Yesterday, I witnessed a situation that I'm sure will be played out countless times over the course of the kiddos' lifetime. The torment that brothers bestow on their sisters. Samara has a Little Tikes car (the classic orange and yellow car one.) She was seated inside of it planning on "driving" in the house. Her loving brothers both stood on one side of the car and started to shake the car back and forth. Her little body rocked from side to side while the room was filled with giggles.
Finally, she had had enough. I told the boys to stop, but then they con-caulked another plan. They both laid on their tummies and held on to the back tires so Samara could not move forward. This again generated laughs from all parties.
I can only imagine what these boys will have in store for their sweet sissy
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Wedding
I finally have a moment to sit down and write about the wedding weekend. Let me start by spending a little time bragging on my kiddos for just a minute. Thursday morning/afternoon was filled with errands that needed to be done. We started at Walmart at 10am and finally returned home around 2pm-ish. We had to make 2 stops at the mall in Wichita and then pick up the much anticipated "bear suits". The entire time we were out and about all three kiddos stayed right by my side, listened and obeyed, and did not throw a fit.
The boys were super excited that they needed to try on their suits. Oh my how handsome they looked (ok, I'll go ahead and break the news...I forgot to pack the camera so I am waiting for other people's pictures to be downloaded so I can "borrow" them and then I'll post them!) Isaiah's lip quivered and eyes filled up with tears when I told him that he had to take it off. I really thought he might lose it, but he held himself together. After we got back in the car, I treated all of us to milkshakes. I was so proud of how they handled all of the outings (especially since Samara missed her nap.)
We made it back home and I hurriedly started packing us up. James was going to get off of work a little early so that we could start our road trip up to the Hays area. Since gas prices have really spiked, we decided to try to fit George in our Honda instead of taking our Expedition. So, for the 4 hour trip, George was back and forth between my feet and my stomach...well, let's be honest, he was mostly walking on my stomach the whole trip up there. I'm thinking after that my stomach should have been completely flattened. We drove through a hail and lightening storm. Isaiah was very impressed with the light show up in the sky.
When we made it to James' parents' house, there was already a crew at the church decorating. I left the kiddos with James and went up to help. It took a few hours to finish the bulk of it. It looked beautiful. On Friday morning, again James babysat while I went to help out decorating the reception hall. For some reason, everyone (Vickie, Allen, Matt and Ashley) started blaming me for things that were going wrong. It made for quite a few laughs. Afterwards, Ashley and I enjoyed one of the town's pride and joy: Taco Express.
The rehearsal started at 5:00pm. Unfortunately, Isaiah and Samara had a difficult time making good choices and it made me very nervous for how the ceremony would go the next day. After a few attempts, Samara understood that she was supposed to throw the petals on the flower, but because she has been taught to pick up her messes, she immediately wanted to pick up the petals and put them back in the basket. Of course, there was no time for this because we needed to get down the aisle so the bride could walk down it. Samara pitched a huge fit about this. While the boys were standing at the altar, Isaiah leaned over to look at me and gave me a "thumbs up". It was darling! Finally, when their presence was no longer needed, I took them to the nursery so they could play with toys and be a wild.
A little before 7:00pm, we made our way to Hays for dinner. Isaiah and Malachi sat with the bride and groom, Samara sat with the grandparents so James and I were able to eat dinner without the kiddos right next to us. The KU game was on so Ashley and I kept checking our phones for updates. Fortunately, it was a blow-out so we didn't have to worry too much. Since it was such a busy day and the next day would be even more hectic, everyone went to bed early.
All of the bridesmaids had to be at the church at 8:00am to get our hair fixed. It was a C-O-L-D, damp day. I didn't know how I wanted my hair fixed so I watched some of the other girls and decided on a side bun. It turned out very cute. At 11:15am, I rushed back to the house to help get the kiddos ready for pictures that started at noon. The plan was that pictures of our family would be first so that I could take the kiddos back home to eat lunch and relax before the ceremony. Unfortunately, our pictures didn't end until 1:30pm and the wedding started at 3pm. Matt, Jason, and James went to get the kiddos food from Dairy Queen and Aunt Jeana brought cereal for a snack. The kiddos ate their lunch and then hung out in the nursery playing.
Samara did not get a nap and I was really concerned about how she would handle the ceremony. She was having such a wonderful time playing that when it was time to line up for the processional, she threw a fit about leaving the room. I tried to coax her to stop crying with the promise of Grandma's mints, her Mermaid clothes, ANYTHING I could think of that would make her stop. Nothing worked. She was screaming her little head off. I was worried that her cries could be heard throughout the sanctuary. The attendants ahead of us started walking down the aisle. I was still having the dilemma of whether to just let her stay and play so she wouldn't cry the whole way down, carry her and hope that I could somehow calm her down, or try to have her walk and hold the basket. At the last split second, while I was holding her, she just stopped crying. She wanted me to hold her, but at least, she was silent. The boys walked in front of me. Isaiah kept looking back at me smiling proudly in his suit jacket. I held Samara on my left hip along with her basket and my bouquet was in my right hand. Since my dress was strapless and throughout the day, I had to keep pulling it up, I desperately hoped that the dress was where it was supposed to be and not showing something it shouldn't be!
We all made it down the aisle. At first, Samara wanted to stand by me, but then she made her way to Grandma's lap. But she didn't stay there long. She came back up to me, took her basket, shook her hips a little, and then went back to Grandma. A few minutes later, she walked back up the aisle and to the nursery where she stayed until she was needed for pictures after the ceremony.
The boys stood by the groomsmen and were supposed to be dismissed to sit with the family. For some reason, that didn't happen. So the boys stood behind the guys. All of a sudden, Isaiah started to back up and almost knocked the lit candelabra down. OH MY HEAVENS! And right after that was time to pray. I didn't close my eyes for fear of what might happen during that time. Fortunately, Isaiah decided to sit down on the platform and stayed there until the end. Since Samara was MIA for the recessional, I walked back up the aisle between the boys
We took more pictures, this time with the happy couple. The photographer wanted a few outdoor shots so the wedding party obliged, but all of our smiles were pasted on because we were utterly frozen. After all of the pictures, we made our way to the reception. We had a warm, yummy dinner and then Ashley and I attempted to bustle up Kristen's dress. That was the most confusing bustle we had ever dealt with. After spending over 30 minutes on it, we finally resorted to using a few safety pins because the middle of the train was not up off the ground as much as it should have been. We were relieved to finish that job!
