December Pics!

Daddy trying to teach the kids how to use the camera- they still need some practice. Lula and her handmade fashion accessorises. Biggie with a face full of jam.

Lettie learned how to say "cheeeeese"

Making snowflakes and a cotton ball snowman on a very stormy day.

"cheeeeeeeeeeeeeese"

My thoughts on couponing and running deals!

(Okay a lot of this will be the pot calling the kettle black. Maybe if I publish it I'll practice what I preach more.)


Here are my humble thoughts.


Simple tips on keeping it real:

1.If you don't need it don't buy it. (okay I'm totally a sucker for FREE stuff.)

2.Have a limit on how often you go. (ex. I try to only go to CVS once a month)

3.Don't look at the ads unless you are already going to that store. (I look at the Meijer ad because I'm going to go there anyways, I never look at the mall ads it makes me discontent with what I have)

4. Take it with a grain of salt how much you are really saving, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are so over priced. (I'd take the number they give you and divide it in half.)

5. Set a budget on deals, mine in $5 a week.

6. Make sure it's okay with your hubby, an obvious one yet probably the most forgotten one.



Now I step onto my soapbox: Here is a little hypothetical story.



If you were to buy a new washing machine (with a coupon or price match of course) you would not take it home and try to use cow manure in place of detergent. No that would be dumb and simply unwise. Same with your car, you don't add apple juice to the gas tank and expect it to run now do ya.



So why oh why do people fill their sweet babies up with crap food that you can't even pronounce. OK if you and your hubby want to eat crap you are adults and can make up your own mind, your children can not.



Okay I'm stepping down now.



Save money other places if you can before it effects your food. Write out a menu and stick to it. Real old fashion oatmeal or homemade granola is quite comparable to a box of cereal bought on sale with a coupon. Diced up potatoes are much cheaper that bagged fries with twelve gazillion things added to them. Buy real fruit in season, skip the sugary drinks, even juice, drink water. The key word here is REAL!

Yes I too am a sucker for a nice haul of crap, almost all of which I have to give away because it's not REAL. I love to ask the hubby when I get home how much he think it all cost and then have him ask me how they can keep their doors open, it's fun. But not at the health of my family.

End of humble thoughts. Have a good one.

The things they say...an oldie but a goodie!

I remembered this one after I saw the marks on the wall yesterday. It probably two or three years ago already.

Me to Racky and Lula: Who put these marks on the wall? There are little holes all over the wall.

Lula ever so matter-a-factly: Maybe it was a woodpecker?

Need socks? Need underwear?

Okay the boys have enough underwear to last until they're are least 12 but who can resist a deal.

Meijer's this week:
Buy 3 Hanes products get $10 off instantly!

I bought one pack panties for Lula, and two packages of socks, one for the boys and one for Lettie, for $2 and some change! ($3.99 a pack) Can't beat that. I might go back tomorrow. Deal end 12/6 so hurry.

They didn't get the memo?!?!

Last week I heard yet another unwelcome guest in our home as I lay in bed, a mouse, I think. Well the hubby wouldn't get out of bed for a mouse so I had to wait until the next day and we set a trap.

The kids were aware of the situation and checked the trap about every 5 seconds. Lula had an idea, the mouse can't find the cheese on the trap. What they didn't get the "meet me at the mouse trap memo"!?!?

So she proceeds to cut out paper color it yellow and add "cheese holes" and made a trail of paper cheese to the trap so it would find the trap. Why didn't I think of that? :0) She is our creative one all right!

Well it still hasn't gotten the memo. They is no signs (aka mouse crap) of it being in the house, hubby thinks they are in the walls. Nice! Please oh please don't die in the walls and smell the whole house up!

Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for....


A overflowing laundry basket... we have more than enough clothes.

Crumbs on the floor... my children have never gone to bed hungry.

Lack of sleep...I have a sweet baby to love.

Snot noses...because it could be so much worse.

Marker stains on the counter...I have a little artist.

Pee on the toilet seat..at least some are out of diapers.

Shoes all over the entry floor...my children can run and jump

Piles of dirty dishes...more than just one thing to eat.

Big gas bills...my house is warm.

A dilapidated husband;)...he's mine all mine and he loves me.

A huge grocery bill...lots of mouths to feed.

The list could go on and on...hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving!

Justification

Justification: the act of justifying.

I just love the hear people justify something, why they bought x y and z. Or why they do or don't do something. You can justify anything if you want to bad enough. I find most of their reasoning's very entertaining.


