February 22, 2012
February 21, 2012
Truthful Tuesday
Today’s question comes from Heather (are we sensing a trend yet?)
Heather writes:
This one may be tougher since you have four kids at multiple stages but is there a stage that you’ve passed through that was really a good thing, but you secretly miss it. Ex: I SO miss the damn pacifier some days. It’s not that I’m a fan ( or ever was) of toting those silly things around and losing them Etc but sometimes, some days, at some moments, I miss the ease of providing instant comfort to a screaming, fussing child. You know, those moments when even the hugs and snuggles don’t seem to even take the edge off of whatever is causing the wails. So, there…I said it….I miss the darn “Pa Pa” somedays. Any secret reveals Amy?
There are definitely stages that I miss.
For example, right now, I’m at the end of a stage that I know I’m going to miss as soon as it’s over.
I’ve been weaning Tiny off of nursing for a few months.
In September, he stopped nursing during the day, and was only nursing first thing in the morning, when I got home from school, and then at bedtime.
Then, a few months ago, we cut out the afternoon feeding, then a few weeks ago, we cut out the morning feeding.
And soon, in a few weeks, we’ll cut out the bedtime feeding.
And that will be hard for a variety of reasons.
1. I am a Mom who did not have difficulty with breastfeeding and have enjoyed it very much.
Tiny is my last baby, and so the last time will be the absolute last time.
I love our snuggle time at night, and while we can still snuggle without it, let’s face it, the kid is mobile…snuggling isn’t something he does much of these days.
2. He falls asleep while he’s nursing at night, and if he’s not nursing, we are going to have to switch up his bedtime routine.
We’ve always been lucky that our kids go to bed without any issues.
However, it’s going to be a change, and for awhile, he’s going to cry and be furious with us that it’s time for bed, despite the routine of books, songs, bed, and it’s going to be SO tempting to just scoop him up and feed him to sleep.
I’m not going to cave, and I know he will learn to fall asleep quickly, but it’s going to be tough. (for me)
3. It somehow signifies the end of “babyhood” to me.
And that makes me sad.
On another note, while I am thrilled for him that he is now so mobile and that his world has opened up and that he is learning independence, it would be nice if I could still put him down in the middle of the kitchen floor with some Tupperware and a spoon and know he isn’t going anywhere while I cook dinner.
Now, I put him down, fill a pot with water, run to catch him at the bottom of the stairs.
I bring him back to the kitchen, put the pot on the stove, run to catch him before he eats a stray small toy.
I bring him back to the kitchen, turn the stove on, run to catch him before he pulls the blinds off the wall from the sliding glass door.
You can imagine the rest of the story.
So, I’m missing the stage where he could sit up, but couldn’t crawl.
Because, let’s be honest, that is the easiest stage of babyhood.
With the bigger kids, I miss when Monkey Girl was little and I could dress her in little girl clothes.
I got to pick them out and dress her however I wanted.
Cute little stockings, pink jumpers, adorable MaryJanes.
This is NOT the case anymore.
A – My choices are generally met with a roll of the eyes and a “I really don’t like that,” and
B – No one looks at tween clothes and says “Aw! How cute!”
With the boys, I don’t think there is anything that I really miss that they’ve outgrown, but I know that soon, there will be.
Like, when they are teenagers and I’m missing the days when my grocery bill didn’t require me to take out a third job.
But, then there will be things I can look forward to, also.
Like, being able to say, “Do your OWN laundry!”
So, I guess it will all balance out. 🙂
February 20, 2012
One Year Old
I find it impossible to believe, but today, my baby is 1.
The baby that entered our lives unexpectedly and changed our world in ways we could have never imagined.
The child that consistently brings out the best in his siblings.
The baby that keeps us young.
The ham that gives a big cheesy smile whenever a camera is pulled out.
The kid that moves and crawls and pulls himself up and leaves me shaking my head saying, “But he was just born yesterday!”
Today my baby is one, and I am so very, very grateful to have this smush of a lovebug in my life.
(You can check out my first posts about this boy here and here.)
February 19, 2012
One Good Deed
Once again, Monkey Girl asked her friends to bring donations to the local Food Pantry, in lieu of gifts.
And, once again, her generous friends brought both.
