't have enough of this from my own self).

Stay tuned...I plan to start another blog of product reviews and great deals I stumble upon. I just have to think of a name for it...

Ciao!

The best sound in the world

2008-04-14T20:20:00.002-04:00

The best sound that you will ever hear is that of your own children laughing. This occurred to me tonight as I was on my hands and knees cleaning up another massacre, ahem, I mean dinner mess. There I am, in my own world picking corn up off the floor and I realize that my kids are belly laughing at each other in the playroom. I almost cried, right there, with a hand full of corn. For me, it was like the whole world stopped and it was just me sitting there listening to them laugh in the next room. And they had no idea that I was listening so intently to them, which made it even better. This is one of the things that make me love being a mom. I know they will not always be each other's best friend and that right now it's only really out of necessity because they're too young to have any other friends, but I am going to enjoy it while I can. They just make it so darn easy!

Run Forest!

2008-04-13T20:53:00.003-04:00

One of my goals for 2008 is to run a 5k. I don't know why I came up with this particular goal, but now I'm really serious about it. I even found this website that tells you how to go from the "couch to 5k". That sounded about right. I jogged last summer for exercise, but in November, it just got too dang cold for me to be out there. And I don't feel like I get a workout on a treadmill. It could be that our treadmill is about 30 years old, but that's all we have, so it's just not working for me. So I went all winter without even exercising at all. So I pretty much consider myself a beginner again. I was up to 3 miles last year and a 5k is only 3.1 miles, so I figure this isn't a huge stretch. I don't expect to do well; in fact, I expect to come in dead last, but I don't even care. At least I will have done it.

So I was finally able to get out yesterday morning and I was even able to wear a short sleeved shirt because it was so nice. Even at 6:30am, it was pretty warm for April. I jogged about .2 mile and walked the rest of the way. I felt like such a loser! Today I got out, though it was chilly and I had to wear a jacket, I managed. I probably jogged close to a mile and then walked the rest of the way. So I'm going in the right direction at least. According to the website, tomorrow is supposed to be my resting day, thank heavens! My legs hurt so bad (the good hurt, like when you have gotten a good workout). My muscles are probably in shock right now, wondering what the heck is going on. But that's OK. They'll get used to it soon. I predict by next weekend, they'll get over it. I just hope the weather stays nice enough to get out. I really can't go back to that treadmill. I've nearly fallen off of that thing numerous times. True story!

In-laws

2008-04-12T19:59:00.004-04:00

Can you honestly say you like your in-laws? I can, but they are definitely frustrating sometimes. My husband and I grew up in very different ways. I grew up in a small town where nothing ever happened. I was very sheltered from the world in general. Kathie always portrayed the family as wealthy, however, I don't know if this was really just a front (they could have been in major debt for all I know). I went to Catholic school all my life and was pretty much just a status symbol to Kathie, as were my 2 brothers. Everything was a show for her. So we all had to be dressed to the nine, extremely clean, and well behaved 24/7. I wasn't allowed to get dirty or go into certain rooms in the house. As I watch my own kids grow from babies to independent kids, I am realizing that the way I grew up was very strange. How could any mother not let their kids play in the dirt? Or smash cake all over their face at their first birthday? But I digress...My husband grew up in a rough city without tons of money. He had to fight kids in order to play in his neighborhood. He went to city schools and the stories he tells me just astound me. I get sick and think I could never send my kids to a school like that (I don't care what I had to do to get the money to move out of a school district like that). So, like I said, very different childhoods.

So I can understand the way my in-laws are and I try very hard to be open to their opinions, beliefs, and actions. After all, life would be very boring if everyone was the same, right? But sometimes they make it very difficult. They live about 25 minutes away from us and about 10 minutes away from my husband's sister. His sister, as a bit of background, is pretty much a train wreck at this point. She has twin 3-year-old girls to her ex-husband (this would be ex-husband #2). The reason he's an ex is because she was seeing some other guy behind his back. So after they divorced, she got pregnant by this other guy (who, by the way, has a wife a child and his wife is pregnant). I'm convinced she tried to get pregnant, but I really have no proof...doesn't really matter anyway. So she thinks this new guy is going to leave his wife and marry her. But he didn't. No, instead, he started beating her up (in front of the children, no less). She stayed with him for a while, but finally left him. He's currently trying to get 50% custody of their child and doesn't pay child support. So now she's a single mother of 3 kids and makes probably $12/hour. She always complains about how she can't afford anything. However, she always gets a large tax return ($8000 last year) and ALWAYS does something stupid with it. Last year, she bought herself a diamond ring ($2000) and bought a pool that she is now trying to sell because of all of the work that is involved. This year she took her new boyfriend to Vegas. Hello? I'm thinking maybe you should buy food or pay your gas bill or something smart at least!