The hubby has an erk with me. He thinks that it a crazy and a waste of money for me, the only person in the house to be able to eat dairy product to shun "real" ice cream for this:

(I''d have to admit if this is all he can come up with then we have a pretty good marriage.) Just listen to the name of the brand "purely decadent", you have it right there. This stuff is awesome! I don't even like coconut and I LOVE this stuff. The flavor chocolate is the best and once again I don't even like chocolate ice cream, chocolate on top- yes but not chocolate ice cream.

Okay so onto the justification.

1. This stuff contains no sugar only agave nectar which doesn't spike blood sugars!

2. According to Sally Fallon's book Eat Fat, Lose Fat coconut oil or fat increases your metabolism. (This stuff will make me skinny!)

3. I could eat Wonder Bread or Twinkies too but I don't.

4. $286 dollars a year for ice cream for one is not excessive. (Okay not even I can swallow that one.)

Okay smirk and think I'm crazy but I still am eating my purely decadent chocolate coconut milk ice cream, Ben and Jerry's is just gonna have to get over it.

Where have you been

This is for all of you ladies out there with way to much time on your hands.

The wifey has not wasted lots of time lately blogging so I have decided to post just to keep you interested.lol.. Anyhow this weekend she was quite under the weather (thankfully she is doing much better now) and I took the three oldest shopping, needles to say we purchased A new dishwasher. I admit I have been ropped in and tried to find a deal on Craigslist but to no avail so I broke down and purchased A Boscha dishwasha lol.. She (the wifey) still has a hard time using the dishwasher cause she has gotten used to being a live in dishwasher... If you didn't laugh out loud at least once during this blog you are a fuddy duddy and should waste your time elsewhere.

Take care and remember to keep smiling!

The things they say...

The scene: Racky and daddy in the hot tub. For unknown reasons daddy's said something about the family jewels. Then daddy has to explain what the family jewels are.

Daddy (after explaining what they are adds): It's where the babies come from.

Racky: So does mom have them too?!?!

I'm bracing myself for the time he recalls this conversation and asks a few questions.

October Pictures!

Hours and hours of fun! Riding in the jogger. Lula is playing photographer right now but they usually are all packed in there. Up and down the hill over and over and over again.

Another trip to the zoo on the last warm day of the year.

Two of most handsome men I know.

Little Miss Independent who will not any one feed her, she must do it herself. She's a hoochie. aka pain in the rump but oh so cute!

Did you turn your heat on yet?

Saturday night I finally broke and turned the heat on, its bliss sweet bliss. I can stop thinking of ways to warm up the house, aka bake something early in the morning. I really don't like to bake but I have baked more in the last two weeks more than the whole year all together. Thank the Lord for modern amenities.

Our last gas bill was up 30% from last year, the month before was up 40%. I have no idea why. I have been washing more stuff in hot water but it wouldn't make that much difference would it?

I've tried to be more diligent about where our money goes and how fast it goes. I think trying to keep pennies from slipping through my fingers is easier and fun challenge compared to trying to earn more money.

In other news the hubby said I could go to Texas with him on a business trip. I even contemplated it over night which is a huge thing for me. But I really don't think I can leave my babies quite yet. I left Racky when he was six months old for two nights and it about killed me. The hubby offered to take me back to see him it was so bad. The only other times I've farmed the kids out was when we would have another baby. When they leave the house and get married we'll go on some trips;0)

Nothing much else new, except Racky started karate, which he loves. Know Lula is begging for gymnastics-- we'll see.

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."Thomas JeffersonLetter to the Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin (1802)

Shania had it figured out ages ago!

This is the words to the Shania Twain song Ka-ching. She could see the economic crisis coming our way.

Ka-Ching lyricsWe live in a greedy little world--that teaches every little boy and girl
To earn as much as they can possibly--then turn around andSpend it foolishly
We've created us a credit card messWe spend the money that we don't possess
Our religion is to go and blow it allSo it's shoppin' every Sunday at the mall
All we ever want is moreA lot more than we had beforeSo take me to the nearest store

[Chorus:]Can you hear it ringIt makes you wanna singIt's such a beautiful thing--Ka-ching!
Lots of diamond rings
The happiness it bringsYou'll live like a kingWith lots of money and things

When you're broke go and get a loanTake out another mortgage on your home
Consolidate so you can affordTo go and spend some more whenyou get bored
All we ever want is moreA lot more than we had beforeSo take me to the nearest store

[Repeat Chorus]Let's swingDig deeper in your pocketOh, yeah, ha
Come on I know you've got it
Dig deeper in your wallet
Oh
All we ever want is more
A lot more than we had before
So take me to the nearest store

[Repeat Chorus]Can you hear it ringIt makes you wanna sing
You'll live like a kingWith lots of money and things
Ka-ching!

