Sorry to be so post-neglectful.
In the last couple of weeks, among other things, we have:
been through a round of the flu,
attended a minor league baseball game as a family,
celebrated Dave's 33rd birthday at TGIFridays, where we even had them sing to him, and made him open his presents at the restaurant for a full party,
attended a luncheon (well, Dave and I did...thanks SO MUCH to Jessica and Melissa for keeping kids for me) with President Samuelson (President of BYU), Bronco Mendenhall (BYU football coach), and Tom Holmoe (BYU athletic director) which served its purpose of making us want to give back to BYU,
been through Number Two's Pre-K end of the year luncheon and diploma ceremony,
watched Number Four FINALLY take an interest in walking,
been lucky enough to win two raffle items at Number One's school carnival...including Mia, the 2008 American Girl Doll of the year for Number Two, with brunch for four at the store, and admission to a fun local museum-type place with a gift certificate to a breakfast place (too bad we had the flu and had to miss the carnival itself),
and we purchased a 2001 Suburban with 45,000 miles on it that we all LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Hopefully over the next week I will find some time to post some pictures and a few more details about some of our comings and goings. But in the meantime, at least you all know that we are still hanging in there.
I am now 27 weeks pregnant, and my belly gets bigger by the minute. Fortuneately the rest of me seems pretty much intact for the time being as far as size goes, but I will say, the fifth baby is harder to carry than the second...ouch!
Happy Sabbath!
PS I did go back to buy 30 more boxes of cereal for a total of 80 (and not just Lucky Charms, but a whole variety of sugared sweetness :), and another 20 boxes of granola bars too!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A Year's Supply of Lucky Charms
I love a good bargain...really, who doesn't?
Today I did SO well on my savings that I just feel the need to shout it from the rooftops.
First off, I spent $900 at our local Jewel-Osco for stimulus check gift cards. That $900 got me $990 worth of gift cards. Not a lot of investments I know of where people like us can make a 10% return on our money like that. We usually spend $80-$100 a week there on their sales, and the gift cards are good through July 31st, so it was a great deal for us.
And thanks to General Mills, I totally scored! The current promotion is that if you purchase 10 of their certain items, you get them for $1 a piece. Items such as Lucky Charms, Trix, Kix, Cheerios, Golden Grahams, Reese's Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fiber One granola bars, and Nature's Valley (or whatever they are called) granola bars).
I bought 50 boxes of cereal and 30 boxes of granola bars, plus one gallon of milk for $76.95 (I had $7.50 in coupons too). That means I saved $211.95 or 73% off of the retail value of $288.90.
What a deal!
And crazy enough...I may go buy 50 more boxes of cereal. These are the little size boxes, and our family can go through 2-3 per week (we love cereal for snacks too). They are good for about a year, so why not? With the rising cost of EVERYTHING, might as well get ahead while we can.
One of the mom's from Number Two's class was checking out right after us. She was a little awestruck by the cartful, and made a comment about how much we were stocking up. I told her she had no idea the type of bulk our family buys in, and left it at that.
Why? Well, I'm not sure she could have handled the news that we are receiving 2002.5 pounds of food next week, including a mixture of wheat, rice, beans, flour, macaroni, and oats, so I kept that part to myself.
Hmmm....guess I really ought to make clearing out the basement an immediate priority.
And if I get a little hungry while I am down there, I'll have a bowl with the leprecaun...cause you know, they're magically delicious, and a screaming deal too!
Today I did SO well on my savings that I just feel the need to shout it from the rooftops.
First off, I spent $900 at our local Jewel-Osco for stimulus check gift cards. That $900 got me $990 worth of gift cards. Not a lot of investments I know of where people like us can make a 10% return on our money like that. We usually spend $80-$100 a week there on their sales, and the gift cards are good through July 31st, so it was a great deal for us.
And thanks to General Mills, I totally scored! The current promotion is that if you purchase 10 of their certain items, you get them for $1 a piece. Items such as Lucky Charms, Trix, Kix, Cheerios, Golden Grahams, Reese's Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fiber One granola bars, and Nature's Valley (or whatever they are called) granola bars).
I bought 50 boxes of cereal and 30 boxes of granola bars, plus one gallon of milk for $76.95 (I had $7.50 in coupons too). That means I saved $211.95 or 73% off of the retail value of $288.90.
What a deal!
And crazy enough...I may go buy 50 more boxes of cereal. These are the little size boxes, and our family can go through 2-3 per week (we love cereal for snacks too). They are good for about a year, so why not? With the rising cost of EVERYTHING, might as well get ahead while we can.
One of the mom's from Number Two's class was checking out right after us. She was a little awestruck by the cartful, and made a comment about how much we were stocking up. I told her she had no idea the type of bulk our family buys in, and left it at that.
Why? Well, I'm not sure she could have handled the news that we are receiving 2002.5 pounds of food next week, including a mixture of wheat, rice, beans, flour, macaroni, and oats, so I kept that part to myself.
Hmmm....guess I really ought to make clearing out the basement an immediate priority.