So I guess my in-laws feel sorry for her or something because they are ALWAYS saying how hard she has it and how tough it is for her. Um, excuse me? Did she not bring these things on herself? OK, she definitely didn't deserve to get hit, but everything else she pretty much could have predicted if she had just used her brain! My in-laws run over to her house every time she calls. Literally. Every time. They have given her tons of money and groceries. They babysit for her constantly. She only has them every other weekend, but she still seems to drop them off at my in-laws when she does have them. I just don't get it. They only come to see us about once a month (because it's just so far...yea, 25 minutes is crazy!) and they normally stay 2 hours max. They were here today and literally stayed for 2 hours. They made up some excuse as to why they had to leave, but we saw right through it. Doug's sister had called about 30 minutes before they "had to leave". We knew what was going on.

It saddens me. Not for me or even Doug, but for our kids. They don't understand why they hardly ever see their grandparents; they just know they don't see them that often. But they could see them so much more if the in-laws would just fix their priorities a little. If that were my daughter screwing up her life like that, I would cut her off, both financially and in the way of babysitting. If she were forced to go to the stinking grocery store by herself with her kids, she would do it. But she won't, and hasn't...ever. She has never gone ANYWHERE with those kids by herself. She calls my mother-in-law or my father-in-law. The one time they actually said no because they were out to dinner with friends, she had the audacity to be mad at them. What? They do have their own lives! But she has become so dependent on them (and they have been enabling her) that she literally thinks she's entitled. But they keep giving in to it. And none of them will listen to reason. It baffles me.

Life...and death

2008-04-05T20:42:00.004-04:00

Do you ever think about what will happen to those in your life after you die? I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not that I'm planning to check out any time soon, but I've been "sick" for a while and I feel like it's getting worse day by day. I don't know exactly what is making me ill, and I hope to find out at my appointment next week, but I know something is just not right. I'm exhausted 100% of the time, my hair is falling out, my brain is not functioning properly (I've been making way more mistakes than usual and tonight I even had trouble reading a story to my son), and now I have something in the back of my throat that feels like a lump. It's very painful to swallow and it just feels like "something" is there. It's definitely not just a sore throat you get when you are sick; this is different.

It would be quite ironic if I ended up with some type of cancer. I mean, Kathie (the person who calls herself my mom) spent 30 years drinking, smoking, and sitting out in the sun. I have done everything to keep myself healthy like staying out of the sun (except for those 3 months in the tanning booth before my wedding), I rarely drink, I've never inhaled anything (except the nasty second-hand smoke that smokers somehow think they're entitled to blow in my face), I eat pretty healthy, and I exercise regularly. So, I think it would be pretty unfair for me to get cancer instead of her. Not that I would wish the disease on anyone, and not saying that I even have it, but if I find out I do, I will be pretty bitter.

It's hard for me to think about my kids growing up without me. I know my husband would do an utterly stellar job raising them and I would rest easy knowing he is there for them. But it's hard for kids to have only one parent. I wish there was a way for people to communicate with those they love after they depart. If there was, I would talk to them all day, every day after I'm gone. I'd probably keep giving my husband a hard time from the grave as well. That's the only way he'll know it's actually me!

Life is funny. One minute, you're living like you have a hundred years to do everything and say everything you want. You take your time getting these things done because you think you can. But then one day, you fear that might not be the case and you finally realize there is some truth to the saying, "Live each day as if it were your last". This is where I think I am right now. Even though I really have no proof of anything and this may very well end up being something very simple and easy to fix, I still have this nagging feeling that I better start living...for real living. I want to be sure that no matter how this turns out, I have no regrets and everyone knows what I need them to know. It's not going to be easy, but then again, what in life really is?

Why?

2008-03-20T20:06:00.005-04:00

A little known fact about me is that when I was little (maybe 4 years old or so), I dreaded waking up and having to get dressed every day. I hated getting dressed. Socks were the worst. You see, I hated the way clothes felt on me. I can't even explain the feeling, really, but I just couldn't stand it and most clothes had to be removed immediately. There wasn't 1 pair of socks that felt right; the seams always caused me problems. These issues led to hours of me screaming and crying because I just couldn't bear that feeling of those clothes on my body. And my mother was not much help. She thought I was just being difficult. She even decided that because I was being so "difficult", she would take me to a child psychologist, who told her that blue eyed, blond haired, fair skinned girls were simply over sensitive. That was the end of the search for what was wrong with me. I lived the next 25 years of my life with these issues, although they aren't as bad now.