While everyone rearranged the tables for the dance, the DJ turned on his bubble machine and the kiddos loved running in the bubbles. True to Dinkel wedding tradition, the first dance was "The Wedding March". It's a dance where everyone has a partner and you dance around in circles and then end up making tunnels for everyone to go under and the finale is that you make a huge circle around the bride and groom. When I became a Dinkel, no one warned me about this, so at my wedding, when everyone started to line up, my friends and family asked what was going on. I had NO idea! It is such a fun dance and I look forward to it at every wedding.
It was now time for the bride and groom's first dance. Samara was on the other side of the room from James and I, but we watched a cousin go up to her and take her hand and they started dancing, too. James captured this moment with his camera phone:
Throughout the entire night, there were 2 boys who kept wanting to dance with Samara. A few times they fought over her. Samara must have had enough of this because she finally started to not give either the time of day and instead danced by herself or joined adults.
Every time James and I tried to dance by ourselves, little Isaiah would come up to us and want to dance with me. He was definitely my little shadow and I enjoyed all of the kisses and hugs he gave me throughout the night. At one point during the night, I asked Malachi to dance with me. He replied that Great Grandma Salzman earlier had wanted to dance with him, but he told her "no". But he was ready to dance with her. He went over to her and asked her to dance. They got out on the dance floor and he put his arm around her waist and held her hand just like all the grown ups. He then laid his head on her tummy. It was such a precious moment.
It was a wonderful evening of laughs, dancing and talking with family we rarely see. A little before 10pm, James and I decided the kiddos should go to bed. Isaiah was getting close to having a melt down and I wanted to get him tucked into bed before that happened. Considering how long the day had been, they were such troopers.
Ashley came with me to help get them ready for bed and keep me company back at the house. The kiddos immediately fell asleep (no surprise there!). Ashley and I stayed up talking for awhile and then called it a day. James got home around 2am because they had to clean up after the dance.
On Sunday afternoon, Kristen and Nick came to open up their gifts. The extended family came over to watch. Samara decided she needed to wear her dress again so she pranced around and the family got a kick out of her. Shortly after they started opening up the gifts, Samara and James went downstairs to nap. Isaiah helped hand the gifts to them, but then decided he needed a nap, too. Malachi started to have a bad attitude so he laid down for nap. All of them slept for over 3 hours. For some reason, I could not sleep...it was probably because I was devastated by the KU game =( After his nap, Isaiah decided he needed to wear his suit jacket so he got all dressed up again and wore it until we got home. His attachment to that suit was simply adorable.
Around 7pm, we packed up our car and headed home. This time James sat in the passenger seat with George and I drove. We didn't get home until 11pm. Isaiah was still awake, but the other two fell asleep somewhere past McPherson.
Ahh...what a weekend! Today has been the first day that I feel like I might be completely rested from it.
The boys were super excited that they needed to try on their suits. Oh my how handsome they looked (ok, I'll go ahead and break the news...I forgot to pack the camera so I am waiting for other people's pictures to be downloaded so I can "borrow" them and then I'll post them!) Isaiah's lip quivered and eyes filled up with tears when I told him that he had to take it off. I really thought he might lose it, but he held himself together. After we got back in the car, I treated all of us to milkshakes. I was so proud of how they handled all of the outings (especially since Samara missed her nap.)
We made it back home and I hurriedly started packing us up. James was going to get off of work a little early so that we could start our road trip up to the Hays area. Since gas prices have really spiked, we decided to try to fit George in our Honda instead of taking our Expedition. So, for the 4 hour trip, George was back and forth between my feet and my stomach...well, let's be honest, he was mostly walking on my stomach the whole trip up there. I'm thinking after that my stomach should have been completely flattened. We drove through a hail and lightening storm. Isaiah was very impressed with the light show up in the sky.
When we made it to James' parents' house, there was already a crew at the church decorating. I left the kiddos with James and went up to help. It took a few hours to finish the bulk of it. It looked beautiful. On Friday morning, again James babysat while I went to help out decorating the reception hall. For some reason, everyone (Vickie, Allen, Matt and Ashley) started blaming me for things that were going wrong. It made for quite a few laughs. Afterwards, Ashley and I enjoyed one of the town's pride and joy: Taco Express.
The rehearsal started at 5:00pm. Unfortunately, Isaiah and Samara had a difficult time making good choices and it made me very nervous for how the ceremony would go the next day. After a few attempts, Samara understood that she was supposed to throw the petals on the flower, but because she has been taught to pick up her messes, she immediately wanted to pick up the petals and put them back in the basket. Of course, there was no time for this because we needed to get down the aisle so the bride could walk down it. Samara pitched a huge fit about this. While the boys were standing at the altar, Isaiah leaned over to look at me and gave me a "thumbs up". It was darling! Finally, when their presence was no longer needed, I took them to the nursery so they could play with toys and be a wild.
A little before 7:00pm, we made our way to Hays for dinner. Isaiah and Malachi sat with the bride and groom, Samara sat with the grandparents so James and I were able to eat dinner without the kiddos right next to us. The KU game was on so Ashley and I kept checking our phones for updates. Fortunately, it was a blow-out so we didn't have to worry too much. Since it was such a busy day and the next day would be even more hectic, everyone went to bed early.
All of the bridesmaids had to be at the church at 8:00am to get our hair fixed. It was a C-O-L-D, damp day. I didn't know how I wanted my hair fixed so I watched some of the other girls and decided on a side bun. It turned out very cute. At 11:15am, I rushed back to the house to help get the kiddos ready for pictures that started at noon. The plan was that pictures of our family would be first so that I could take the kiddos back home to eat lunch and relax before the ceremony. Unfortunately, our pictures didn't end until 1:30pm and the wedding started at 3pm. Matt, Jason, and James went to get the kiddos food from Dairy Queen and Aunt Jeana brought cereal for a snack. The kiddos ate their lunch and then hung out in the nursery playing.
Samara did not get a nap and I was really concerned about how she would handle the ceremony. She was having such a wonderful time playing that when it was time to line up for the processional, she threw a fit about leaving the room. I tried to coax her to stop crying with the promise of Grandma's mints, her Mermaid clothes, ANYTHING I could think of that would make her stop. Nothing worked. She was screaming her little head off. I was worried that her cries could be heard throughout the sanctuary. The attendants ahead of us started walking down the aisle. I was still having the dilemma of whether to just let her stay and play so she wouldn't cry the whole way down, carry her and hope that I could somehow calm her down, or try to have her walk and hold the basket. At the last split second, while I was holding her, she just stopped crying. She wanted me to hold her, but at least, she was silent. The boys walked in front of me. Isaiah kept looking back at me smiling proudly in his suit jacket. I held Samara on my left hip along with her basket and my bouquet was in my right hand. Since my dress was strapless and throughout the day, I had to keep pulling it up, I desperately hoped that the dress was where it was supposed to be and not showing something it shouldn't be!