Detox: Day 1

Yesterday I started a 10 day detox diet. Here's the basic run down.

Day 1 cut out any processed foods, sugars and meat.

Day 2 eliminate all the above and dairy and eggs. Drink two scoops of ultraclear.

Day 3 Cut out all of the above and grains that contain gluten. Drink two scoops ultraclear.

Day 4 Cut out above and all other grains and nuts, you can only eat fruits and veggies. Drink two scoops twice daily.

Days 5-7 You can only eat cruciferous veggies, raw greens and apples and pears. Drink 2 scoops four times a day.

Day 8 Add back fruits and veggies and rice. Drink two scoops three times a day.

Day 9 Add back quinoa, millet and buckwheat and legumes and nuts. Drink two scoops two times.

Day 10 add back foods gently--- it's finally over.

You are allowed olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings through out the ten days. When we were visiting these people they used olive oil and balsamic vinegar on there salads, which I tried when we got home and it's super yummy, so I may "cheat" and use that on salads- since it's only a smidgen;0)

So yesterday I ate Ezekiel bread (it's sugar free), butter, eggs, almonds, tomatoes, apples, pears, and a cup of hot chocolate sweetened with agava nectar.

It is amazing how much food I would have eaten if I wasn't consciously thinking about ever bite that went into my mouth. I eat a lot. I picked now to do it because it's been almost 3 years since I did it last and it's apple and pear season and you can eat those the whole time on the diet.

The latest allergy results

The hubby had his allergy test redone the other week and the results are finally in. NOT GOOD!

Here are the 3's (3's are bad).
banana
pineapple
asparagus
broccoli
cabbage
cod
egg yolk
gluten
pinto beans
rice
soy
filbert- a cousin of the hazel nut
millet
navy beans

2's
celery
cucumber
sloe
trout
almond
buckwheat
peanuts
sesame

1's
cranberry
lemon
avocado
potatoes
string beans
crab
sardine
tuna
chicken
egg whites
turkey
corn
oats
pecan
rye
sunflower seed
wheat
cashew

60 other foods showed up very low

out of the 108 foods tested for these are what is is NOT allergic to:
casein
apple
apricot
strawberry
beets
onion
chocolate
kamut
wheat bran

You don't even want to know how much I spent and the grocery store and I still don't know what the poor guy is going to eat. I wonder if the government will give me some money they seem to like to give money away these days.

Love story anyone?

If your a sucker for love stories like I am head over here. Wow!

CVS Madness!

Three CVS stores 7 transactions---
#1 4- $2 off kashi
1- $2 off 10 cvs coupon
$1.19 total


#2 1- $2 off kashi
1- $2 off south beach
5-$1 off buddies
1 $2 off 10 cvs
$1.??? sorry can't find that receipt

#3 1- $1 off crest

1- $1 off mouthwash

1- $1 off deodorant

1- $2 off dr scholls

a bunch of ebc's

$12.50 not great but hubby REALLY wanted the Dr Scholls

#4 1 ECb for $4 got back $6 ecb, 0 out of pocket
#5 Another Zero out of pocket and zero ecb's used--nice!

#6 1 $1 off huggies

1 $2 off 10

a bunch of ecbs

.07 out of pocket


#7 1 $1.50 off litttle swimmers

1 $2 0ff 10

rest of ecb's

.09 out off pocket

I started the evening with $13.98 ecb and ended -with $10 ecb's and spend just over $15 not terrible seeing how just the pack of diapers would cost me that.

Picture Time!

Shh don't tell the hubby but these are the only 2 pics form our vacation-oops! My best guess is the that when I, the very incompetent camera operator, changed the memory card at the zoo is that I put it in there wrong because there was no new pictures on it and I did take some. So we get a rhino and Lettie and her daddy.

This little man turned four on the first and as you can tell from his face picked spaghetti for his birthday dinner. He got way too much stuff, there are nerf arrows all over my house.

Here is one of Lettie because she's the baby and way too cute!

Finally last month we had Kaleb over and they did a little painting. It kept them occupied for all of 7 minutes. "the city" by Kaleb, Racky, Lula and Biggie.

The Vacationette!

Okay I don't think vacationette is a real word but if it was it would mean short trip.

Thursday we loaded the minivan with kids, clothes and a whole lot of food bound for Cincinnati Ohio. We stopped in Indianapolis to pick up and friend of the family and drove her to her home just east of Cincinnati. Lula has a little itching of the eyes and Racky was a little stuffy after our visit that their home but all is good. Lu2 slept like a champ in the hotel- thanks be!