Well, the other night I was doing some research on a particular disorder because some of the symptoms seemed to show up in my 4-year-old son. As I was reading, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Right there in front of me, I saw my exact childhood (and some now) symptoms. The disorder is called sensory integration disorder and it has to do with the brain either over-processing or under-processing stimuli to the senses. This can affect one or more of the senses and can be very stressful for the child. The treatment is occupational therapy, which sounds pretty easy compared to what some kids have and go through. Apparently, the kind I had (have) affects my sense of touch and my brain must be over-processing it because I really don't like things to touch me. I was stunned. I actually began to cry, thinking, "Surely this disorder was around when I was a kid. Why didn't anyone know?" I really wanted a straight answer, but I know that, even if I was speaking to her, I would get the same answer I always got from my mother: "I did the best I could. You were a monster and no one knew what to do with you. I had 2 other kids to deal with." Sweet mom, huh? Thanks, Kathie. I'm so mad right now. I can't believe I could have been treated for this and maybe had some of my childhood back (although for other reasons, some of my childhood was lost for good). I might be able to hug my husband and not cringe (because I hate to be touched). I might be able to buy any pair of socks I like without having to first inspect them to make sure they're going to feel OK. I know these are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things, but I can't help feeling gypped. Why did my older brother get his affliction treated when his knees started hurting? He was seen my many specialists who finally diagnosed him with RA. Why did my younger brother get his affliction treated when he started going, for lack of a better word, crazy? They took him all over to get a diagnosis of ADHD. Why did my mother settle for the first, idiotic I might add, idea from some obvious quack when it was me who needed help? God I needed help. Inside I was screaming for help. But no one wanted to listen. Why was I treated like my "pain" didn't matter?

These questions will probably go unanswered as long as I live. I suppose, though, there is some good that came from this experience. I will now always question anything with my kids that's not "normal". I will always listen when my kids tell me something just isn't right. I will always err on the side of caution when it comes to their physical, emotional, or mental health. I will never let my kids suffer the way I had to suffer.

2008-03-15T13:09:00.004-04:00

The kids had some fun today. We took them to an Easter Egg hunt at the church where our 4-year-old goes to preschool. They told us that there were enough eggs for each kid to get 20, so if your kid got 20, they were to stop. Pretty simple rules, I thought. I knew we didn't have anything to worry about because I figured Charlie would try to give some eggs to other kids just to be nice. So we started with our 20-month-old, who was in the 2-3 year old group. She didn't really get the idea and just wanted to play with the toys. We had Charlie "help" her, which was really just him going and getting the eggs. But no one seemed to mind and she only got about 10 in the end, so plenty for the others. So then we went with the 4-5 year old group. There was this overweight little kid in there with probably more than 20 before they had even started. So the kids started and he is just running all over the place getting all the eggs. He must have had 40 in his basket by the end. Some kids only had a few; Charlie ended up with about 10. I kept looking for this kid's parent and couldn't see anyone who looked like he belonged to them. I thought it was a little rude of a parent to allow her kid to get double the amount they clearly stated in the beginning. These are just little kids and they don't understand why some bigger kid gets more. Luckily, none of the kids in the room seemed to care about his full basket (which he kept showing everyone bragging about how many he got). So it made total sense to me that there was no parent around. I knew Charlie could be in there without us, but we wanted to see him having fun. I guess this kid's parent didn't care, which explains the kid's attitude.

Maybe I'm being too sensitive about it, but I cannot stand parents who really don't want to BE parents. I don't understand why some people even have kids. It is painfully obvious that some parents don't even like their kids or want to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary. I'm not saying I'm a perfect parent, but I'm baffled at how some parents act around their kids. I know someone who says she loves her kids, but doesn't discipline them or make any time for them. She certainly takes time for herself though. I feel bad for those kids. They don't deserve to live life like that. But that's what this girl chose. She chose to have 3 kids that she doesn't want anymore and they are suffering for it. So sad...

Always do your best and wear your underwear!