We all made it down the aisle. At first, Samara wanted to stand by me, but then she made her way to Grandma's lap. But she didn't stay there long. She came back up to me, took her basket, shook her hips a little, and then went back to Grandma. A few minutes later, she walked back up the aisle and to the nursery where she stayed until she was needed for pictures after the ceremony.
The boys stood by the groomsmen and were supposed to be dismissed to sit with the family. For some reason, that didn't happen. So the boys stood behind the guys. All of a sudden, Isaiah started to back up and almost knocked the lit candelabra down. OH MY HEAVENS! And right after that was time to pray. I didn't close my eyes for fear of what might happen during that time. Fortunately, Isaiah decided to sit down on the platform and stayed there until the end. Since Samara was MIA for the recessional, I walked back up the aisle between the boys
We took more pictures, this time with the happy couple. The photographer wanted a few outdoor shots so the wedding party obliged, but all of our smiles were pasted on because we were utterly frozen. After all of the pictures, we made our way to the reception. We had a warm, yummy dinner and then Ashley and I attempted to bustle up Kristen's dress. That was the most confusing bustle we had ever dealt with. After spending over 30 minutes on it, we finally resorted to using a few safety pins because the middle of the train was not up off the ground as much as it should have been. We were relieved to finish that job!
While everyone rearranged the tables for the dance, the DJ turned on his bubble machine and the kiddos loved running in the bubbles. True to Dinkel wedding tradition, the first dance was "The Wedding March". It's a dance where everyone has a partner and you dance around in circles and then end up making tunnels for everyone to go under and the finale is that you make a huge circle around the bride and groom. When I became a Dinkel, no one warned me about this, so at my wedding, when everyone started to line up, my friends and family asked what was going on. I had NO idea! It is such a fun dance and I look forward to it at every wedding.
It was now time for the bride and groom's first dance. Samara was on the other side of the room from James and I, but we watched a cousin go up to her and take her hand and they started dancing, too. James captured this moment with his camera phone:
Every time James and I tried to dance by ourselves, little Isaiah would come up to us and want to dance with me. He was definitely my little shadow and I enjoyed all of the kisses and hugs he gave me throughout the night. At one point during the night, I asked Malachi to dance with me. He replied that Great Grandma Salzman earlier had wanted to dance with him, but he told her "no". But he was ready to dance with her. He went over to her and asked her to dance. They got out on the dance floor and he put his arm around her waist and held her hand just like all the grown ups. He then laid his head on her tummy. It was such a precious moment.
It was a wonderful evening of laughs, dancing and talking with family we rarely see. A little before 10pm, James and I decided the kiddos should go to bed. Isaiah was getting close to having a melt down and I wanted to get him tucked into bed before that happened. Considering how long the day had been, they were such troopers.
Ashley came with me to help get them ready for bed and keep me company back at the house. The kiddos immediately fell asleep (no surprise there!). Ashley and I stayed up talking for awhile and then called it a day. James got home around 2am because they had to clean up after the dance.
On Sunday afternoon, Kristen and Nick came to open up their gifts. The extended family came over to watch. Samara decided she needed to wear her dress again so she pranced around and the family got a kick out of her. Shortly after they started opening up the gifts, Samara and James went downstairs to nap. Isaiah helped hand the gifts to them, but then decided he needed a nap, too. Malachi started to have a bad attitude so he laid down for nap. All of them slept for over 3 hours. For some reason, I could not sleep...it was probably because I was devastated by the KU game =( After his nap, Isaiah decided he needed to wear his suit jacket so he got all dressed up again and wore it until we got home. His attachment to that suit was simply adorable.
Around 7pm, we packed up our car and headed home. This time James sat in the passenger seat with George and I drove. We didn't get home until 11pm. Isaiah was still awake, but the other two fell asleep somewhere past McPherson.
Ahh...what a weekend! Today has been the first day that I feel like I might be completely rested from it.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Practice Makes Perfect?
This weekend is the big event. For the first time, the boys will be ring bearers and Samara will be a flower girl. I've started to have them practice walking in our living room. I gave the boys pillows to carry and Samara a basket to hold. Samara looks so tiny standing between those boys. I turned on the song that the wedding party will be walking down the aisle to. This song is so special because it is the same song James and I chose for our wedding. At the climatic part of the song is when I made my entrance. Seven and a half years later it still gives me chills.
Anyway, back to our practice sessions. Samara has decided she wants a pillow instead and Isaiah wants the flower basket. I really hope that when it's the real deal both will be happy walking down with what they are supposed to. Otherwise, we might have a ring girl and a flower bearer on our hands.
Anyway, back to our practice sessions. Samara has decided she wants a pillow instead and Isaiah wants the flower basket. I really hope that when it's the real deal both will be happy walking down with what they are supposed to. Otherwise, we might have a ring girl and a flower bearer on our hands.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Spring Has Sprung
Ahh, what a lovely day. The temps were warm, but there was a strong breeze to help cool it off. I had our windows open. Birds were chirping. And the strong desire to Spring clean hit me hard. Now mind you we have lots of different projects in the wrap up stages so the ability to truly deep clean everything is on hold until the projects are completed. I decided to take a leap of faith that this weather will stick around and packed up all the winter coats, boots, hats, gloves, etc. They are such bulky items and I don't like clutter so it was sweet relief to be rid of them at least for now.
I sorted through the kiddos' shoes to see which ones were now too small. It's always bittersweet to come face to face with the reality that they are growing by leaps and bounds. I moved our shoe rack into our newly finished coat closet so the shoe clutter is no longer in plain sight. The kiddos had another, as Isaiah calls it, "Tomato Clean House" (the 10 minute tornado) This time there were no initial grumblings. They quickly went about their work.
Of course, my day wouldn't be complete without doing some kind of the "p" word. I painted the bathroom door upstairs and tonight I am putting a fresh coat of paint on the trim and doors in the kitchen. I chuckled earlier today because Malachi was excited when I told him what I was going to paint. He asked me what color it was going to be. I said that it would be white to match the other doors. He replied, "I'm sick of white paint. That's what you always paint." I later asked him what color the door should be painted and he thought blue would be best. Not exactly convinced that a potential buyer would be pleased to have a random blue door, but maybe at our new house I'll let him paint his room blue. (and what's funny is there's really only white on the trim and doors along with our kitchen cabinet. There's only 1 room that is actually painted white.)
