This week has been stressful. I mean, seriously stressful! Constant grading has been the name of the game, and my house is definitely worse for the wear. So, today was one of those days where I wanted to get things done around the house, but it just hasn't been meant to be. That means that I've been even more stressed today. I've been trying to calm myself down so I don't take it out on the girls, though.
Tonight at dinner, I found my stress relief! Baby Girl is a do-it-yourself kind of toddler, especially when it comes to eating. You bring a fork or a spoon near her mouth and she'll starting shaking her head like there are bugs flying around her. Tonight, she wasn't eating any of her cheeseburger and potato, so I decided to offer a little assistance. I knew if I tried to feed her, it would be unsuccessful, so instead I just put a little potato on a fork and laid the fork on her bowl in front of her. When she saw the fork coming towards her, she started shaking her head and wimpering. So, when I set the fork down, she just started all out throwing a crying fit. Seriously, you would have thought I was trying to hold her mouth open and force feed her! So, the fork laid in front of her for a few minutes; all the while, Baby Girl was crying and pitching a fit. I finally got sick of hearing it, so I decided to try something...take the fork away. Sure enough, the second I picked up the fork and put it on my plate, the tears stopped. She was a transformed child. So, I called the hubby in to check it out. He came in, I put the fork on her bowl, and she started crying and shaking her head. I told him, "Just wait," and picked up the fork and put it back on my plate. Guess what? She calmed down immediately. All we can do is just shake our heads; what a drama queen! But, all her drama made me laugh, so she became my stress reliever. What would I do without my princesses?!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
5K and Baby Changes
Over the past week or so, I've thought multiple times about how I should get on and blog, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Now, I'm sick, so I have a little time to do different things. For instance, tonight I knitted. I desperately need to knit because I'm knitting for a couple that have an alpaca farm. They have a trunk show coming up in late November/early December, and I have things that I'm supposed to have knitted for that. So, I decided to use my time on the couch to get some knitting done.
I needed to take a break from knitting (it's getting close to bedtime), so I decided to finally write on here. There are some things that are very important to update. First of all, I ran in my first 5K a week ago. I was quite nervous, and I started way too far in the front (a newbie mistake!), but I finished without walking once. I finished in 35:18, which was a little more time than I wanted to finish in. I was thrilled to have finished, though! So, now I'm looking forward to my next race...the Jingle Bell Run in 3 weeks. I took this week off because my foot was hurting. It ended up being a good thing, since I got sick. I'm hoping very much that I'll be back to full strength by Monday so that I can restart running on Tuesday.
All sorts of changes have been going on with Baby Girl. She's toddling around the house now, for one. It's so sweet to see her walking as quickly as she can, trying not to fall! However, this is now opening up a new world of things to get into for her. I've had to lock up the puzzles and Little Miss' Memory Game because I was so sick of constantly picking them up. If one of the diaper drawers are left open, we'll be cleaning diapers up from the floor. The one good thing, though, is that she's learning to pick things up. Last night, Little Miss left her crayon container in the middle of the floor, and daddy tripped on them, spilling them all over. Baby Girl wanted to wander the floor, so I suggested to her that we pick up the crayons. Wouldn't you know that she gladly helped and was so proud of herself for putting the crayons away!
A second change with Baby Girl is that she's talking so much more. She says Mama all the time, which of course I love. She also says Dada, especially right around the time that hubby gets home from work. She cracks me up with she sees our dog, Boxer. She calls him Baba, although last weekend, I did get her to say Boxer. It was very clear, but it only happened twice. I'm thinking that she said it and decided it was just so much easier to say Baba!
Next change...hugs and kisses! I think it was Tuesday that I was holding her, and I can't even remember what prompted it. I think I might have said something about giving mommy a kiss. What I do remember is my sweet baby leaning in and giving me a big, juicy, open-mouth kiss. I laughed, and I asked her for another kiss, which she gladly gave. It was so sweet. So then Wednesday, she reached around to give me a full-fledged hug. So, I got the idea to ask her for another hug a few minutes later. When I asked for a hug, she smiled and put her little arms around my neck for a hug. I am loving this stage!
I needed to take a break from knitting (it's getting close to bedtime), so I decided to finally write on here. There are some things that are very important to update. First of all, I ran in my first 5K a week ago. I was quite nervous, and I started way too far in the front (a newbie mistake!), but I finished without walking once. I finished in 35:18, which was a little more time than I wanted to finish in. I was thrilled to have finished, though! So, now I'm looking forward to my next race...the Jingle Bell Run in 3 weeks. I took this week off because my foot was hurting. It ended up being a good thing, since I got sick. I'm hoping very much that I'll be back to full strength by Monday so that I can restart running on Tuesday.
All sorts of changes have been going on with Baby Girl. She's toddling around the house now, for one. It's so sweet to see her walking as quickly as she can, trying not to fall! However, this is now opening up a new world of things to get into for her. I've had to lock up the puzzles and Little Miss' Memory Game because I was so sick of constantly picking them up. If one of the diaper drawers are left open, we'll be cleaning diapers up from the floor. The one good thing, though, is that she's learning to pick things up. Last night, Little Miss left her crayon container in the middle of the floor, and daddy tripped on them, spilling them all over. Baby Girl wanted to wander the floor, so I suggested to her that we pick up the crayons. Wouldn't you know that she gladly helped and was so proud of herself for putting the crayons away!
A second change with Baby Girl is that she's talking so much more. She says Mama all the time, which of course I love. She also says Dada, especially right around the time that hubby gets home from work. She cracks me up with she sees our dog, Boxer. She calls him Baba, although last weekend, I did get her to say Boxer. It was very clear, but it only happened twice. I'm thinking that she said it and decided it was just so much easier to say Baba!
Next change...hugs and kisses! I think it was Tuesday that I was holding her, and I can't even remember what prompted it. I think I might have said something about giving mommy a kiss. What I do remember is my sweet baby leaning in and giving me a big, juicy, open-mouth kiss. I laughed, and I asked her for another kiss, which she gladly gave. It was so sweet. So then Wednesday, she reached around to give me a full-fledged hug. So, I got the idea to ask her for another hug a few minutes later. When I asked for a hug, she smiled and put her little arms around my neck for a hug. I am loving this stage!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
First steps
Today has been an eventful day at our house. Not because we have had a lot going on, though. On the contrary, it was actually an in-house day. We took Boxer to the groomer, and I went to my local yarn shop for some knitting and visiting. That pretty much covered my time away from home today. The eventful part of the day actually happened at home, while I was gone. Baby Girl started walking today. She's taken a step here or there, but today, she was taking multiple steps (7 or 8) and would perform it on demand. It was pretty exciting to see when I got home. Of course, she wouldn't walk for me right away when I got home. She was so excited to see me that she just wanted me to hold her, and the fastest means of transportation is still crawling. But, after a few minutes of being held, I stood her in the middle of the floor, took a few steps back, and called her to walk to me...and she did! I forgot how thrilling it is to see that!
So, hubby and Little Miss went to the gym to go swimming, and I had supper ready a little earlier than I thought they would be home. Baby Girl was begging for food, so I made the decision to go ahead and eat without them. We were eating stir fry and rice, and I was feeding Baby Girl because I didn't want to have to clean up the rice mess. But, I stepped out of the room to get a little more rice, and her bowl was within reach. So, when I came back in, there was broccoli on the floor, greens on the table, and a strip of red pepper in her hand. Apparently, my child likes colorful food, as long as it isn't green! She ate all the non-green veggies and lots of rice, then grabbed the greens and one by one started throwing them on the floor. Each time one would hit the floor, she'd look at me and say, "Uh-oh." Uh-oh...right.