The picture above shows the donations to the Food Pantry, which she is thrilled about.
This year, in particular, she is so excited because our school district runs a fundraiser called Coins for a Cause, where students collect their loose change, and then, in April, vote for one out of three charities that will receive all of the proceeds.
This year, the Food Pantry is one of those organizations, and she is hoping beyond hope that it wins.
I think she’s given them a nice start already!
Proud of my girl.
February 18, 2012
Slumber Party
It’s good to know that no matter how times change, some things never will.
Like slumber parties.
Don’t get me wrong…
There were some differences.
Like the texting and the cell phones.
But other than that, it could have been a slumber party from my youth.
Monkey Girl has really, really nice friends and they got along beautifully.
We kept it small, and I believe that helped keep everyone happy.
There were teeny-bopper magazines, some dancing, some singing, and just general girl talk.
Monkey in the Middle was policing the event, for awhile, and at one point, came upstairs, shaking his head and mumbling “Inappropriate language.”
We asked what he was talking about and he put his hands over his ears and said, “The girls are using inappropriate language.”
I was a little a surprised, because that’s really not the M.O. of these girls, so I asked “What are they saying?”
He leaned in close and whispered, “They said ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot.'”
I breathed a sigh of relief and then said, “You are right…that is definitely inappropriate language. Thanks for letting us know.”
There were Mad Libs, and snacks, pizza, sundaes, and four clogged toilets.
As the hours passed, we kept waiting for the volume to lessen, but it didn’t.
So, I began the first of a few treks to the top of the basement stairs to let them know that, perhaps, it was time to wind down.
Real Man and I stayed in the living room, alternately watching television and muting it to listen in on their conversations.
I held my breath when I heard someone say, “Let’s Play ‘Never Have I Ever!'”
I breathed again when I heard them saying things like, “Never Have I Ever eaten five pieces of pizza!”
And then we laughed out loud when we heard Monkey Girl, who does not have a cell phone or iTouch and has been making the hard case for one since the summer, say “Never Have I Ever owned an Apple product.”
By 1:30, there were just a few whispers left, and the sounds of sleeping girls took over the rest of the basement, so we headed up to bed.
And at 6:30, the peals of 10/11 year old girl laughter began to ring out throughout the house, once again.
They got some doughnuts in their system and were ready for an hour long game of Sardines, which, (for the uninitiated), is Hide-and-Seek, but only one person hides. If you find them, you hide with them. When the next person finds the two of you, they hide with you, etc., until there is only one seeker left.
Then, there was about an hour of regular Hide-and-Seek.
The boys played with them, and the girls were sweet to pretend not to see Baby Monkey as he hid in super secret hiding spots, like under the coffee table, or just stood really still, apparently thinking he was being stalked by a group of T-Rexes (who, as ANYONE who has seen Jurassic Park knows, can’t see you if you don’t move).
And then there was Tiny Time.
They all sat in a circle in our empty dining room and just kind of passed Tiny around.
He loved it and did some of his best flirting.
Then, the girls got distracted with one of his toys and decided to play hot potato. That lasted for about 45 minutes.
And then, they rolled up their sleeping bags, got dressed and said their goodbyes.
The house will is quieter without them, but I’ll miss those girls.
Maybe it’s the teacher in me who is used to never having less than 25 kids around me at all times, or maybe it’s the Mama in me who loves a house full of happy, laughing children.
But I enjoyed that slumber party just as much as Monkey Girl did.
I’d go down to check on them and come up with a big, stupid (forgive my language, Monkey in the Middle) grin on my face. Real Man would ask what I was grinning about and I’d say “Just the slumber party. They seem to be having a really good time.”
No one cried, had hurt feelings, got sick, had their underwear frozen or their hand dipped in warm water.
And really..what more can you ask for?
February 17, 2012
Review: Hip Mountain Mama Sweet Stripes Skirt
Recently, I was very excited to be chosen to be a reviewer for the Hip Mountain Mama website.
They have amazing products that are: “Beautiful Handmade, Fair trade, reusable and Eco-friendly Products for Your Natural Lifestyle.”
For my first review, I chose the Sweet Stripes Skirt.
I loved it, loved it, loved it!
Check out my review here and peruse the site yourself. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like!