Since I'm downstairs by myself, I think I'm going to put on a chick flick while I paint to help pass the time. White paint here I come!
I sorted through the kiddos' shoes to see which ones were now too small. It's always bittersweet to come face to face with the reality that they are growing by leaps and bounds. I moved our shoe rack into our newly finished coat closet so the shoe clutter is no longer in plain sight. The kiddos had another, as Isaiah calls it, "Tomato Clean House" (the 10 minute tornado) This time there were no initial grumblings. They quickly went about their work.
Of course, my day wouldn't be complete without doing some kind of the "p" word. I painted the bathroom door upstairs and tonight I am putting a fresh coat of paint on the trim and doors in the kitchen. I chuckled earlier today because Malachi was excited when I told him what I was going to paint. He asked me what color it was going to be. I said that it would be white to match the other doors. He replied, "I'm sick of white paint. That's what you always paint." I later asked him what color the door should be painted and he thought blue would be best. Not exactly convinced that a potential buyer would be pleased to have a random blue door, but maybe at our new house I'll let him paint his room blue. (and what's funny is there's really only white on the trim and doors along with our kitchen cabinet. There's only 1 room that is actually painted white.)
Since I'm downstairs by myself, I think I'm going to put on a chick flick while I paint to help pass the time. White paint here I come!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Rest
For about a year and a half, I've been going to a Monday night women's Bible study. There are precious women from different area churches, around 10-15 of us. It is a time of rejoicing, crying, growing in our faith, and learning from one another. I have been so blessed by each girl (well, woman, but I like the term girl, instead).
Currently, we have been studying Beth Moore's "Breaking Free". It's about breaking free from the bondage that has held us captive from growing in God. It has definitely been a study that has opened my eyes and caused a deep reflection of my life. Tonight's lesson really left an impact on me. The topic was on "Rest". Maybe it's because I've gone all day with only getting 2 1/2 hours of sleep (thanks to Samara being a restless sleeper) and the idea of rest sounds heavenly right now. But maybe it's because it's time to let go of the feelings of inadequacies, past poor choices, my flaws and to just rest in Him.
Matthew 11:28-30:
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Here are a few points that really spoke to me. I can:
Rest in knowing I don't have to perform for Him
Rest in knowing that I am not in charge of my loved ones
Rest in knowing that I've done everything I can in the situation
Rest in knowing that He'll fight for me
Rest in knowing who I am and who I am not
Rest in knowing where I'm going
Rest in knowing that I'm forgiven and I can stop repenting over and over for the same sin
She also talked about the "Captivity of Activity". It is being so involved in so many things that we aren't really called to do. In the church, there are needs and we want to help fill them. But at the same time, if we never say "no" we can lose out on the ability to excel at our God-given gifts. She said we need to be "quite unwilling" to do the things which God has not called us to do.
I need to be obedient and take some time to rest...
Currently, we have been studying Beth Moore's "Breaking Free". It's about breaking free from the bondage that has held us captive from growing in God. It has definitely been a study that has opened my eyes and caused a deep reflection of my life. Tonight's lesson really left an impact on me. The topic was on "Rest". Maybe it's because I've gone all day with only getting 2 1/2 hours of sleep (thanks to Samara being a restless sleeper) and the idea of rest sounds heavenly right now. But maybe it's because it's time to let go of the feelings of inadequacies, past poor choices, my flaws and to just rest in Him.
Matthew 11:28-30:
28
Here are a few points that really spoke to me. I can:
She also talked about the "Captivity of Activity". It is being so involved in so many things that we aren't really called to do. In the church, there are needs and we want to help fill them. But at the same time, if we never say "no" we can lose out on the ability to excel at our God-given gifts. She said we need to be "quite unwilling" to do the things which God has not called us to do.
I need to be obedient and take some time to rest...
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Oh Those Little Minds
After church, I had the boys help me paint our fence. They had been begging me to let them help so I thought this would be the perfect project for them. Isaiah soon lost interest in painting so Malachi stayed out to help. It was an afternoon filled with heart-warming conversation. Malachi discovered that painting IS fun (we'll see if this mentality stays with him). He appreciated the hard work we were putting into our project and the beautiful results of our labor. But my favorite part was this:
Malachi: Mommy, do you like all of the teams?
Me: Yes, I do.
Malachi: Then why don't you like the Wildcats? (K-State)
Me: Well, I kind of like them. I cheered for them last night, but they lost. KU plays tonight, though.
Malachi: Why does the Jayhawks always win?
Me: Because they are the best.
Malachi: They are really fast. I can't run as fast as they do so I'll play for the Wildcats because they aren't as fast.
Me: Practice and then you can be really fast and play for KU.
Malachi: Oh, ok.
LOVE IT!
Malachi: Mommy, do you like all of the teams?
Me: Yes, I do.
Malachi: Then why don't you like the Wildcats? (K-State)
Me: Well, I kind of like them. I cheered for them last night, but they lost. KU plays tonight, though.
Malachi: Why does the Jayhawks always win?
Me: Because they are the best.
Malachi: They are really fast. I can't run as fast as they do so I'll play for the Wildcats because they aren't as fast.
Me: Practice and then you can be really fast and play for KU.
Malachi: Oh, ok.
LOVE IT!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Seriously Dog?
Around midnight last night, James crawls into bed. Samara is snuggling next to me and so James whispers to me that George found some cat poop outside and rolled around in it. In the morning, I need to leave him in the kennel until he could get a bath. Are you kidding me?!?
Does this dog enjoy smelling atrocious? First the skunk, now this. It's almost too much. Of course, George decides to do this when the temps are much cooler and it's rainy outside. Around mid-morning, James hosed him down to get the dried, caked-on, absolutely horrendous smelling poop off of his neck and then brought him upstairs to the tub to finish the bath because it was freezing out there.
But to get the morning started, we woke up to Samara wetting OUR bed. Nice, Samara, really nice. Even with the drama at the beginning of the day, it turned out to be a productive Saturday. I put 2 coats of paint on a door and entry way trim, we all attended a birthday party, and I tried homemade mac-n-cheese. Not the best recipe I've tried...oh well. I'm pooped (haha) so I'm hoping for a non-eventful night of rest and sleep.
Does this dog enjoy smelling atrocious? First the skunk, now this. It's almost too much. Of course, George decides to do this when the temps are much cooler and it's rainy outside. Around mid-morning, James hosed him down to get the dried, caked-on, absolutely horrendous smelling poop off of his neck and then brought him upstairs to the tub to finish the bath because it was freezing out there.