So, hubby and Little Miss went to the gym to go swimming, and I had supper ready a little earlier than I thought they would be home. Baby Girl was begging for food, so I made the decision to go ahead and eat without them. We were eating stir fry and rice, and I was feeding Baby Girl because I didn't want to have to clean up the rice mess. But, I stepped out of the room to get a little more rice, and her bowl was within reach. So, when I came back in, there was broccoli on the floor, greens on the table, and a strip of red pepper in her hand. Apparently, my child likes colorful food, as long as it isn't green! She ate all the non-green veggies and lots of rice, then grabbed the greens and one by one started throwing them on the floor. Each time one would hit the floor, she'd look at me and say, "Uh-oh." Uh-oh...right.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
You're naughty!
On the car ride to the girls' sitter today, we were able to have a little Bible lesson. One of the AWANA verses that Little Miss was supposed to have memorized for last week was "All have sinned." We talked about sin, but I wondered if she was really connecting it. So, on the drive, she was being a grump; she all of a sudden said, "You're naughty, Mommy." It caught me off guard for a minute, and I was about to reprimand her (as is typical when she's trying to say things to be hurtful or draw extra attention). I waited, though, and it hit me...yes, sometimes I am naughty. So, I replied, "You're right, Little Miss. Sometimes Mommy is naughty." She didn't quite know how to respond except for with another, "You're naughty, Mommy." So, I reiterated my statement. Then I said, "Do you remember your A verse? 'All have sinned' is what it says. Well, sin is just another way to say that we're naughty. All of us do naughty things. All of us are naughty. So, yes, Mommy is naughty. Little Miss is naughty, too. We all are."
It's amazing how something that normally would have sent me into a lecture on how we don't say things like that because it's not kind turned into a God moment. God completely opened the eyes of my heart at that moment, saying, "She speaks the truth." And, He gave me the words to help me begin to convey it to Little Miss.
It's amazing how something that normally would have sent me into a lecture on how we don't say things like that because it's not kind turned into a God moment. God completely opened the eyes of my heart at that moment, saying, "She speaks the truth." And, He gave me the words to help me begin to convey it to Little Miss.
Family Fun and Milestones
I swear, these days Little Miss is acting more like a hormonal teenager than a toddler. Her mood swings are ridiculous. But, the good moods are really great!
We've had a huge aphid population swarm our city in the past couple of weeks. It's been awful, because you can't go out to enjoy the beautiful weather without getting completely covered with the wretched little things. I have a major problem with bugs, so I stay as far away from these little critters as I can. So, needless to say, we haven't been doing too much playing outside. Late last week, Baby Girl and I went next door to visit with our neighbor for a few minutes. While we were there, Little Miss came home from her little excursion with daddy and joined us at the neighbor's. Dark had settled in when I decided that I should head home, and I had to coax Little Miss to come with me. While we were walking across the yard, this strange urge to spin around in circles hit me. I spun and spun while holding Baby Girl, and Little Miss, quick to join in on anything that remotely looks like dancing, started spinning along. We were getting dizzy and laughing joyfully; Little Miss would get so dizzy that she would fall down time after time. After we spun separately for a little while, Little Miss grabbed my hand, wanting me to spin with her. I was having so much fun with my girls that she didn't have to ask me twice. We spun together, and, as the neighbor across the street came home from somewhere, we all laughed together (including the neighbors). It was so much fun! Finally, I needed a break to get my bearings, so Little Miss proposed a new game--walk on the brick edging flapping our arms like butterfly wings and barking like Boxer (our dog). What a crazy idea! Of course, we did exactly as she proposed, laughing all the way. This activity wasn't nearly as fun as spinning, though, so Little Miss quickly lost interest. When daddy came out to see what all the noise was about, we ALL started spinning around the yard. The giggles were fantastic! The next suggestion that came from Little Miss made it even more apparent that she is just like me--"Hey, lets lay down and look at the stars!" So, there in our front yard, we all laid down on our backs and looked at the stars, pointing out different pretty ones that we saw.
You know that night would have been great if the story would have ended there. However, it got even better. After we all came inside and I got Baby Girl to bed, Little Miss and I sat together in the big, comfy chair in the living room. As we sat there cuddling, we learned Bible verses. Little Miss is old enough for AWANA now, so we were trying to get through her Cubbies work. But, it was just so sweet, because we were hiding God's word in our hearts, but we were also affirming to each other that even though we both lose our tempers, we still love each other very much. I truly have to say that I don't know that I remember having a Friday night as good as that night.
Baby Girl figured out tonight that she can stand all by herself tonight. We were at a friend's for dinner, and, after dinner the babies were playing together in a little ball pit. Little Miss was cruising around some, and let go all of a sudden. I happened to be watching, so I clapped and made a big deal. Once she realized that she got all that praise for standing, she practiced over and over again until she was standing unsupported by anything for a minute or more. I was so proud of my Baby Girl! She's getting so big!
We've had a huge aphid population swarm our city in the past couple of weeks. It's been awful, because you can't go out to enjoy the beautiful weather without getting completely covered with the wretched little things. I have a major problem with bugs, so I stay as far away from these little critters as I can. So, needless to say, we haven't been doing too much playing outside. Late last week, Baby Girl and I went next door to visit with our neighbor for a few minutes. While we were there, Little Miss came home from her little excursion with daddy and joined us at the neighbor's. Dark had settled in when I decided that I should head home, and I had to coax Little Miss to come with me. While we were walking across the yard, this strange urge to spin around in circles hit me. I spun and spun while holding Baby Girl, and Little Miss, quick to join in on anything that remotely looks like dancing, started spinning along. We were getting dizzy and laughing joyfully; Little Miss would get so dizzy that she would fall down time after time. After we spun separately for a little while, Little Miss grabbed my hand, wanting me to spin with her. I was having so much fun with my girls that she didn't have to ask me twice. We spun together, and, as the neighbor across the street came home from somewhere, we all laughed together (including the neighbors). It was so much fun! Finally, I needed a break to get my bearings, so Little Miss proposed a new game--walk on the brick edging flapping our arms like butterfly wings and barking like Boxer (our dog). What a crazy idea! Of course, we did exactly as she proposed, laughing all the way. This activity wasn't nearly as fun as spinning, though, so Little Miss quickly lost interest. When daddy came out to see what all the noise was about, we ALL started spinning around the yard. The giggles were fantastic! The next suggestion that came from Little Miss made it even more apparent that she is just like me--"Hey, lets lay down and look at the stars!" So, there in our front yard, we all laid down on our backs and looked at the stars, pointing out different pretty ones that we saw.
You know that night would have been great if the story would have ended there. However, it got even better. After we all came inside and I got Baby Girl to bed, Little Miss and I sat together in the big, comfy chair in the living room. As we sat there cuddling, we learned Bible verses. Little Miss is old enough for AWANA now, so we were trying to get through her Cubbies work. But, it was just so sweet, because we were hiding God's word in our hearts, but we were also affirming to each other that even though we both lose our tempers, we still love each other very much. I truly have to say that I don't know that I remember having a Friday night as good as that night.