Frugal Friday – Couponing
Today’s installment of Frugal Friday is all about couponing!
I used to be a coupon phenom.
I had a binder and a system and had articles about couponing published and did really, really well when I shopped.
I still coupon, (yes, it’s a verb), but I don’t do as well as I used to, and it’s because I’ve stopped putting in the effort.
However, after today’s post, I am re-inspired and am going to put my coupon nose back to the grindstone.
For today’s post, I interviewed my friend, Lisa, about her couponing skills.
Lisa always posts on Facebook about how well she does at the store, and it’s impressive, so I figured she’d be an excellent choice to share her tips with us!
Read on and enjoy!
1. Approximately how much money do you save using coupons on your grocery bill each week?
It really just depends, but I save anywhere from 40% to 70% on my bill each week. I have had many good trips to the grocery store. Last night for example, my bill was $165.26 before coupons and $57.72 after coupons; that is a 65% savings.
2. Where do you get your coupons? Do you use multiple coupons? Where do you shop? How much time does couponing take you?
I get my coupons from the following sources:
• Sunday Paper
• Coupons.com
• Smart Source
• Coupon Network – lots for baby coupons
• RedPlum
• Money Saving Mom
• Living Rich With Coupons
My mom also gives me her coupons that she does not want – I also share my coupons with her too.
I usually shop at ShopRite, CVS and sometimes Walmart. I do not go to multiple stores, unless it is something I use on a daily basis. For example, I went to Acme the morning because the Chobani Greek Yogurt was on sale for $1.00 each, but with my coupons I got 6 of them for $1.80.
I spend about 2 to 3 hours a week couponing and organizing myself for my grocery shopping. I do it mostly while I am watching television or in the car (while in the passenger seat, not driving – LOL!)
I sometimes us multiple coupons, but I don’t buy 125 bottles for mustard like on Extreme Couponing.
3. What is your method of shopping? (ie: making the list, coupon storage (do you clip all of them, or just the ones you use), matching coupons and sales, etc.
I have all my coupons in envelopes by the following categories:
Milk, Frozen, Cleaning, Healthcare, Snacks, Can/Sauces, Paper, Breakfast, Drinks and Baby
I also have an envelope labeled “Shop-Rite” – I put all the coupons in the envelope that I plan on using that week. I only use that envelope when I go shopping so I am not searching in every envelope.
I tried organizing the binder with the plastic sleeves, but that just did not work for me.
I cut mostly all the coupons but, something that I really won’t use like dog or cat food I will not cut. Sometimes if there are coupons I won’t use and I know someone that uses the product, I will give it to them.
I do match up the sales with the coupons, but for not all stores. I always match-up for ShopRite and CVS. I will not go to multiple stores for the weekly stores, unless it is something I use on a daily basis. For example, I went to Acme this morning specifically for the Chobani deal I mentioned earlier. One time, at Stop and Shop, I got 10 Healthy Choice Meals for free!
The site Living Rich With Coupons matches up all the sales items for almost every store you can think of- Shop Rite, Acme, Stop and Shop, Wal-Mart, etc… IT DOES ALL THE WORK FOR YOU! It also tells you where to find the coupon- whether it’s the internet or the newspaper. It is a GREAT website. I use it every week to help me shop.
Sometimes if there is a product that I don’t use and I get it for free, I will give it to a friend or donate it to a church. Recently, I got about 100 jars of baby food for free. I gave some of them to a friend and my sister who is expecting a baby in April. I recently put together 7 baskets together that consisted of health, cleaning and food products for a tricky tray that is raising money for a cancer fund. The baskets only cost me a few dollars each to make, but worth about $35.00(each).
Also, this past Christmas I put basket together for my 98 year grandmother of all non-perishable, cleaning supplies and paper products for about $30.00 which was worth over a $100. She loved her gift, because really, what else does someone who is 98 need!!! LOL! I plan on doing the same things next year.
4. Have you ever had cashiers give you a hard time about your coupon usage?
Yes, I went to Foodtown with a bunch of internet coupons to buy items that were on sale. When I got to the cashier, she told me they didn’t take internet coupons, which was not the case. I asked to speak with a manager and she let me use the coupons. I was not happy, because I HATE wasting my time.