But to get the morning started, we woke up to Samara wetting OUR bed. Nice, Samara, really nice. Even with the drama at the beginning of the day, it turned out to be a productive Saturday. I put 2 coats of paint on a door and entry way trim, we all attended a birthday party, and I tried homemade mac-n-cheese. Not the best recipe I've tried...oh well. I'm pooped (haha) so I'm hoping for a non-eventful night of rest and sleep.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Happy St. Patty's Day
Today has been fun. We started the day off by making green sunrise pancakes (add bananas and orange juice to the batter). This was a tradition my mom incorporated and I wanted to pass down to my kiddos. After the boys ate 4 pancakes each, we had our first "tornado". A friend of mine had suggested I set a timer for 10 minutes and everyone works really diligently for that time cleaning the house. The boys had a really great time rushing around to get stuff done. Samara went MIA (upstairs to play with her dolls). I'll let her slide today since her "tummy huwts". (she's had a little diarrhea this afternoon so I don't think she was feeling 100%)
At lunch, the kiddos were treated to Lofthouse sugar cookies...yummy! When Samara saw the cookies, she put her hands to her cheeks and said, "OOH!". Priceless.
As I'm typing this, I'm laying on my tummy on the floor with Samara next to me. She is playing with my hair and George is chewing his toy on my back. Watching basketball is on the agenda for tonight. Sounds like a wonderful way to end the day.
At lunch, the kiddos were treated to Lofthouse sugar cookies...yummy! When Samara saw the cookies, she put her hands to her cheeks and said, "OOH!". Priceless.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Clearance Rack
Don't you just love to save some $$$? When I was working as a nurse, I didn't tend to look through the clearance rack at stores because I was there to get in, get out as quickly as possible, and spend the most time with my family. It now makes me sick thinking of all the savings I could have accumulated if I would have started this habit earlier. But, no use in dwelling on the past. My future is full of great bargains. Can't complain about the ones I found tonight.
As previously mentioned, I haven't had the best luck finding great deals on clothing for the boys for next winter. Tonight was my night, though! Malachi and Isaiah will look handsome wearing these simple sweaters. I also found a wonderful buy on undies, too. They are outgrowing their old ones so nothing like finding Transformers to replace some of their old faithful pairs.
Each sweater - Regular $14 Clearance $1
Underwear Packs - Regular $12.97 Clearance $3/pack
Spent: $11.00 Saved: $84.94
As previously mentioned, I haven't had the best luck finding great deals on clothing for the boys for next winter. Tonight was my night, though! Malachi and Isaiah will look handsome wearing these simple sweaters. I also found a wonderful buy on undies, too. They are outgrowing their old ones so nothing like finding Transformers to replace some of their old faithful pairs.
Each sweater - Regular $14 Clearance $1
Underwear Packs - Regular $12.97 Clearance $3/pack
Spent: $11.00 Saved: $84.94
And That's Gross
The world of discovery can also be a world of pure disgustingness (no, that is not a real word, but it is ever so fitting). The kiddos were eating a meat and cheese sandwich for lunch and had juice to drink. Malachi got the brilliant idea that he should dunk his sandwich into his juice and then eat it. Fortunately for me, I was in another room, but poor James witnessed it. He said he about threw up watching him. After today, I don't think he has any leverage telling me something I cook tastes gross.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Chore Chart
I have come to the realization that I am not superwoman. I can't always keep the house as tidy as I would like. I have 3 kiddos who seem to work against me on keeping all of their toys picked up. But, I don't want to be the mommy that doesn't allow the kiddos not to play with something just because of the mess. On the other hand, I want to teach them to be responsible and take care of their belongings.
With the impending house going on the market and the need to have the house in order at all times, I am going to start a chore chart so we can practice now. All three will take turns vacuuming the entry foyer rug, helping to dust the furniture, taking the trash out, helping load and unload the dishwasher. I have been teaching them to pick up a toy once they are finished playing with it; they have yet to master that, though, so I've decided that throughout the day we will have a break in activities to pick up any toy left out. At the end of the week, there will be a reward for a job well done without complaining.
It is my hope that this will teach them responsibility while helping to keep my sanity.
With the impending house going on the market and the need to have the house in order at all times, I am going to start a chore chart so we can practice now. All three will take turns vacuuming the entry foyer rug, helping to dust the furniture, taking the trash out, helping load and unload the dishwasher. I have been teaching them to pick up a toy once they are finished playing with it; they have yet to master that, though, so I've decided that throughout the day we will have a break in activities to pick up any toy left out. At the end of the week, there will be a reward for a job well done without complaining.
It is my hope that this will teach them responsibility while helping to keep my sanity.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Speedy Shopper Saturday
Since Wednesday, I've been battling a case of the sickies. I've had a terrible sore throat, head-to-toe body aches, fever, chills, etc. No fun! So this morning my throat was just a little tender, but overall, I am feeling back to normal. Because my illness occurred at the time I normally go shopping for the week, I had to hold off until today. Our house was getting bare on the necessities. I hopped out of bed and scurried to get to the stores before breakfast. I went to 4 stores in just a little over an hour. Who-hoo! Again, Dillon's and Target didn't have anything really spectacular on sale (or stuff that we really needed) so I just got the necessities to get us by until the new sales start to come out tomorrow.
Walgreen's once again rocked my world! Below are some of the deals:
Always Pantiliners: $0.49
2 Packs of Pampers: $17.00 (NOT for us, but for a baby shower gift!)
Cereal: $1.65 box
Coffeemate: $0.49 each
Puffs: $0.49
Spent: $24.42 Saved: $29.42
Walgreen's once again rocked my world! Below are some of the deals:
Always Pantiliners: $0.49
2 Packs of Pampers: $17.00 (NOT for us, but for a baby shower gift!)
Cereal: $1.65 box
Coffeemate: $0.49 each
Puffs: $0.49
Spent: $24.42 Saved: $29.42
Friday, March 11, 2011
We Survived Diapers
The other week it hit me. We no longer were using diapers which means we no longer will have to purchase diapers! Samara has been C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E-L-Y potty trained!!! Can I get an amen?!? Knock, knock, on the biggest piece of wood, she hasn't had an accident during the day in quite awhile nor has she wet the bed. It took me awhile to realize this new phase of life since I've been busy opening the door for her to go potty, making sure she's wiped and washed her hands. But the fact still remains, diapers are a thing of the past. Can this really be true? There was a time, not so long ago, all 3 were in diapers. Talk about a chaotic situation!