Baby Girl figured out tonight that she can stand all by herself tonight. We were at a friend's for dinner, and, after dinner the babies were playing together in a little ball pit. Little Miss was cruising around some, and let go all of a sudden. I happened to be watching, so I clapped and made a big deal. Once she realized that she got all that praise for standing, she practiced over and over again until she was standing unsupported by anything for a minute or more. I was so proud of my Baby Girl! She's getting so big!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Ashamed
I'm sitting on my couch, trying so hard to get my grading done, but with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. I've always known that I don't deal well with pain; I tend to take it out on people around me. That's one reason why I didn't do natural childbirth with Little Miss. Come to find out, childbirth is my exception. But, that's a rabbit trail. This evening, I was putting Baby Girl to sleep in our room, in her pack 'n play. Our room has two doors, and both were wide open. I went across the room to close one of the doors, and as I was closing the door, I started paying more attention to remembering to grab the Barbie that was on our bed than to actually closing the door. Wouldn't you know, in my distraction, I shut my fingers in the door. I had the bearings to at least bury my face in the bed before I screamed, even though I still startled Baby Girl. Hubby came running in, but I payed him no mind; I just continued to keep my head buried. So, when I finally walked out of the room, with Baby Girl screaming behind me and Little Miss standing in front of me, I was a little bit irrational in my thinking. Little Miss asked me what happened, and I told her that I had smashed my fingers in the door because I was thinking about remembering to grab her doll. Now, although that was the truth, it came out as very accusing towards that sweet little girl who was not the least bit to blame. She immediately said, "I sorry, mommy," and went into the living room to finish her ice cream. When I joined her in the living room a few minutes later, she came over and asked if I was okay, I said yes. Then she replied with, "It's my fault; I sorry, mommy." Oh, the horrible guilt that settled over me then and hasn't left yet. I brushed her hair out of her face and told her that it was not her fault at all; mommy is just clumsy. But, how do I erase that from her little head, especially when I was the one that planted it in there with my accusing words? Oh, Lord, please forgive me for my sin of misplacing guilt on that sweet child. Please help me to control my tongue at all times, but especially when my children are the ones at the receiving end. I am so ashamed.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Refreshment
Last night was supposed to be a great night. I was going to go shopping with a friend, then we were going to catch a late movie. But, alas, she called shortly before we were supposed to meet saying that she had a child with a fever and that she couldn't meet. Of course I understood, but I was still disappointed. I still went shopping, but it ended up being somewhat depressing. Running has thinned my legs up some, but my midsection seems to have thickened up. So, one size would fit my thighs but would be tight around the waist, while one size up would fit my waist but be massive around the waist. So, I wasn't in the best of moods when I got home around 9. Hubby asked if I was going back out, and I replied no with a most depressed look. But, not 10 minutes later, I got a call from my friend. I answered my phone with, "Please tell me that she's feeling better, and we can go to the movie." That's exactly what she was telling me! I was so happy! We met at the Wehrenberg at 9:40 and laughed our way through The Ugly Truth. It was hilarious, albeit highly inappropriate. We say that we probably shouldn't watch movies together because we're so loud when we laugh. But, we had such a fabulous time! After the movie, we stood outside the theater and talked for at least half an hour, until hubby called me to let me know that Baby Girl was awake and ready for me to feed her. What a great end to the day.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Looking back, looking forward
Hubby and I made the opportunity to get away for the night last night. We had a wonderful time of reconnecting to each other as husband and wife, not just mom and dad or homeowners or roomies! It was wonderful to be able to go out to eat without having to chase after children or making an emergency potty run. It was good to just be able to talk, share our hopes and our goals for the future. Such a refreshing time away!
Now, Little Miss is having a little overnight trip with Grandma. Baby Girl is sleeping soundly in her crib. I should be enjoying this sleeping baby time by sleeping myself, but I got drawn into a movie on tv (cursed thing). Hubby is sleeping like a baby, resting up for his race tomorrow. He's running a 5K tomorrow, and his goal is to run it under 24 minutes. I, on the other hand, ran 2 miles today for the first time in this training session in 21:43...about 2.25 min less than what hubby wants to run 3 mi. in! I have to keep reminding myself that he's been running for a lot longer than I have, and he's pretty tiny compared to my. Maybe one of these days, I'll get my eating back on track and lose some weight while I'm running!
The big family reunion began tonight. We obviously are not there yet. We'll be going over after the race tomorrow. A quick stop to eat on the way, then to my mom's to get Little Miss, then off to the Lazy R Ranch for some good times with family. We missed last year due to me being as big as a house with Baby Girl. Dr. wasn't too hot on me traveling 2-3 hours away when it was so incredibly hot. That means I haven't seen almost all of these people since last May (or was it June) when we were at the funeral of a dear cousin. I'm looking forward to catching up with them.
Monday starts daycare for the girls. I have orientation at work, so they'll be going to their sitter (whom they love!). I'm excited to see what this year will bring for them. I know that Little Miss will learn a lot from Mr. Tom this year; I'm looking forward to seeing her growth!
Now, Little Miss is having a little overnight trip with Grandma. Baby Girl is sleeping soundly in her crib. I should be enjoying this sleeping baby time by sleeping myself, but I got drawn into a movie on tv (cursed thing). Hubby is sleeping like a baby, resting up for his race tomorrow. He's running a 5K tomorrow, and his goal is to run it under 24 minutes. I, on the other hand, ran 2 miles today for the first time in this training session in 21:43...about 2.25 min less than what hubby wants to run 3 mi. in! I have to keep reminding myself that he's been running for a lot longer than I have, and he's pretty tiny compared to my. Maybe one of these days, I'll get my eating back on track and lose some weight while I'm running!
The big family reunion began tonight. We obviously are not there yet. We'll be going over after the race tomorrow. A quick stop to eat on the way, then to my mom's to get Little Miss, then off to the Lazy R Ranch for some good times with family. We missed last year due to me being as big as a house with Baby Girl. Dr. wasn't too hot on me traveling 2-3 hours away when it was so incredibly hot. That means I haven't seen almost all of these people since last May (or was it June) when we were at the funeral of a dear cousin. I'm looking forward to catching up with them.
Monday starts daycare for the girls. I have orientation at work, so they'll be going to their sitter (whom they love!). I'm excited to see what this year will bring for them. I know that Little Miss will learn a lot from Mr. Tom this year; I'm looking forward to seeing her growth!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Terrified
I'm starting a new job in a little over a week. I've been so excited, because it's an amazing opportunity. I was a high school math teacher, but I'm becoming a college math professor. This week, though, it's hit me. I don't really know how to do this! Everyone that I slightly confide in tells me, you'll do fine...everyone will love you. The thing is, I have always thought that people think more highly of me as a teacher than they should and sooner or later, they're all going to find out that I'm not as good as they think I am. That's what keeps running through my head. How am I going to teach these classes? I wish I could just observe them for awhile before being thrown into the mix. But, no such luck. Guess I just have buck up and face my terror head-on!
Monday, August 3, 2009
My house, the black hole
Our house seems to have become a black hole. Hubby is doing a Bible study on Monday mornings with some guys, and was trying to read for that yesterday afternoon. He made a last minute decision to take a little nap (which was difficult, since Little Miss was napping in our room, meaning he had to lay horizontally across the bed). Shortly after making that decision, Little Miss decided to wake up. Somehow, all four of us ended up playing on our bed, which was so much fun. However, during our playtime, his book disappeared. We didn't realize it was missing until hubby was looking for it at bedtime. He looked all over for it, as did I, but to no avail. This afternoon, when he got home from work, we looked around the house again. He was getting more and more frustrated, so I suggested that he just stop looking for it for the time being. Chances are, it will show up when we stop thinking about it.
This morning, I was getting ready to go to the gym for my run, so I was trying to gather my things. One of the necessary pieces of equipment that I use is my watch that has a stopwatch as a feature. I searched everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Fortunately, I was running at the gym, so I could use a lap counter to keep track rather than using time. It was still frustrating, though. Guess what turned up tonight when we were looking for hubby's book? The watch. I remember hiding it from Little Miss (who really likes playing with it), and apparently I hid it very well (on the changing table). I was thrilled to find it, since I prefer running timed rather than keeping track of distance.