Friday we hit the Cincinnati Zoo, which is an awesome zoo! It rained on us but with the purchase of an overpriced umbrella and a few hats it was great. Friday night we went back and visited the family friends and Lula's eyes turn completely pink and watered with the vengeance. Back to the hotel for showers and clean clothes for all. All is good.

Saturday we hit Whole Foods and the Creation Museum. Great place to visit, the creation museum that is Whole foods is just ok. We definitely want to take the kids back there when they are older and can all read.

After the creation museum we head to this lovely couples house. They have four beautiful children all very close to the age of our four kids. The kids have a ball playing. Lula is totally denying the itchy eyes and the hive on her face. I wonder how good of an idea this is. Racky is a little off. But we're hanging in there. We had a wonderful time getting to know them and talking with them.

Bedtime comes and the Racky and Lula are simply miserable. But they are having so much fun the idea of leaving is killing them. So we stay.

It was a very very long night of a crying baby. A snoot sneezing, eye rubbing girl. (She rubbed her eye so much the skin under it bleed. And a very congested and wheezy boy. Racky even had Benedryl for the first time in over 6 years. Racky and I slept in the van. Hubby manned the rest inside. I slept less than 2 hours that night. So whats left to do...

Pack them up and come home. And that just what we did. Racky improved all the way home and then slept over 14 hours last night to wake up completely back to normal with the exception of a cold sore. So the five day vacation turned to three but all is well again. Thanks be to God.

(Just imagine the pictures of the kids at the zoo and such, but the camera got left in Ohio- oops.)

Bats are NOT my friend!

Imagine it's 3 o'clock in the morning and you hear a little something. I few seconds later you hear it again closer to you. Then even closer. You bolt up turn on your light beside the bed and yell "whose there" just to see one of these bad boys circling your bed.

Yes that was me last night.

The hubby asked me what I was doing, he said it was a moth. Moth my eye. I ran to the hall and closed him in the bedroom. The hubby shortly follows behind me, he quickly changed his mind about the moth thing. It turned into a three hour hunt.

The hubby opened the slider in our bedroom and a few minutes later we went in there to check and make sure he left. Broom in hand we checked the blinds and curtains, behind furniture and no bat in sight, all is well. Well the adrenaline is pumping so hubby turns on NFL network in bed. I'm still terrified and am wearing a baseball hat to bed. About 4:00 I hear something out the window, it must be a storm. I listen closer and say that I bet the bat is behind the shade right next to me. I sit up to grad my glasses when at the same time Mr. bat comes flying out for you guessedit- behind the shade. I dove under the covers, hubby runs for the slider and then we both escape to the hallway.

Safe- yeah right!

There's the bat in the living room. I'm back in the bedroom. I go through our room to the deck to open the slider in the dining room. Hubby is manning the broom and even hit the cotton pickin' thing. It flies into the kitchen I'm watching from outside to make sure it leaves. All of a sudden it's gone and not out the door.

We, okay hubby, searches the house. No luck. We Google bats and again try to find him. After a vain search we move the boys upstairs because maybe the bat went down there. The girls room is good and so is our room. At about 6 o'clock this morning we called off the search and slept a little.

9:45 this morning the hubby fianlly found him and removed him from the premises. YUCK! YUCK! YUCK! Bats are creepy!

He was in the kitchen hanging on the back of a basket on top of the cupboards. The hubby hit the basket and even knocked a bunch of stuff out of it last night in our search and it didn't even budge. The bat and basket ended up in the backyard via the kitchen window by my manly man who saved the day.

Fun bat facts:
they can eat up to 500 mosquitoes in an hour.
the make up 25% if the mammal population.
the don't tangle in our hair when flying around- I don't believe it I'm wearing my hat!
the have to hang upside down.

So Different!

I thought I'd write about how different my kids life is than most kids in terms of food that is!

The three youngest and Racky from the age of 11 months has never had:

1. A slurpee
2. cow's milk
3. mac and cheese
4. a happy meal
5. an ice cream cone
6. a coke
7. fruit loops, lucky charms or any of the like
8. bubble gum
9. elephant ear
10. pb&j
11. chicken nuggets
12. pudding
13. JELLO out of a box
14. pizza from a restaurant
15. breakfast at a restaurant
16. blow pop
17. Twinkies
18. candy bar of any kid
19. a whole roll of smarties in one sitting
20. chocolate

Okay I'm off the Google electric skillets so I can "cook" in our hotel on vacation! They haven't been to a restaurant in over a year and a half so traveling becomes very interesting.

Oh the things they say!