While I'm rejoicing no more diapers, wipes, or Butt Paste, it is a definite end of an era. One that we won't get back. Hmm...kind of bittersweet....ok, mostly sweet =)
While I'm rejoicing no more diapers, wipes, or Butt Paste, it is a definite end of an era. One that we won't get back. Hmm...kind of bittersweet....ok, mostly sweet =)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Busy, Busy, Busy
I think that is going to be the reoccurring theme of our lives for the next month and a half. We are finishing the final projects before putting our house on the market. It's crunch time! For those of you who do not know the history of our house, let me give you a brief run-down.
My senior year of nursing school James and I bought our first home. It was an old, two-story bungalow in a nice neighborhood. It had been on the market for 2 years because it needed drastic remodeling. Your first impression when walking into the house was an old, rusted claw foot tub in the foyer. The crawl space needed to be jacked back up. The upstairs bathroom needed to be completely gutted. One of the dining room walls was missing because of a leaking pipe behind it. The paint and carpet had not been updated since the 60's so we had the olive green and mustard colors going on. And don't get me started on all of the naughty-pine paneling!
There was so much hidden beauty in the home, though. And that is what was calling out to James and I. We wanted to restore that beauty. The front foyer had a gorgeous chandelier and an open staircase leading upstairs. There were big windows in the spacious rooms. All of the closets, including the coat closet were walk-ins with windows inside. There was a window seat under the window on the way upstairs. So many nook and cranny places that we would envision little ones hiding in. Yes, this was home.
We bought the house at a bargain price. Immediately, we set out to conquer the world of projects. James started to jack up the side of the house that needed it. I painted rooms and dreamed of what the house would look like once it was finished. Going into it, I thought it would take a few months or even up to a year to complete the work. But alas, it has been over 6 years and we are finally on the home stretch. Of course, having 3 kiddos back to back to back left little time or energy to work on the house for quite awhile.
Being the nerd that I am, I have regularly looked at Realtor websites wanting to view similar homes so I could compare ours to them. By doing that, I was able to come up with a price I deemed reasonable to sell it. I have also watched countless HGTV shows dealing with staging and what buyers are wanting. My mom is gifted in interior design; she has a natural eye for it! This past weekend I rented a 5'X8' trailer and my parents loaded it and our SUV with lots of furniture/decorations that will look amazing for our staging process.
Monday morning I gathered all of the needed items to put the foyer together. We all immediately loved the transformation that a few, new (borrowed) pieces achieved. Here is the final product:
But my joy was short-lived. We had a lady from the carpet company we had used for all of the other rooms come out to measure new carpet for the stairs. Years ago I had ripped out the ugly shag carpet and painted the stairs white until it was time for carpet to be installed. Painted stairs in a high traffic area is not a great solution, but it was better than that horrendous carpet. The lady was also a Realtor.
She and I began to talk about putting the house on the market and she explained that she was a new Realtor, but had been around real estate for a long time so she knew her stuff. She asked if she could walk through the home to get an idea about it. Since we hadn't signed with a Realtor yet, I thought there was nothing wrong with getting her opinion. I wasn't prepared for what she was about to tell me.
She noticed the cracks in the walls (the ones we had not yet fixed) and immediately started going on and on about how we had major foundation issues. Right away she said that we just needed to sell it for a give-away price and walk away from it. (Her price she would list it at was actually pretty much what we paid for it!) In her defense, she said that she was no structural engineer, but she knew that we had big issues. Her advice was to not put any more money into the home and get out while we could.
I was trying to take it with a grain of salt because she wasn't an expert and was new to real estate. During the home inspection prior to buying the house, the inspector said that yes the foundation had shifted a long time ago, but it was structurally sound now. Also, I remembered looking at homes that had worse basements than ours. I called James almost in tears. Could all of our blood, sweat, tears, time, and money be completely wasted?
Being the logical man James is, he called another Realtor (actually, the boss of the lady I spoke to). He requested that she tour our home and give us feedback/advice. She came at 8:00am on Wednesday. I was busy making pancakes with the kiddos so James gave her the tour and discussed everything with her. First, she had nothing negative to say about the foundation. Just like us, she thinks that old homes foundations are expected to not be in perfect condition, but should be structurally sound. She showed James the comparables to our home and what they are listed for. She said that once our projects are completed our house will show better than any of them. The price she wants to list it for is actually a little more than what we dreamed about getting for the house and double the price the first Realtor wanted to list it for. She said that she sees no problem in us being able to sell the house within 2 months.
She encouraged us to push back our listing date to the end of April so we will have plenty of time to finish up on all of the small details that will make our house shine. With the question regarding the condition of the foundation, she suggested we have a foundation repair expert come out and evaluate it. Since James jacked up the house himself (and the help of his dad and brother), I was nervous that maybe something wasn't done correctly or the expert would find a problem with it.
The foundation repair guy came out today and said the interior foundation is structurally sound and he wouldn't recommend us doing anything to it. (We could hire him to put steel beams up in the basement to assure buyers that the foundation will not move, but it would be at least $1200 for just 2 beams). The work James did was done perfectly. He said that James did a great job...what a relief!
Now that we have peace about the possibility that our house could definitely sell and sell for more than what we dreamed about, this journey has been totally worth it. Here are some of the life lessons I have learned from going through this. I need to be realistic with my goals that I have towards projects. Triple the amount of time you think something should take to get done and you are close to the right time frame. There is such a sense of pride paying cash for everything. We did not go into debt for any part of our remodel. If we didn't have the funds, then we saved. I was NOT the easiest to get along with in this regard because I wanted things to get done right then, but James was steadfast in this principle and kept me in check. Nagging your husband will not result in things getting done at a faster pace. Even though the house may be a total disaster with tools and supplies laying around, I need to be grateful for what God has given me and not spend lots of time wishing for what I don't have.
So with all of that being said, the next month and a half will be busy, rewarding, and probably a little emotional as we finish it all up and then immediately put it on the market. But until then, I will relish in the little victories like the foyer and admire the beauty of the house we fell in love with.
My senior year of nursing school James and I bought our first home. It was an old, two-story bungalow in a nice neighborhood. It had been on the market for 2 years because it needed drastic remodeling. Your first impression when walking into the house was an old, rusted claw foot tub in the foyer. The crawl space needed to be jacked back up. The upstairs bathroom needed to be completely gutted. One of the dining room walls was missing because of a leaking pipe behind it. The paint and carpet had not been updated since the 60's so we had the olive green and mustard colors going on. And don't get me started on all of the naughty-pine paneling!