So, Hubby just took Little Miss to the gym to go swimming, and Baby Girl is standing next to me, crying. Perhaps I should pick her up.
This morning, I was getting ready to go to the gym for my run, so I was trying to gather my things. One of the necessary pieces of equipment that I use is my watch that has a stopwatch as a feature. I searched everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Fortunately, I was running at the gym, so I could use a lap counter to keep track rather than using time. It was still frustrating, though. Guess what turned up tonight when we were looking for hubby's book? The watch. I remember hiding it from Little Miss (who really likes playing with it), and apparently I hid it very well (on the changing table). I was thrilled to find it, since I prefer running timed rather than keeping track of distance.
So, Hubby just took Little Miss to the gym to go swimming, and Baby Girl is standing next to me, crying. Perhaps I should pick her up.
Friday, July 31, 2009
A great Meijer trip
Tonight, I went out to grab up a few more deals, as well as pick up a birthday present for a party tomorrow. I was so excited by my buys, I just have to share. I'll keep it down to just my Meijer trip, though!
Alpo wet dog food 3 x .64 (1.92)
Pur water filter 3-pack 18.99 - 3.00 (mfr coupon--P&G insert) (15.99)
20 oz soda 1.39
Meijer bodywash 1.79
BC Warm Delights 2 x 1.00 - 2 x .50 (mfr coupon--coupons.com) - 2 x .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
Grands Biscuit 2 x 1.00 - 2 x .35 (mfr coupon) - 2 x .35 (double coupon) (.30 each)
Velveeta Shells and Cheese Bowls 2 x 1.00 - 1.00 (free item) - 3.00 (BOGO coupon*) (made 2.00)
Land O Lakes butter 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
Dole Tropical fruit salad 4 x 1.00 - 2 x .55 (2.90)
CoffeeMate creamer 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
*I used the self check-out, and the attendant put in 3.00 for the BOGO coupon rather than 1.00. The coupon itself had a maximum value of 1.34, so this was just a big stroke of luck!
With tax, I spent a grand total of $24.48. Considering the filters alone are $23.99 when they're not on sale, I thought I had a pretty good trip!
Alpo wet dog food 3 x .64 (1.92)
Pur water filter 3-pack 18.99 - 3.00 (mfr coupon--P&G insert) (15.99)
20 oz soda 1.39
Meijer bodywash 1.79
BC Warm Delights 2 x 1.00 - 2 x .50 (mfr coupon--coupons.com) - 2 x .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
Grands Biscuit 2 x 1.00 - 2 x .35 (mfr coupon) - 2 x .35 (double coupon) (.30 each)
Velveeta Shells and Cheese Bowls 2 x 1.00 - 1.00 (free item) - 3.00 (BOGO coupon*) (made 2.00)
Land O Lakes butter 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
Dole Tropical fruit salad 4 x 1.00 - 2 x .55 (2.90)
CoffeeMate creamer 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) (FREE)
*I used the self check-out, and the attendant put in 3.00 for the BOGO coupon rather than 1.00. The coupon itself had a maximum value of 1.34, so this was just a big stroke of luck!
With tax, I spent a grand total of $24.48. Considering the filters alone are $23.99 when they're not on sale, I thought I had a pretty good trip!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Shopping trip 7/28
Last night, I made a spur-of-the-moment shopping trip. CVS was having a 3-day sale, and it ended last night, and I wanted to get a few things from Kroger and Meijer. Here's the run-down:
CVS
I spent $7.27 out of pocket and got...
candy bar .67
Schick Quattro razor 8.99 - 4 mfr coupon
Herbal Essence 2-in-1 2.99 - 1 mfr coupon
Neutrogena foundation 11.99 - 3 mfr coupon
Neutrogena concealer 8.29 - 8.29 bogo sale - 2 mfr coupon
Composition notebook .99
I also had a CVS $4 off of $20 purchase that I used, along with $4 worth of Extra Care Bucks. I got 3.99 ECB back, so I came out fairly even with those.
Kroger
This was my most exciting stop of the evening. They're still having their mega sale, so I picked up 10 items and only spent $8.42. That included...
Fiber One Yogurt (4 pk) 4 x 2.49 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - 4 x 1.00 (mfr coupon) - 1.00 (cellfire coupon) - 2 x 1.00 (Shortcuts coupons) ,96 total (.24 each)
Smuckers Natural PB 1.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .35 (mfr coupon) - .35 (double coupon) .79
Chex Mix 4 x 1.99 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) - 2 x .50 (shortcuts) 3.96 total (.99 ea) *Note...there was another .50 off coupon that should have been taken off, but I didn't notice it wasn't until I got out to the car*
Simply Orange Juice 2.99 - .50 (mega sale) 2.49
Meijer
I spent the most here...$13.54. I got...
Alpo wet dog food 2 x .64
Stickers 1.99
Crayons (24 pk) .19
Gluestick (2 pk) .19
20 oz root beer 1.39
Renuzit air fresheners 3 x .99 - .99 (11th item) - .55 (mfr coupon) 1.43 total (.47 each)
Warm Delights Cake 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) FREE
Easy Mac cups 2 x 1.00 - 1.00 (mfr coupon) 1.00 total (.50 each)
Celery 1.00
Land O' Lakes Spreadable Butter 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) FREE
Dole Pineapple 2 x 1.00 - .55 (mfr coupon) 1.45 total (.73 each)
Dole Salad Mix 1.00
Meijer Organics Salsa 2 x 1.00
I had a bunch more coupons to use at Meijer, but they were completely out of some of those things. They would have been free after coupons, too. Guess I'll have to go back later this week!
So, I bought a total of 35 items and spent a total of 29.23...technically .84 per item.
CVS
I spent $7.27 out of pocket and got...
candy bar .67
Schick Quattro razor 8.99 - 4 mfr coupon
Herbal Essence 2-in-1 2.99 - 1 mfr coupon
Neutrogena foundation 11.99 - 3 mfr coupon
Neutrogena concealer 8.29 - 8.29 bogo sale - 2 mfr coupon
Composition notebook .99
I also had a CVS $4 off of $20 purchase that I used, along with $4 worth of Extra Care Bucks. I got 3.99 ECB back, so I came out fairly even with those.
Kroger
This was my most exciting stop of the evening. They're still having their mega sale, so I picked up 10 items and only spent $8.42. That included...
Fiber One Yogurt (4 pk) 4 x 2.49 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - 4 x 1.00 (mfr coupon) - 1.00 (cellfire coupon) - 2 x 1.00 (Shortcuts coupons) ,96 total (.24 each)
Smuckers Natural PB 1.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .35 (mfr coupon) - .35 (double coupon) .79
Chex Mix 4 x 1.99 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) - 2 x .50 (shortcuts) 3.96 total (.99 ea) *Note...there was another .50 off coupon that should have been taken off, but I didn't notice it wasn't until I got out to the car*
Simply Orange Juice 2.99 - .50 (mega sale) 2.49
Meijer
I spent the most here...$13.54. I got...
Alpo wet dog food 2 x .64
Stickers 1.99
Crayons (24 pk) .19
Gluestick (2 pk) .19
20 oz root beer 1.39
Renuzit air fresheners 3 x .99 - .99 (11th item) - .55 (mfr coupon) 1.43 total (.47 each)
Warm Delights Cake 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) FREE
Easy Mac cups 2 x 1.00 - 1.00 (mfr coupon) 1.00 total (.50 each)
Celery 1.00
Land O' Lakes Spreadable Butter 1.00 - .50 (mfr coupon) - .50 (double coupon) FREE
Dole Pineapple 2 x 1.00 - .55 (mfr coupon) 1.45 total (.73 each)
Dole Salad Mix 1.00
Meijer Organics Salsa 2 x 1.00
I had a bunch more coupons to use at Meijer, but they were completely out of some of those things. They would have been free after coupons, too. Guess I'll have to go back later this week!