2008-03-08T19:32:00.005-05:00

This advice was given to me by my 4-year-old just last week. I was having a particularly trying day. I fly solo on weeknights because my husband works, so while I was cleaning up from a very messy dinner, I was simultaneously trying to keep an eye on the kids who were supposed to be playing "nicely" in the playroom. My son runs into the kitchen and sees me trying to be supermom and offers the advice, "always do your best, mom, and wear your underwear!" As funny as it sounds, that was exactly what I needed at that very moment. How did he know that this advice would have helped me through the night and, in turn, help him have a better night? He has what I call a sixth sense about things like that. He always seems to know when I need a laugh. And he can always deliver. Like the other day, when he felt an overwhelming need to tell us how his you know what was like a cement mixer. This caught us off guard, but he was totally serious. When we finally realized that he was not really even trying to be funny, we had to compose ourselves and engage him in the 10 minute conversation that followed on the subject.

Blood, poop, and no sleep...the fun side of being a mom (and dad)

2008-02-03T22:05:00.001-05:00

This whole week has been a test of wills. We still cannot get our 18 month old to sleep through the night. Ever since the night we finally took that pacifier away (only took 3 attempts at taking it away for us (i.e. me) to stick with it) the girl just cannot sleep an entire night. She gets up at least once, but normally like 3 or 4 times a night, just crying. We try to let her go to let her get herself back to sleep, but after about 10 minutes, we just want to sleep ourselves, so one of us caves and goes to rock her back to sleep. I'm not sure when we will ever sleep an entire night again! And tonight is a little worse than normal because she got a bad cut on her finger. I was not home at the time, but my husband said it just wouldn't stop bleeding. And have you ever tried to keep a band aid on the finger of a 1 1/2 year old? It's not an easy task. Add to that the fact that the girl thinks everything is for eating, and you have a pretty messy situation on your hands. So I spent my Sunday evening getting blood stains out of clothes, carpet, and walls. What fun! (For those of you who know me, you know that I'm actually serious).

I feel bad for the baby. Before the finger "incident", she spent 2 days trying to poop. Turns out, her digestive system needs a bit more fiber than the normal kid. We forget sometimes because our 4-year-old's system is just fine. He can pretty much eat anything in moderation and still be fine. But that baby has the toughest time. And because we forget, sometimes she gets things like bananas, which wreak havoc on her. It's painful to watch her for 2 days trying to go. And then she gets bad gas at night (on top of her normal sleeping problems) which wake her out of a dead sleep. Good thing they make gas drops for that!

I suppose these are the things we will look back on someday with a smile and remember as funny. We still laugh when we remember the time my husband gave our son a full 8-oz sippy cup of straight apple juice. Now, he knows what that would do to his system, so I am still perplexed at why he thought a 1 year old could handle that, but I digress. There are no words to describe the picture we saw when we opened his door after his nap. It was like a huge chocolate syrup bottle just exploded in his crib. Only, of course, it wasn't chocolate. It was the real deal. And we hesitated for a moment trying to decide what to do first. We finally got the baby and the room cleaned up after a few hours and many curse words. We were certainly not laughing at the time (well maybe a little), but we definitely look back and laugh about it now. At least we learned a valuable lesson that day.

Life is funny. I always think of us like we're in a sitcom. When things like that happen, I hear the laugh track in my head. And I know exactly when the commercials would be, too. Does anyone else do that? Maybe I'm just weird...well, I'm definitely weird, but maybe I'm the only one who does this.

Anyway, it's off to bed for me. I need to get a few minutes of shut eye before the baby wakes us up.

Small girl, big city

2008-01-23T20:36:00.002-05:00

So, today I took my very first train ride AND went to center city Philadelphia for the very first time as well. What an experience. The regulars must have known I was a completely frightened tourist. Every time I got on a train, they asked for my ID. They didn't do that for the others I was traveling with. Just me. Of course, I do look like a person likely to be hiding something (and if you know me at all, you know this couldn't be farther from the truth)! I am the world's worst liar. I had a hard time this past Christmas explaining Santa to my 4-year-old. I could sense he wasn't buying the whole story. But when my husband explained it, he was satisfied. Even children see right through me...I'm just that transparent and naive. So, the big city of Philadelphia was actually pretty cool. I lived in the suburbs of Philly for 2 years when Doug and I were first married and I never once went into the city. I generally don't like to go to places where there are large crowds of people. This makes me very nervous. But I see this year as a year to overcome my fears (ahem...I mean some of my fears. I definitely will NOT be boarding any roller coasters this year, or even before I die). I felt so small in that big city. Of course, I am about the size of a 12-year-old, but I normally don't feel that small. Everything was just so big. The buildings, the people, the crazy drivers... And they could so tell I was a tourist. I even got stuck in one of those revolving glass doors. My bag got jammed and the whole thing stopped. I felt like I was in the middle of one of those VISA commercials where everyone is swiping their cards and the whole process just goes so smoothly until that 1 idiot pulls out his checkbook. That was me today. The idiot. I didn't mind. I'm used to feeling like that. I do stupid things like that all the time. It's just me...