There was so much hidden beauty in the home, though. And that is what was calling out to James and I. We wanted to restore that beauty. The front foyer had a gorgeous chandelier and an open staircase leading upstairs. There were big windows in the spacious rooms. All of the closets, including the coat closet were walk-ins with windows inside. There was a window seat under the window on the way upstairs. So many nook and cranny places that we would envision little ones hiding in. Yes, this was home.
We bought the house at a bargain price. Immediately, we set out to conquer the world of projects. James started to jack up the side of the house that needed it. I painted rooms and dreamed of what the house would look like once it was finished. Going into it, I thought it would take a few months or even up to a year to complete the work. But alas, it has been over 6 years and we are finally on the home stretch. Of course, having 3 kiddos back to back to back left little time or energy to work on the house for quite awhile.
Being the nerd that I am, I have regularly looked at Realtor websites wanting to view similar homes so I could compare ours to them. By doing that, I was able to come up with a price I deemed reasonable to sell it. I have also watched countless HGTV shows dealing with staging and what buyers are wanting. My mom is gifted in interior design; she has a natural eye for it! This past weekend I rented a 5'X8' trailer and my parents loaded it and our SUV with lots of furniture/decorations that will look amazing for our staging process.
Monday morning I gathered all of the needed items to put the foyer together. We all immediately loved the transformation that a few, new (borrowed) pieces achieved. Here is the final product:
But my joy was short-lived. We had a lady from the carpet company we had used for all of the other rooms come out to measure new carpet for the stairs. Years ago I had ripped out the ugly shag carpet and painted the stairs white until it was time for carpet to be installed. Painted stairs in a high traffic area is not a great solution, but it was better than that horrendous carpet. The lady was also a Realtor.
She and I began to talk about putting the house on the market and she explained that she was a new Realtor, but had been around real estate for a long time so she knew her stuff. She asked if she could walk through the home to get an idea about it. Since we hadn't signed with a Realtor yet, I thought there was nothing wrong with getting her opinion. I wasn't prepared for what she was about to tell me.
She noticed the cracks in the walls (the ones we had not yet fixed) and immediately started going on and on about how we had major foundation issues. Right away she said that we just needed to sell it for a give-away price and walk away from it. (Her price she would list it at was actually pretty much what we paid for it!) In her defense, she said that she was no structural engineer, but she knew that we had big issues. Her advice was to not put any more money into the home and get out while we could.
I was trying to take it with a grain of salt because she wasn't an expert and was new to real estate. During the home inspection prior to buying the house, the inspector said that yes the foundation had shifted a long time ago, but it was structurally sound now. Also, I remembered looking at homes that had worse basements than ours. I called James almost in tears. Could all of our blood, sweat, tears, time, and money be completely wasted?
Being the logical man James is, he called another Realtor (actually, the boss of the lady I spoke to). He requested that she tour our home and give us feedback/advice. She came at 8:00am on Wednesday. I was busy making pancakes with the kiddos so James gave her the tour and discussed everything with her. First, she had nothing negative to say about the foundation. Just like us, she thinks that old homes foundations are expected to not be in perfect condition, but should be structurally sound. She showed James the comparables to our home and what they are listed for. She said that once our projects are completed our house will show better than any of them. The price she wants to list it for is actually a little more than what we dreamed about getting for the house and double the price the first Realtor wanted to list it for. She said that she sees no problem in us being able to sell the house within 2 months.
She encouraged us to push back our listing date to the end of April so we will have plenty of time to finish up on all of the small details that will make our house shine. With the question regarding the condition of the foundation, she suggested we have a foundation repair expert come out and evaluate it. Since James jacked up the house himself (and the help of his dad and brother), I was nervous that maybe something wasn't done correctly or the expert would find a problem with it.
The foundation repair guy came out today and said the interior foundation is structurally sound and he wouldn't recommend us doing anything to it. (We could hire him to put steel beams up in the basement to assure buyers that the foundation will not move, but it would be at least $1200 for just 2 beams). The work James did was done perfectly. He said that James did a great job...what a relief!
Now that we have peace about the possibility that our house could definitely sell and sell for more than what we dreamed about, this journey has been totally worth it. Here are some of the life lessons I have learned from going through this. I need to be realistic with my goals that I have towards projects. Triple the amount of time you think something should take to get done and you are close to the right time frame. There is such a sense of pride paying cash for everything. We did not go into debt for any part of our remodel. If we didn't have the funds, then we saved. I was NOT the easiest to get along with in this regard because I wanted things to get done right then, but James was steadfast in this principle and kept me in check. Nagging your husband will not result in things getting done at a faster pace. Even though the house may be a total disaster with tools and supplies laying around, I need to be grateful for what God has given me and not spend lots of time wishing for what I don't have.
So with all of that being said, the next month and a half will be busy, rewarding, and probably a little emotional as we finish it all up and then immediately put it on the market. But until then, I will relish in the little victories like the foyer and admire the beauty of the house we fell in love with.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Peanut Butter and Jelly Minus the Peanut Butter and Bread
Little Miss Samara is going through the phase of not wanting to eat the peanut butter side of her PB&J. I remember this with the boys, but this time, Mommy and Daddy have wised up. Or so we thought. She had been only eating the bread with jelly on it and leaving the wholesome peanut butter side on her plate. Today, James decided we would try a new technique. He put peanut butter on both sides of the sandwich and then a layer of jelly on top of the PB. This way she would be forced to eat at least some of the peanut butter. Haha, the joke is on us. She licked the jelly right off and left the rest of the sandwich. Here's to hoping this phase doesn't last long!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Dinner Time Fun at the Dinkelberries
So tonight I tried a new recipe. It's always an iffy situation because Isaiah already has it in his mind that he doesn't like anything new. The dinner had green peppers and black olives so I was prepared for a little battle. I was pleasantly surprised, though!
We started the meal off by both Isaiah and Samara praying. Malachi ate a green pepper by itself and said he didn't like it. I told him to try eating it with some cheese and meat because he wouldn't be able to really taste it. He tried it and it was a success! Isaiah was brave and ate both a green pepper and black olive alone. He said that he loved them. Yay!
While I was getting seconds for one of the boys, James drank from my glass (which is not unusual). Samara started lecturing him to "not eat Mommy's drink, undastand (understand)!" A little while later, I was back in the kitchen getting some animal crackers for Samara when I hear again, "don't eat Mommy's drink". James was cracking up because right before she said that, she told him to drink my drink. But when he did, she immediately told on him. I thought we girls had each other's back!
While we were still laughing about James getting in trouble for drinking out of my glass, Samara started coughing and each time she coughed, a toot came out. We were rolling!!!