So, I bought a total of 35 items and spent a total of 29.23...technically .84 per item.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Glimpses of God
There are days when I get so incredibly frustrated with Little Miss. It seems to be happening more and more since she turned three. But, today, as I was working through my frustrations, I caught a glimpse of what God must be seeing in me.
It was one of the million times that Little Miss wasn't obeying. I threatened to take her videos back to the video store, which usually does the trick. She got very concerned over the thought of losing her videos and quickly said, "I wanna obey, Momma!" And, of course, I was so frustrated that I came back with, "Well, if you want to obey, just do it! Obey!" And, almost instantly after the words were out of my mouth, this thought hit (which had to completely be the Holy Spirit)...God must be saying that to me constantly! I have been in a spiritual trough lately, and so often I think, I want to be closer to God. Or, I think I should do this or that, which I'm sure is the Spirit's prodding. But, like Little Miss, I'm too busy doing what I want to do or too stubborn to bend to the will of another that I continue in what I've already been doing. And, when I'm pushed more, I cry and say, I want to obey! Or, I want to be closer! So, now I'm thinking that God has been crying back (maybe more in love than in frustration), "If you want to, then, by all means, do it!" What a fool I am! Apparently, I am currently comparable to a preschooler spiritually.
You know, when that thought hit me, I didn't have the time to really think it through. It really wasn't until I got into the car to do some grocery shopping that it struck a deeper chord. I thought then that I needed to blog about it when I got home, just to flesh it out a little bit. It's amazing how clear things become when you see them in black and white. There was another thing that struck me when I was thinking about it in the car, but it must not have been quite as deep at the time, because I couldn't remember it ten minutes later. Maybe, once I get this one all mulled through, that one will come back to the forefront of my mind, and I'll be able to gain even more insights from my sweet Little Miss.
It was one of the million times that Little Miss wasn't obeying. I threatened to take her videos back to the video store, which usually does the trick. She got very concerned over the thought of losing her videos and quickly said, "I wanna obey, Momma!" And, of course, I was so frustrated that I came back with, "Well, if you want to obey, just do it! Obey!" And, almost instantly after the words were out of my mouth, this thought hit (which had to completely be the Holy Spirit)...God must be saying that to me constantly! I have been in a spiritual trough lately, and so often I think, I want to be closer to God. Or, I think I should do this or that, which I'm sure is the Spirit's prodding. But, like Little Miss, I'm too busy doing what I want to do or too stubborn to bend to the will of another that I continue in what I've already been doing. And, when I'm pushed more, I cry and say, I want to obey! Or, I want to be closer! So, now I'm thinking that God has been crying back (maybe more in love than in frustration), "If you want to, then, by all means, do it!" What a fool I am! Apparently, I am currently comparable to a preschooler spiritually.
You know, when that thought hit me, I didn't have the time to really think it through. It really wasn't until I got into the car to do some grocery shopping that it struck a deeper chord. I thought then that I needed to blog about it when I got home, just to flesh it out a little bit. It's amazing how clear things become when you see them in black and white. There was another thing that struck me when I was thinking about it in the car, but it must not have been quite as deep at the time, because I couldn't remember it ten minutes later. Maybe, once I get this one all mulled through, that one will come back to the forefront of my mind, and I'll be able to gain even more insights from my sweet Little Miss.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Naptimes
It's amazing the difference a schedule (or lack of schedule) can make on your mood. Today started out fairly normal; I woke up, fed Baby Girl, then got Little Miss a bowl of cereal while she watched a movie. Then, we all got ready to go to the gym. Today was my training day, so I wanted to get there when the gym was still pretty empty. The gym was fairly uneventful; I just did my running and some lifting. The difference in our schedule came when we got back home.
Baby Girl seemed to be hungry, so, while Little Miss did some vegging in front of the television, I fed Baby. But, she fell asleep while eating, and it was a pretty hard sleep. So, I decided to just lay her down for naptime right then. Unfortunately, it was only 11:30, and she doesn't normally go down until 1. But, still, it was nice. I could fix Little Miss lunch, then take a shower, which I was thankful for (I hate the gym showers...they give me the heeby jeebies). Actually, one of the funniest moments of the day happened at the end of my shower. Little Miss came into the bathroom to go potty. "I've gotta go poopy," she declared. Then, she took turns talking to me and grunting. She likes to wipe herself, but I always do a spot-check to make sure the job was done right. It was quite fortunate that she came in at the end of my shower, because I was able to get out right after she got done and do the spot check. After we finished that, she looked into the toilet and said, "Look, Mommy! There's a big poopy and a little poopy." After looking a little closer, she finished with, "The little poopy is playing hide and seek!" It was so funny!
So, after I got dressed, it was time for Little Miss to go down for her nap. She's been taking naps in our room, because there are no toys and fewer distractions in there. Just about the time I put Little Miss down, Baby Girl woke up. ARGHH! You mean I don't get some down time without children?!! So, Little Miss was NOT falling asleep, and Baby Girl was crawling all over the house, getting into who knows what. It was not what I wanted to have happen. I tried to get Baby Girl to go back down to sleep, but she would have nothing of it! Little Miss also never went to sleep, which meant the loss of her movies that she got at the library yesterday. It's been a long day, and I'm ready for bedtime to come!
Baby Girl seemed to be hungry, so, while Little Miss did some vegging in front of the television, I fed Baby. But, she fell asleep while eating, and it was a pretty hard sleep. So, I decided to just lay her down for naptime right then. Unfortunately, it was only 11:30, and she doesn't normally go down until 1. But, still, it was nice. I could fix Little Miss lunch, then take a shower, which I was thankful for (I hate the gym showers...they give me the heeby jeebies). Actually, one of the funniest moments of the day happened at the end of my shower. Little Miss came into the bathroom to go potty. "I've gotta go poopy," she declared. Then, she took turns talking to me and grunting. She likes to wipe herself, but I always do a spot-check to make sure the job was done right. It was quite fortunate that she came in at the end of my shower, because I was able to get out right after she got done and do the spot check. After we finished that, she looked into the toilet and said, "Look, Mommy! There's a big poopy and a little poopy." After looking a little closer, she finished with, "The little poopy is playing hide and seek!" It was so funny!
So, after I got dressed, it was time for Little Miss to go down for her nap. She's been taking naps in our room, because there are no toys and fewer distractions in there. Just about the time I put Little Miss down, Baby Girl woke up. ARGHH! You mean I don't get some down time without children?!! So, Little Miss was NOT falling asleep, and Baby Girl was crawling all over the house, getting into who knows what. It was not what I wanted to have happen. I tried to get Baby Girl to go back down to sleep, but she would have nothing of it! Little Miss also never went to sleep, which meant the loss of her movies that she got at the library yesterday. It's been a long day, and I'm ready for bedtime to come!
Listening to Dave
So, it's late, and I should be going to bed. However, I just finished watching The Dave Ramsey Show on hulu.com, and it got me thinking about being debt free. I read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover in March, and we started our total money makeover in April. Thank God for our tax refund and budgeting, because at the end of next month, we'll have paid off around $8000 in debt. We're close to halfway on our road to debt-freedom (with the exception of our mortgage). It's thrilling to think of how we can use our money when we don't have to worry about debt. We're hoping to be debt-free by May or June of next year. I'm hoping we can kick it a little more into high gear to get it done faster, but we'll see. How great would it be to pay off everything by the beginning of next year, and then be able to use our tax refund to pay ourselves (into our emergency fund) rather than pay a debt?! Watching or listening to Dave gets me pumped about it; I really should start listening to him more often!