Lula: Guess what mom, that thing that keeps Aunt Sharon's belly button shut matches your earrings!

Skirt and Snow!

The other day we had to break out the box of snow. It only lasted about 5 minutes but it was a fun five minutes. Racky kept throwing it up and making it "snow" on us.

I made myself a skirt just like Lula's. This one only took about 40 minutes to make and only cost me $4.99. (Awesome photo courtsey of Lula!)

Fun! Cute! Cheap!

I "made" this skirt out of a pair of fifty cent garage sale pants. The jeans had holes in them but I loved the corduroy appliqued flowers on them. Then I stumbled onto this blog and now Lula has herself a new shirt. I might even hit Goodwill tomorrow and try to make myself one. The whole project took me about an hour.

I don't know the technical term but I put stoppers at the seams so the edges can fray.

Bigger is better right?

Just because this wasn't quite big enough! (I love it!)

Around the yard...

Our lettuce plants. About the only thing they we have successfully grown. You just cut in down and the stuff just grows back. The it is supposed to even be able to grow until November if you put some clear plastic over it. It has been enjoyed in lots of green smoothies and BLT's.

Last year we bought three fruit trees, two cherry and one apple. Well the apple tree has nothing on it! The first cherry tree had cherries and the second "cherry" tree has these, they're about the size of a half dollar. My guess is it's not a cherry tree;)

No pics of the garden it is just to sad looking;( The first died with the June flooding. The second isn't much better. I salute the organic farmer, and may I never grumble about the price of organic produce again.

Swimming lessons!

Lula- just missed her;)

Racky ready to take his turn on the diving board.

Biggie just chillin' on the edge!

I love these swimming lessons, they all go at the same time so no waiting for different classes!

A place of everything and everything in its place!

From this: To this:
If shelves can be sexy then these are! The first is a disaster waiting to happen as boxes of canning jars balance on top of each other.

Then on to the playroom! I finally broke a spent some money in attempt to organize the toys. I what them all in one room instead of all over the house. I like these and there price. I was lusting after these but these are much more versatile (and cheaper) when the toys are gone- if that ever happens. The come on sets of four cubes so I might buy a set or two more to add to my wall-o-storage. They are $11.99 a set if you are armed with Bed Bath and Beyond coupons.

June!

We canned lots of strawberry jam and froze 3 gallon bags for smoothies. (Do you let your kids sit on the counter with there dirty feet while you cook too?) Friday night picnics!

Trampline fun!

And somebody turned one already! (The kids get a bowl of jello for there first birthday- no allergens;)

Happy birthday Baby ( - :

I LOVE YOU LOADS!

Sorry you have to go shopping for the work party on your birthday, you are such a great wife and mommy. Thank you so very much.

Enjoy the rest of your day and I will see you in a while.

Your loving hubby, Ikey

EDIT: Isn't he the sweetest thing? I LOVE that man! Thanks baby I love you too!

Little Dutch Girl!

The conversation after last nights picnic!

Lula: Mom picnics are way better than the zoo because the zoo costs lots of money and picnics are are zero dollars!

Daddy: You are sure are dutch aren't ya?

And this is what I heard this morning!

Lula talking to the boys: We sure are spoiled! We got to go into Aunt Sharon's pool, and we got to go on a picnic with dad and we get to go to Uncle Scott's birthday party!

Do you think we warping them too badly!

$100 in Clothes= $75 in Gas

It's almost Father's day and Sears and Dockers are running a clothes/ gas deal. Buy $100 in men's dockers clothes and mail in your receipt and you will receive $75 gift card to Shell gas. So its kind of like getting $100 worth of clothes for $25 bucks. For more details so here. The hubby will be getting some new pants, the great thing about dockers are that they are a classic type of pants and can be worn for years!

Craiglist oh how I love thee...

Leather sofa and love seat $250.
Minus the $200 bucks we got for the old sectional (which sold in three hours!) $50 for new to us furniture!
Not paying Art Van every month for the next three years- priceless!

The thing about craigslist in it have everything and no shipping costs, besides gas. $275 worth of formula for $140 bucks! Yes $275 -it's all allergy thing. This should last about 5 months and hopefully by then she can be off of it.

Blog Worthy CVS Trip

A grand total of $1.82!! Yippee! I was going to give up the CVS thing for the summer but this got me to rethink that idea! All things we use minus the chex mix but the poor starving bro of mine will gobble them up.

4- toilet paper

8 toothbrushes

1 razor

3 packs of gum (filler)

6 bags of chex mix

2 buddies soaps

2 boxes of band aids

1 flosser thing

1 9 volt battery