The meal ended by Isaiah saying that when he wears his suit jacket (his ringbearer suit) he is going to marry me so I can be "Isaiah's princess". Sounds like a perfect plan to me =)
Beef Nacho Casserole
Ingredients
We started the meal off by both Isaiah and Samara praying. Malachi ate a green pepper by itself and said he didn't like it. I told him to try eating it with some cheese and meat because he wouldn't be able to really taste it. He tried it and it was a success! Isaiah was brave and ate both a green pepper and black olive alone. He said that he loved them. Yay!
While I was getting seconds for one of the boys, James drank from my glass (which is not unusual). Samara started lecturing him to "not eat Mommy's drink, undastand (understand)!" A little while later, I was back in the kitchen getting some animal crackers for Samara when I hear again, "don't eat Mommy's drink". James was cracking up because right before she said that, she told him to drink my drink. But when he did, she immediately told on him. I thought we girls had each other's back!
While we were still laughing about James getting in trouble for drinking out of my glass, Samara started coughing and each time she coughed, a toot came out. We were rolling!!!
The meal ended by Isaiah saying that when he wears his suit jacket (his ringbearer suit) he is going to marry me so I can be "Isaiah's princess". Sounds like a perfect plan to me =)
Beef Nacho Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound pre-sliced sweet peppers (about 1/2-inch-wide strips) (I used green peppers)
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I used turkey instead)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 tubes (10 ounces each) refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 jar (16 ounces) medium-hot salsa
- 3 cups shredded taco-cheese blend
- 1 can (2.2 ounces) sliced black olives, drained (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 large scallions, trimmed and sliced
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers, ground beef and garlic salt; cook, stirring to break up clumps of beef, until the peppers are soft and beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat from skillet.
3. Remove pizza dough from tubes. Cut the dough crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then cut each slice into quarters.
4. In large bowl, toss together dough pieces and salsa. Add cooked meat mixture, 2 cups of the taco-cheese blend and olives. Scrape mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup taco-cheese blend over the top.
5. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle scallions evenly over the top. Bake an additional 5 minutes.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thrifty Thursday
This week there didn't seem to be such amazing deals as last week (which I didn't get to shop because I shopped so late the week before). I spent a little more prep time than my initial trip. Some of the coupons I wanted to print off were no longer available so I just had to be flexible with my list. I went armed with my huge hot pink 3-ring binder full of sections with coupons in sleeve protector sheets. I am still searching for baseball card protectors so let me know if you come across some!
Here is a break down of the deals I got. After leaving Walgreen's, I had to call my mom to tell her about it; I could not contain my excitement. Overall, I feel like I am improving my "couponing skills" and can't wait until I've mastered it.
WALGREEN'S TRIP
(This includes Register Rewards I earned along with the sale/coupons)
Dillon's Trip
Potato Rolls: $1.29 (clearance)
Green Giant Steamers: $1.00 each
Tide Stain Remover: $2.99
Green Verde Sauce: $1.99
Spent: $7.44 Saved: $ 13.30
(Used Dillon's Dollars from previous purchase, too)
Walmart Trip
Jello Pudding: $1.75
Hillshire Farm Lunchmeat: $2.00 each
Welch's Juice: $1.97
Spent: $ 7.72 Saved: $6.75
Here is a break down of the deals I got. After leaving Walgreen's, I had to call my mom to tell her about it; I could not contain my excitement. Overall, I feel like I am improving my "couponing skills" and can't wait until I've mastered it.
WALGREEN'S TRIP
Tampax Tampons: $0.19
Colgate Total: They paid me $0.50 to take it off their shelf!!!
Baby Magic: FREE
Clairol Nice n' Easy: $2.99
Cover Girl Products: Buy 1 Get 1 1/2 off + $2 off coupon
Spent: $10.15 Saved: $ 34.38(This includes Register Rewards I earned along with the sale/coupons)
Dillon's Trip
Potato Rolls: $1.29 (clearance)
Green Giant Steamers: $1.00 each
Tide Stain Remover: $2.99
Green Verde Sauce: $1.99
Spent: $7.44 Saved: $ 13.30
(Used Dillon's Dollars from previous purchase, too)
Walmart Trip
Jello Pudding: $1.75
Hillshire Farm Lunchmeat: $2.00 each
Welch's Juice: $1.97
Spent: $ 7.72 Saved: $6.75
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Hump Day
Normally, James has Wednesdays off which is such a nice mid-week treat. This week, though, the other guys in the office were out, so he will get Friday off instead. I'm kind of at a stand still on what I can work on to finish the house because I am waiting for James to wrap up a few of the projects. I decided today that I would begin the daunting task of packing up the non-essential items. The built-in book shelves by the fireplace was the first stop. I had old nursing books, baby "how-to" books, and movies we hadn't watched in years just collecting dust. They are now on their way to the attic for storage. It didn't take very long to pack up the unnecessary items and I was planning to tackle the kitchen when I noticed something so sad, but yet, so sweet. My plans for the day changed at that moment.
A few minutes before I had walked past Samara and she was laying with her rear up in the air and said her tummy "huwt". She seemed pretty content laying there so I just left her. When I walked back in the living room, she had moved across the room and was sound asleep. Mind you, it was only 11am. Considering the struggle this girl causes during her nap time, it was quite the experience for her to fall asleep on her own. She took a little power nap there and then took another nap during her regular time. She hasn't been her active self today; she's just wanted to cuddle so how could I be too busy for that? Hopefully she's not coming down with the yucky flu bug going around because we have big plans this weekend (not to mention, I have big plans for finishing up these last few projects!) Get well little sis!
A few minutes before I had walked past Samara and she was laying with her rear up in the air and said her tummy "huwt". She seemed pretty content laying there so I just left her. When I walked back in the living room, she had moved across the room and was sound asleep. Mind you, it was only 11am. Considering the struggle this girl causes during her nap time, it was quite the experience for her to fall asleep on her own. She took a little power nap there and then took another nap during her regular time. She hasn't been her active self today; she's just wanted to cuddle so how could I be too busy for that? Hopefully she's not coming down with the yucky flu bug going around because we have big plans this weekend (not to mention, I have big plans for finishing up these last few projects!) Get well little sis!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
And Then There Was a Sidewalk
This morning the boys sat in awe of the cement truck parked at our house. It was mesmerizing to see the cement being poured and the workers leveling it off. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get out to enjoy the nice weather because I was fearful that my little inquiring minds would mess up the wet cement. The boys can not wait to test the new sidewalk out with their bikes and Big Wheels. I do have to say it will be so nice to not have cracked sidewalks. Here's to hoping it dries quickly so we can start using it!
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