So, if you wonder why I've become a coupon nerd, this is why. If I can cut down the money we spend on food, that's more money we can throw at our debt, which means that's less time we'll owe on our debt. Not to mention, we really want to be saving for cars (so we can pay cash for a nice car), get a bigger house (and only be paying for it for 15 years or less) and get our kids' college funds totally funded so that they can choose whatever college they want to go to when the time comes. I have huge dreams! My hubby, who says he's a realist, hasn't dared to dream those big dreams yet. He's just now realizing that it truly is possible for us to be without my school loan. That's been a monkey on his back since we've gotten married. But, we're getting there!!!
So, if you wonder why I've become a coupon nerd, this is why. If I can cut down the money we spend on food, that's more money we can throw at our debt, which means that's less time we'll owe on our debt. Not to mention, we really want to be saving for cars (so we can pay cash for a nice car), get a bigger house (and only be paying for it for 15 years or less) and get our kids' college funds totally funded so that they can choose whatever college they want to go to when the time comes. I have huge dreams! My hubby, who says he's a realist, hasn't dared to dream those big dreams yet. He's just now realizing that it truly is possible for us to be without my school loan. That's been a monkey on his back since we've gotten married. But, we're getting there!!!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Recycled Meals
I was making supper this evening and thinking of how proud I am of myself for this week. With the exception of Monday, this has been a Mexican themed food week. It wasn't that because I necessarily love Mexican that much. It just happened to work that way with leftovers and such. After our visitors left, we had tons of leftovers--or so I thought. My plan for Tuesday was just to eat up the leftovers. So, imagine my surprise when I opened the fridge and found no leftovers. Fortunately, I checked on this long before dinner time. I ended up finding a recipe for Simple Beans and Rice; I had everything I needed to make it, so that's what we had. It was more like Spanish rice than anything. So, that was Tuesday. Wednesday, I made a massive amount of real beans and rice (pinto beans and brown rice, with a little chili seasoning, garlic, onion, salt and pepper). We had that along with a nice salad for supper. Last night was tacos, which I used the beans and rice as refried beans, then cut up some tomato and onion for. Tonight, then, we're having kind of enchiladas. I used the leftover taco meat, the leftovers from Tuesday's meal and Wednesday's meal as toppers, along with the extra tomatoes and onions that I had chopped for the tacos. I'm quite excited about the fact that I've put my leftovers to use. We still have an immense amount of beans and rice left (from Wednesday's meal), but maybe I'll have some bean burritos for lunch over the next few days!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tricycles and Care Bears
I wish I had had my camera today when I went on a walk with the girls. Little Miss wanted to ride her tricycle, so I pulled it out. She also insisted on bringing along her Care Bear that Grandpa L had gotten for her. Oh, and she had a box of raisins in one hand. So, there we were, going along. Little Miss had the Care Bear sitting in front of her on the tricycle and could barely steer because of the raisins. But, she was happy, as only a child can be as they head to the park with their closest stuffed animal friend. It just made me smile.
When we got to the park (which we decided to go to as we walked), she decided that Care Bear wanted to swing. She tried so hard to get the Care Bear to swing on the big swing; it just didn't work. Poor bear fell in the wood chips and got dirty. Finally, Little Miss gave up and set Care Bear on the bench to watch. It was just too cute!
When we got to the park (which we decided to go to as we walked), she decided that Care Bear wanted to swing. She tried so hard to get the Care Bear to swing on the big swing; it just didn't work. Poor bear fell in the wood chips and got dirty. Finally, Little Miss gave up and set Care Bear on the bench to watch. It was just too cute!
Coupon-Obsessed Nerd
Lately, I've been trying to really cut our grocery budget down. We're working on getting debt-free, and that's one area that I can really control. So, to aid me in that plan, I've been learning all of these coupon secrets. I follow blogs, check out all the ads, get multiple papers a week, print coupons from the computer, and sign up for all sorts of things just to get the coupons! This week, it really payed off. I went to Kroger this morning; the picture above is everything I got. And the amount I spent on all that? Well, I spent a total of $46.87.
Here's the run-down:
Kleenex (6 x 1.49 - 6 x .50 (mega sale) - 2 x .50 (mf coupons) - 2 x .50 (doubled coupons)) 3.94
Colgate Max Fresh (2x2.50 - 2 x .50(mega sale) - 2 x .75(mf coupons) - .75(cellfire coupon)) 1.75
Colgate Total (2.50 - .50 (mega sale) - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.00
Huggies (8.99 - 1.50 (mf coupon) - 1.50 (shortcuts coupon)) 5.99
Brawny Paper Towels 8 ct (5.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mf coupon) - .50 (double coupon)) 4.49
Quaker Chewy Bars (2 x 1.99 - 2 x .50 (mega sale) - .75 (mf coupon)) 2.23
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (2 x .44) .88
Real Lemon Juice (.99)
Kraft dressing (1.72 - .50 (mega sale) - 1.00 (mf coupon)) .22
Jiff PB (1.99 - .50 (mega sale)) 1.49
Sargento Salad Finishers (2.49 - .50 (mega sale) - .75 (mf coupon)) 1.24
SoBe Lifewater (4 x .99 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - 2 x 1.49 (BOGO coupon)) -1.02
Vitamin Water (4 x 1.00 - 4 x .50 (mega sale)) 2.00
Quaker Quakes (2 x .99 - 2 x .50 (mega sale)) .98
Tyson chicken breasts (2.62 - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.62/1.4 lbs.
Tyson chicken breasts (2.51 - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.51/1.34 lbs.
Daisy Sour Cream (1.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mf coupon) - .50 (double coupon)) .49
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (3 x 1.29 - 3 x .50 (mega sale)) 2.37
Smart Balance Margarine (1.99 - .50 (mega sale)) 1.49
Organic Carrots (2.08)
Dole Salad (2.50)
Bananas (.44)
Frozen Spinach (.89)
Stoplight Peppers (3 x 1.00) 3.00
1/2 Gal Skim Milk (.99)
Really, I didn't need all that this week. But, I figured with such good deals, I know what meals I can make in the next couple of weeks with some of what I got, so it was worth picking it up now.
I went to Cub earlier in the week, and I got some good deals there, too.
Poptarts (2 x 1.56) 3.12
Hunts Spaghetti Sauce (.67)
Peter Pan PB (1.48)
Dozen eggs (.88)
Prairie Farms OJ (1.09)
Electrasol Finish (2.97 -2.50 (mf coupon)) .47
So, with tax, that was $8.01!
Okay, so I know I'm a nerd. It's just that only 2 or 3 months ago, I was spending $125 on groceries a week. This week, I've spent $54.88; I'm planning on spending about $10 more at Cub and Target. Half of what I used to spend. I've got meals planned through next Wednesday, but based on what I got today, I actually can tell you what we'll be having probably through next Saturday. My goal is to get stocked enough that I can seriously only spend $25 or $30 a week and be completely stocked up!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Splash Park and Naked Baby
I was running errands this morning with the girls. Unfortunately, it had completely slipped my mind that I was supposed to meet up with a friend and her boys at a local splash park. So, when I got the phone call, we were nearby; so, I went through the drive-through for lunch, then headed to the park. Little Miss was so excited to get out and play in the water, so it was like torture when I insisted that she eat her lunch before she played. After much whining and complaining, though, she finished her burger, and I excused her from the table. My friend and I were talking as I was cleaning up, when all of a sudden, my friend informed me that Little Miss was naked. I pushed Baby Girl to a spot where I could still see her, then ran around the bushes to see Little Miss standing amongst the sprinklers, completely buck naked. Laughing and whispering could be heard from many of the kids and adults around the park. I was mortified! I was calling Little Miss, and met her halfway.