The fun part about today was that I got to come home a little early. Of course, in order to do that, I was up at 4 in order to catch the 6:30 train to Philly. So I got to play with my kids a little bit and get some of our Disney plans in place. All in all, it was a very productive and exciting day. It was also a learning experience, as I find most days lately are. I learned that you really can't fit 2 people into 1 section of a revolving door. I also learned that a little extra QT with your kids can do your soul some good.

2008

2008-01-08T21:31:00.002-05:00

I have great plans for 2008. Many things are happening in my life in 2008 that motivate me to make even more great things happen. I will be graduating from college next Monday. I know this may not be a big deal in some people's eyes, but it has definitely been a long and hard road for me to get to this point. I tend to take the difficult way to do most things, and obtaining my degree was no different. 1.5 years in traditional college right out of high school in 1996, then a long break of 7 years trying to "find myself", and 2.5 years attending college online with 2 small children and a full time job has brought me here. I couldn't have done it without my family and my dad, though. They were my inspiration.

I will also be turning 30 this year. This is also something that some people might not find too exciting or even dread and try to ignore or deny, but I am so incredibly excited to turn 30. I can't pinpoint why this makes me so happy, but every time I think about finally being out of my 20's, I smile. Maybe it's because I look like I'm about 13 (today's 13, not 13 when I was 13 - big difference there). My looks have not changed since I was in high school - literally. I am the same size (I literally have clothes that I wear on a regular basis that I wore when I was in high school), I can't seem to get my hair to look better any other way, so that is the same as well. Moms at my son's preschool think I'm this high school mom and look at me funny when they see me with my 2 kids. When I was pregnant and couldn't wear my wedding rings, I really got the stares! And when I tell them I'm in my late 20's, it really doesn't sound like I'm much older than I look. But 30 seems to me to be the age of finally being an adult. I feel like this will finally make people take me seriously. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, but I am hopeful.

We also plan to take a trip to Disney this year. Doug and I went to Disney for our honeymoon and it was magical. I absolutely cannot wait to share that experience with my kids. They already love all things Disney (I wonder how that happened LOL), so this trip should be very exciting for them. I'm a little nervous about the kids' first plane rides (my first as a kid was a nightmare for me and every single person on the plane) and keeping Elizabeth happy and comfortable while in the parks, but people do these things every day, right? We can do this.

So these are the things that will be happening for me in 2008. I feel this will be an exciting year full of surprises. Work is fabulous, we finally have our dream house, and the kids love life right now. What more could I ask for?

Grateful

2007-12-22T07:39:00.000-05:00

This is the word I would use to describe my current state of mind. Wednesday, just three short days ago, was a completely different story. Life is funny. A co-worker and friend (Miss M) says this all the time (she's very wise). Wednesday was a bad day for me. I found out that we would not be settling on our new house the next day and moving that weekend (which would be today). I found out that, in fact, we wouldn't be settling until after Christmas and that we'd have to move the next weekend. This threw me for a loop because I have off work the week between Christmas and New Year's, so moving this weekend would have given me tons of time to get settled. Now, we only have 4 short days. I cried at work. I was so embarrassed for doing that, but it just sort of came out. Then I found out some other bad news that just depressed me, but that I have absolutely no control over. So that was Wednesday... So on Thursday night, I was watching Wednesday's episode of Dr. Phil. It was so ironic that this particular episode aired on Wednesday in the midst of my bad day. The show was about kids with Autism. The first couple had an older son with Autism and he was a handful to say the least. The next segment was about kids with Autism coming home from school with bruises, but becuase of their affliction, they could not tell their parents what was happening at school. I cried and cried about these poor people in these horrible situations. I wanted to help them, but knew that I couldn't.