Some of the cashiers at Shop Rite sometimes say “You always do so well with saving money! I need to do this, when I shop!”
5. What is your best tip for people looking to save big with coupons?
• TIP 1# Use the site livingrichwithcoupons.com
• TIP 2# – Get organized! Separate your coupons in categories whether it is with envelopes or a binder.
• TIP #3- Try not to get overwhelmed- You can get that way at first! Take deep breaths!
• Tip #4 – Make a list of what you are buying and put a C next to it if you plan on using a coupon.
• Tip#5 – Reuse your plastic bags- you are being GREEN and saving money at the same time. I have to be a little better about reusing my bags.
• Tip#6 – Sometimes you can save a ton of money on meat if you can hit a time when they mark the meat down when it’s one or two days before it is still good; after you buy it, either cook it or freeze it.
It’s fun and you can save a ton of money!
February 16, 2012
10 Things I Love Thursday
I’m feeling tired and worn out and was toying with the idea of a post, today, that involved a pity party for myself.
A girl can indulge in a little self-pity every once in awhile, right?
However, I didn’t think it would be in my best mental health interests to let myself wallow, so I decided to channel my energies into finding ten things that I am just loving the heck out of today.
So, here we go…
1. These staircases.
They are redonkulously awesome and if we ever win the lottery, they are the very first things I am installing in this house.
2. The unabashed way that babies poop.
First, there is the poop face.
Then, the grunts and groans.
Then, the big, huge smile.
I love it.
3. My iPad.
I love my apps, I love my games, I love my books, and I love that they are all in one place.
It rests so nicely on the treadmill so I can read or play Words With Friends or watch the Gossip Girl episode that I couldn’t record because my DVR is too busy on a Monday night and distract myself from watching the time.
It gives me nice surprises when I turn it on and see that there are 267 new pictures that have been taken and they are all Baby Monkey using the distortion function in iPhoto and the pictures range from creepy to adorable.
It’s just a fun toy to have.
4. The movie The Vow.
Mind you, I haven’t actually seen it, but I’m dying to.
I love Rachel McAdam.
And Channing Tatum?
Well, come on. Seriously.
My friend, Shane, wrote a blog post about it on his blog and gave it his own brand of a thumbs up.
So, the commercials snagged me, the review snagged me, the stars snagged me.
I think I love this movie.
5. The idea of myself as a serious dancer.
Don’t worry.
I have no illusions that I am any sort of dancer, whatsoever.
However, we’re in the midst of the spring musical, and I’m spending a lot of time choreographing dances with my fellow director.
I’m choreographing in the shower, while I cook, in my sleep.
And, while I choreograph in my head, I look a lot like this:
Don’t burst my bubble.
6. The fact that my kids get whatever they want for their birthday dinner and Monkey in the Middle chose meatloaf.
Meatloaf.
7. My friend, Tara.
Yeah, I’m callin’ you out, Tara.
Tara teaches in the room next to me and is the director of the spring musical.
My co-choreographer, if you will.
Like I said, I’m tired and worn out right now.
February is a marathon.
Yet, I can guarantee that I will laugh…really laugh…at least 5 times throughout the course of the day with Tara.
She’s good people.
8. Following George Takei on Facebook.
‘Cuz he’s funny.
Or, maybe he’s not funny, but he finds funny stuff and posts it on Facebook.
And that makes me happy.
9. Real Man.
I just do.
10. All of you.
I can’t tell you how much appreciate the fact that so many of you come back here day after day to see what I’ve written.
Thank you.
A lot.
February 15, 2012
8…So Great!
I have this boy.
You can see some of his remarkable cuteness here and the story of how he joined us here.
He’s 8 today.
He’s pretty spectacular.
He keeps changing on me, and in the past few months, I’m beginning to see glimpses of the man he is going to be.
He’s full of love and emotion.
He cares deeply about others and stands up when someone is wronged.
He loves rules and order and structure, but is just as silly as the rest of the monkeys when the mood strikes him.
He’s a sweetheart and a good boy and he just keeps growing.
I’m so proud of this guy and the person he is becoming.
We’ve had a bit of a rough go of it, he and I, but we’ve always find our way back to each other and now we’re better than ever.
We’re a team, he and I.
I love this kid.
More than he could ever possibly know.