"Where are your clothes?" I asked.
Pointing to the sidewalk, she said, "Over there!" Poor thing had no idea what the big deal was.
I carried her over to her clothes, and insisted that she at least wear her underwear. All the while, I hear these kids saying, "There's a naked baby in the water!" Did I mention that I was completely embarrassed? Oh, well! We survived; no harm done. Maybe I should just start keeping an extra suit in the car at all times!!!
"Where are your clothes?" I asked.
Pointing to the sidewalk, she said, "Over there!" Poor thing had no idea what the big deal was.
I carried her over to her clothes, and insisted that she at least wear her underwear. All the while, I hear these kids saying, "There's a naked baby in the water!" Did I mention that I was completely embarrassed? Oh, well! We survived; no harm done. Maybe I should just start keeping an extra suit in the car at all times!!!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Inspiration
My husband is such an inspiration to me. I don't tell him that often enough, but I'm so proud of him. Today, he ran in the Park to Park 5 mile run. His goal was to run it in under 45 minutes; he ran it in just over 42 minutes. The girls and I picked him up at the second park, and we passed him along the way; he was running so well, and we got to cheer out the window at him. It took a lot of looking to pick him out of the crowd, and I tried to enlist Little Miss' help. However, she proved to be unreliable, since she was pointing out women as daddy. But, as I said, we found him and cheered for him. He beat us to the park, so we didn't get to see him cross the finish line. I was somewhat disappointed in that, but he just appreciated the fact that we came to get him.
After watching him run, I started thinking about running. Early this afternoon, he got online to check out his time, and while online, he checked out other races to run in. He mentioned the Jingle Bell Run, which is a 5K, and, after a little talk, I've committed to running in that. He just inspired me so much. So, I found a plan online that will get me running a 5K by the beginning of September. I figure that if I get up to running that distance by September, that will give me the rest of September and all of October to increase my speed. Hubby averaged close to an 8 1/2 minute mile on the 5 miler, so I know that he could go faster for the 5K. I also know that he would stay with me, so I don't want to slow him down too much. That means that I have to get to a decent time, maybe even a 9 minute mile (might be setting my sights a little high, but we'll see).
So, after we picked him up, we decided to go to the gym to go swimming. We had so much fun with the girls. Baby Girl started swim lessons last week, and she's learned to love floating (while being held) and kicking her feet. I've been trying to get her to blow bubbles, and, even though she doesn't actually blow bubbles, she thinks it's fun to put her face in the water. Today, she got a mouth full of water when she dipped her head and spit it out, just like a big girl (rather than aspirating on it). Little Miss has been our little water girl since 6 mos., when she first went swimming in a hotel pool. With her floaties, she is very good at getting around the pool. She is also in swim lessons, and she's learning to kick and blow bubble under water, too. She keeps talking about kicking like a mermaid (or was it moving her arms like a mermaid...I can't remember). She also loves to jump in to the pool. Today, she thought about going off the diving board, but changed her mind when she got right up next to it. Instead, she jumped off the side of the pool. The first time she jumped in to me, she pushed me underwater. She had her floaties, so she just bobbed right back up; I, on the other hand, came up spluttering. She just laughed at mama. Hubby and I both took our turns in the hot tub, which was fabulous. We ended with some play time in the "tiny pool", as Little Miss calls it. Both girls went to sleep easily, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in weeks. In fact, as I write this, Little Miss is still sleeping (almost 3 hours after going down). Baby Girl has been up for awhile, but she is happily playing with an empty box. Life is great! I love holidays!!
After watching him run, I started thinking about running. Early this afternoon, he got online to check out his time, and while online, he checked out other races to run in. He mentioned the Jingle Bell Run, which is a 5K, and, after a little talk, I've committed to running in that. He just inspired me so much. So, I found a plan online that will get me running a 5K by the beginning of September. I figure that if I get up to running that distance by September, that will give me the rest of September and all of October to increase my speed. Hubby averaged close to an 8 1/2 minute mile on the 5 miler, so I know that he could go faster for the 5K. I also know that he would stay with me, so I don't want to slow him down too much. That means that I have to get to a decent time, maybe even a 9 minute mile (might be setting my sights a little high, but we'll see).
So, after we picked him up, we decided to go to the gym to go swimming. We had so much fun with the girls. Baby Girl started swim lessons last week, and she's learned to love floating (while being held) and kicking her feet. I've been trying to get her to blow bubbles, and, even though she doesn't actually blow bubbles, she thinks it's fun to put her face in the water. Today, she got a mouth full of water when she dipped her head and spit it out, just like a big girl (rather than aspirating on it). Little Miss has been our little water girl since 6 mos., when she first went swimming in a hotel pool. With her floaties, she is very good at getting around the pool. She is also in swim lessons, and she's learning to kick and blow bubble under water, too. She keeps talking about kicking like a mermaid (or was it moving her arms like a mermaid...I can't remember). She also loves to jump in to the pool. Today, she thought about going off the diving board, but changed her mind when she got right up next to it. Instead, she jumped off the side of the pool. The first time she jumped in to me, she pushed me underwater. She had her floaties, so she just bobbed right back up; I, on the other hand, came up spluttering. She just laughed at mama. Hubby and I both took our turns in the hot tub, which was fabulous. We ended with some play time in the "tiny pool", as Little Miss calls it. Both girls went to sleep easily, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in weeks. In fact, as I write this, Little Miss is still sleeping (almost 3 hours after going down). Baby Girl has been up for awhile, but she is happily playing with an empty box. Life is great! I love holidays!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
First Fireworks Experience
Tonight, we attempted our first 4th of July celebration that included fireworks. It was a bit of a last minute arrangement. My husband learned about the fireworks at a local country club while he was at work today. So, when he came home, he informed me of his plans. Since it was a bit last minute, I didn't think through what we would need for the excursion.
We started out with a trip to Walmart for fireworks, then stopped by Culver's for ice cream. Next stop--the park across the street from the country club. We decided to play at the park for a bit, which was tons of fun. Both of my girls LOVE to swing. But I tire quickly of the monotony of pushing swings, so I suggested that we cross over to find a seat as soon as it appeared to be getting the least bit dusky. Even the walk across the way was enjoyable, watching Little Miss try to catch lightning bugs and laughing at hubby as he tried to keep up with Baby Girl, who was attempting to take off her diaper. As we got closer to the crowd, I became painfully aware that we were under-dressed. Then, Little Miss decided to take a walk by the lake (which was littered with duck poo). Unfortunately, with this birthday, she also seemed to forget how to obey. So, when she ran away from me, I had to pick up my screaming, kicking child to take her back to her daddy. My hubby took over watch of Little Miss, as we walked around. As we're walking, I mentioned to hubby that we didn't have any chairs, a blanket, or bug spray. We were totally unprepared!