I kept rewinding the show to watch again and again. I wasn't sure why, but I figured I just wanted to torture myself some more. But then I realized that I wasn't doing it to torture myself. Each time I watched these people, I grew more and more grateful for my own situation. Yes, I had some bad news the day before. But truly, this was nothing compared to what these people go through day in and day out. As I was crying for these people, I was also crying because I realized how big of an ass I was being. It was at this point that I went into Charlie's room and just sat there watching him sleep (I could never do this to Elizabeth because just another person's presence in the room wakes her up and it's nearly impossible to get her back to sleep after that) feeling so grateful that he is who he is. Yes, he can be rambunctious, yes he is emotional, but I am now grateful for these eccentricities instead of viewing them as flaws.

Writing this made me think of a fabulous book that my good friend Bob lent to me (which I promise I will return as soon as I have 10 minutes to finish it). The book is called The Secret and tells the secret to getting everything you want. One of the main ideas in the book is how you really cannot receive anything until you are thankful and grateful for everything. I thought that I had been thankful, however, now, I realize that I was not truly grateful for the things in my life. I know that I have a lot to be so thankful for and that I would not trade my life for anything in this world.

Monday Monday, la la la la la la

2007-12-10T21:05:00.000-05:00

Monday again. The beginning of another week. Another week closer to Christmas. Only 14 more shopping days! That is not good for me. Considering we don't even know where we will be living come Christmas. We have no tree, no decorations...it doesn't even seem like Christmas because there is no sign of it in this house. We might end up being one of those families who puts up their Christmas tress on Christmas Eve. Heavens I hope not. That is just not good for my sanity. It's bad enough that we never end up wrapping the gifts until Christmas Eve. It never fails. I try so hard to get them wrapped before that, but Christmas Eve comes and there Doug and I are, wrapping the gifts and trying to do it quietly so the kids won't wake up. Then we're up really late and I am dragging all through Christmas day. And I'm so bummed that we still don't have a true Christmas tradition. I tried to start one last year with everyone at our house on Christmas day, but that was a bust. This year, we'll be down in York. While this is not necessarily a bad thing because then I don't have to clean up or anything, but Elizabeth is scared of the new puppy, so it's difficult to enjoy my day with having to keep the puppy away from her and keep her away from the un-gated steps and all of the knick knacks everywhere. And then we get to come home and change our clothes because we have pet hair all over and 3 out of 4 of us are having allergic reactions.

What I love about Christmas is guessing what kind of doozies we will get. Not trying to be mean here, but sometimes it's incredibly funny. One year, Doug's uncle received one of those calculators with the huge buttons (I won't name the giver of this gift, but some of you may be able to guess). As if that was not funny enough, but he got it AGAIN the next year from the same person!

I would love to hear about the doozy gifts you've received. Post a comment about your funny gifts!

1 friend, 2 friend, old friend, new friend

2007-12-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

Life is funny sometimes. People are even funnier. I, myself, have never had tons of friends. I actually have only ever had 1 real friend at any given time, though it's always someone different as time goes on. I've never been good in the "friend" department. My husband, on the other hand, made it clear when I met him that he had a group of friends that he would have forever and that if I didn't happen to like his friends then we would have a problem. As it turned out, I ended up LOVING his friends. What a fabulous group of guys. All with their own personalities and quirks, but all just sincerely nice guys. I still remember my first group experience. It was New Year's of 2000. Doug and I hadn't been dating too long, but he was ready to introduce me to the "group". I didn't know anyone but Doug and everyone else had been friends for years. Talk about being an outsider! And I was super shy, so I was so nervous, I literally felt like throwing up. But, you know how some people can just make you feel comfortable no matter what? Well, that's what this group of great people did. They made me feel like I had been part of the group all along. That's when I knew Doug had a great support system that I wanted to be a part of.

So, that was 8 years ago. We've all changed. We've all had children. We've all moved to different places. We've all grown up (a little)...well maybe not ALL of us, but most. The guys have all kept in touch via iChat and phone calls, but we haven't really seen each other too much. Some have a pretty good excuse...it's hard to visit PA often when you live in Florida. The rest have had OK excuses...we do all have small children and jobs and houses and blah, blah, blah. We finally ALL got together last night, kids and all. There were even some new faces (well new to me). Let me tell you...this group of people, though older and tired from much greater responsibilities, was still the same wonderful family it always had been.

This get together really made me think. Why has it taken so long for some of us to see each other? Is it really that burdensome to make time for best friends? Being a person who never had friends, I find it a difficult pill to swallow that these guys have these friends, but rarely see them and their families. If I had friends like that, I would want to be around them all of the time. I know that life has a way of flying by and screwing up even our best intentions of "keeping in touch", but isn't friendship, I mean this kind of friendship, worth making time for? We only go around this merry-go-round once....shouldn't we make it count?