Fortunately, we were on a golf course; on golf courses, there are sand traps. Sand traps have sand, which 3 year olds love! Little Miss and hubby played around a sand trap and caught lightning bugs, while Baby Girl and I listened to the music and danced. But, it was getting past Baby Girl's bedtime, and she was indicating her need to eat. My feet were starting to hurt, and my imagination was going wild with thoughts of contracting the West Nile Virus from all the mosquitos that seemed to be out to get me. It was pretty dark when I suggested we leave. My hubby was all for leaving, since he is running a 5 mile race in the morning. He wanted to go to bed so that he was rested for the race. By the time we were almost back to the street that we needed to cross to return to the park, the first warning fireworks were sent off. So, we quickly found a spot and sat down on the grass, anticipating a great show. Now, I love fireworks, so I couldn't wait for the show to start. However, when the first real set went off, the boom scared Little Miss. It was actually a little funny; as long as Baby Girl felt my hand on her, she was fine. She was mesmerized by the lights. Little Miss, on the other hand, kept hiding her face in her daddy's shoulder, announcing that she scared and wanted to go home. We quickly picked everything up again and walked to the car. I was sorely disappointed to miss the really good portion of the fireworks. Once we got safely into the car, Little Miss commented on how pretty they were. "They won't hurt me; they're just loud," she said. I'm sure my sadness was easily seen when I heard the finale from inside my house.
Maybe next year we can enjoy the fireworks. I certainly hope so!
We started out with a trip to Walmart for fireworks, then stopped by Culver's for ice cream. Next stop--the park across the street from the country club. We decided to play at the park for a bit, which was tons of fun. Both of my girls LOVE to swing. But I tire quickly of the monotony of pushing swings, so I suggested that we cross over to find a seat as soon as it appeared to be getting the least bit dusky. Even the walk across the way was enjoyable, watching Little Miss try to catch lightning bugs and laughing at hubby as he tried to keep up with Baby Girl, who was attempting to take off her diaper. As we got closer to the crowd, I became painfully aware that we were under-dressed. Then, Little Miss decided to take a walk by the lake (which was littered with duck poo). Unfortunately, with this birthday, she also seemed to forget how to obey. So, when she ran away from me, I had to pick up my screaming, kicking child to take her back to her daddy. My hubby took over watch of Little Miss, as we walked around. As we're walking, I mentioned to hubby that we didn't have any chairs, a blanket, or bug spray. We were totally unprepared!
Fortunately, we were on a golf course; on golf courses, there are sand traps. Sand traps have sand, which 3 year olds love! Little Miss and hubby played around a sand trap and caught lightning bugs, while Baby Girl and I listened to the music and danced. But, it was getting past Baby Girl's bedtime, and she was indicating her need to eat. My feet were starting to hurt, and my imagination was going wild with thoughts of contracting the West Nile Virus from all the mosquitos that seemed to be out to get me. It was pretty dark when I suggested we leave. My hubby was all for leaving, since he is running a 5 mile race in the morning. He wanted to go to bed so that he was rested for the race. By the time we were almost back to the street that we needed to cross to return to the park, the first warning fireworks were sent off. So, we quickly found a spot and sat down on the grass, anticipating a great show. Now, I love fireworks, so I couldn't wait for the show to start. However, when the first real set went off, the boom scared Little Miss. It was actually a little funny; as long as Baby Girl felt my hand on her, she was fine. She was mesmerized by the lights. Little Miss, on the other hand, kept hiding her face in her daddy's shoulder, announcing that she scared and wanted to go home. We quickly picked everything up again and walked to the car. I was sorely disappointed to miss the really good portion of the fireworks. Once we got safely into the car, Little Miss commented on how pretty they were. "They won't hurt me; they're just loud," she said. I'm sure my sadness was easily seen when I heard the finale from inside my house.
Maybe next year we can enjoy the fireworks. I certainly hope so!
Kids' Music
I've never been a huge fan of kid's music; those songs drive me insane. In the car, we always listen to the radio (which happens to be tuned to a local christian radio station), and I've always thought it was sweet when Little Miss started singing along to the radio. Listening to her sweet little voice lilt out "How Great is Our God" just melted my heart.
This year, though, we got introduced to SteveSongs. I had seen him on PBS, but just thought he was some random character on there. I had no idea that he actually had cd's. That is, until I went to pick the girls up from the sitter one day. They were listening to a cd, and my sitter and his wife were telling me how much Little Miss loved the song "Fast Monkey". When they played it for me, I was hooked! Who knew that I would actually like kid songs. They don't grate on my last nerve like most kid songs do. For Little Miss' third birthday, her grandma and grandpa sent some money specifically for a SteveSongs cd; the cd came in the mail yesterday. I ordered Marvelous Day, and I like every song that I've heard so far! If we weren't on a fairly strict budget, I'd order more. He's got a knack for writing songs that are fun but also have little lessons.
So, need a change from the ordinary kids cd? Look into SteveSongs!
This year, though, we got introduced to SteveSongs. I had seen him on PBS, but just thought he was some random character on there. I had no idea that he actually had cd's. That is, until I went to pick the girls up from the sitter one day. They were listening to a cd, and my sitter and his wife were telling me how much Little Miss loved the song "Fast Monkey". When they played it for me, I was hooked! Who knew that I would actually like kid songs. They don't grate on my last nerve like most kid songs do. For Little Miss' third birthday, her grandma and grandpa sent some money specifically for a SteveSongs cd; the cd came in the mail yesterday. I ordered Marvelous Day, and I like every song that I've heard so far! If we weren't on a fairly strict budget, I'd order more. He's got a knack for writing songs that are fun but also have little lessons.
So, need a change from the ordinary kids cd? Look into SteveSongs!
Snapshots of Life
Last night was a long night. I stayed up later than normal, checking out blogs and looking for coupon deals. Just when I was planning to head to bed, Little Miss came out of her room, crying that her leg hurt. After determining that it was either a charlie horse or growing pains, my husband came out and laid down with her until she fell back to sleep. Shortly after we were both in bed, while I was feeding Baby Girl, we heard the cry again. My hubby looked at me (fortunately, Baby Girl had just decided that she was finished), and I joined Little Miss in her room. Sitting propped against the wall, massaging her leg to make it feel better, I started thinking about how much I want to remember about these days. I never take the time to journal the things that I want to remember, and I'm so afraid to forget. The days are passing too quickly.
There are some snapshots that I just want to keep in my mind forever, some feelings that I want to remember when I'm old. Like yesterday, when I woke Little Miss up from her nap. Sometime during that period of time when she was supposed to be sleeping, she changed into a dress, put on her snowboots, sprayed detangling spray into her hair, and put on her Snow White dress to top it all off. When I went in to wake her up, she was lying horizontally across her bed in this outfit, sleeping peacefully. It was one of those pictures I want to always remember.
So, thinking about this last night, I decided that blogging was the answer. Which leads me to right here, right now. My oldest, Little Miss, is completely and utterly enthralled with princesses. When she pretends princesses, I become "Princess Mommy". I love that title; it comes directly from my Little Miss. When I speak of my girls, I'll be referring to them as Little Miss and Baby (or Baby Girl). That's what I lovingly call them in real life. And that's what I plan to talk about--real life. So, welcome to my blog; I hope you enjoy.
There are some snapshots that I just want to keep in my mind forever, some feelings that I want to remember when I'm old. Like yesterday, when I woke Little Miss up from her nap. Sometime during that period of time when she was supposed to be sleeping, she changed into a dress, put on her snowboots, sprayed detangling spray into her hair, and put on her Snow White dress to top it all off. When I went in to wake her up, she was lying horizontally across her bed in this outfit, sleeping peacefully. It was one of those pictures I want to always remember.
So, thinking about this last night, I decided that blogging was the answer. Which leads me to right here, right now. My oldest, Little Miss, is completely and utterly enthralled with princesses. When she pretends princesses, I become "Princess Mommy". I love that title; it comes directly from my Little Miss. When I speak of my girls, I'll be referring to them as Little Miss and Baby (or Baby Girl). That's what I lovingly call them in real life. And that's what I plan to talk about--real life. So, welcome to my blog; I hope you enjoy.
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