And if I get a little hungry while I am down there, I'll have a bowl with the leprecaun...cause you know, they're magically delicious, and a screaming deal too!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
A priceless trip to...
Friday after picking Number One up from school, we went to the library, and then to Trader Joe's to do a little shopping. I do really like Trader Joe's, and find it reasonably priced for what they sell, but we still don't go often. Both because it is kind of far from us, and also because I can really get more for my money by shopping the sales at Jewel-Osco, or at Aldi, or of course, in buying commercial quantities at Sam's Club.
Anyway...they have this AMAZING pear sauce that I just really really wanted. Pregnancy, maybe? And we were out of milk, so I decided to do the brave and insane thing, and haul all four kids to Trader Joe's to do some shopping.
I hoisted Number Four into the Ergo, as he really has no tolerance for sitting in a cart. This product is AMAZING!!! I have the cranberry colored one, and find it so comfortable to wear either Number Three or Number Four on my back for a long time. I look kind of like the model pictured when I wear mine, except my belly is about 22 times larger, and I have to wear the belt underneath my belly.
Lucky me, Trader Joe's is one of those places that provides child size metal carts in an attempt to drastically multiply a harried mom's number of impulse buys. Of course each of my three darling daughters needed their own cart, which turned our little trip for pear sauce and milk into quite a parade.
We wound our little parade up and down the aisles. We found the milk. Discovered that they are out of pear sauce and think it may be DISCONTINUED!!!
Tried a sample of some sweet and sour chicken that the kids liked, so we bought some of that. Tried to choose one treat, but found it easier to let each child choose their own for their own cart.
Practiced our math by keeping a careful tally of who had more items in their cart, and worked on adding extras when finding one cart deficient (though subtraction would have been more cost effective).
Tried to keep peace, be patient with Number One's upset stomach, and keep the parade out of the way of the innocent bystanders.
Appreciated the patience of our checker, and his apparent blindness. When he made a friendly comment about how many helpers I had (as we had arrived to the check-out with three full child's carts, plus a selection of items in my cart), Number One piped up about how we were having another baby. He dismissed it as not happening for at least a while. Um...did you not notice the HUGE belly?!? How flattering! The whole thing was exhausting for me.
Cost of the trip for milk and pear sauce? $109.
But the priceless part? Though I felt like I was barely hanging in there at the end, we saw a teacher's aid we know from Number One's school while we had been shopping. We happened to check out at the same time, and she said:
"You know, you just make that look effortless."
I was too stunned to answer! I am used to the typical "you sure have your hands full," and the occasional, "you are so blessed." But this comment caught me so off guard that I was left speechless, and I honestly can't remember the last time that happened.
I would consider that $109 money well spent. Not only have I been able to enjoy some more unusual (for us) and tasty foods this weekend (which is especially meaningful as I haven't been able to enjoy much of any kind of food this pregnancy), I also got a priceless boost.
So the moral of the story is...when you see a mom shopping with lots of kids at the store, be sure not to pass up the opportunity to make her day by saying something positive.
Monday, April 28, 2008
How Do You Be a Good SAHM?
On a message board I post on for women due in August, a thoughtful mom asked for advice on being a successful stay at home mom. After her first child, she really struggled while staying home, was ultimately diagnosed as suffering with PPD, and she went back to work when that child was 10 months old. She wants to try staying home again starting this summer, and wanted some tips on how to make it work. I thought a lot about this question. I admire this mom for wanting to do what she thinks in theory is best for her kids, but what hasn't yet worked for her in practice. Do you have any tips for her?
Enjoy a couple of encouraging pictures depicting the glory of motherhood that I didn't choose to share with her:
When I had my first baby, we had the fancy schmancy Diaper Genie with the expensive refills. When I had my second, we got the Diaper Champ, which used regular garbage bags. With the third and fourth? On days I haven't been feeling well or have been too busy, we have a pile on the tile waiting to be tied into a used plastic grocery sack and tossed into the trash in the garage. And yes, I know that it's gross.
About last November while at the store, I happened to notice that Calgon was on sale. Now, I have NEVER before purchased Calgon, or tried it, but the whole "Calgon take me away" slogan just won me over at that moment, and I made the impulse purchase.
Unfortuneately, though I can now say that I have purchased Calgon, I still have not been able to try it, though it did seem to leave my bathroom sparkling clean!
And now that the picture fun is over...I am including my response to this mother below:
First of all...I applaud your efforts at being a mom, and in your desire to stay home, even though last time it didn't work as planned.
I think you have gotten lots of great advice already. Some of my advice would be the same as heard before, some additional. Hope it isn't too long, and that you find it helpful.
1. Take a shower every day, no matter what. Even if you can't take one until nighttime. Even if you haven't planned anywhere to go that day. Take a shower. Get dressed everyday in clothes you would be willing to wear to go somewhere. Can be casual, but not scrub type clothes. That will help you feel like a normal person on days when you feel like you are a lactating, nose-wiping, dishwashing, toy-playing laundry maid.
2. Check out flylady.net. She does send a lot of emails, so be prepared for that, but she has great tips on how to live your life with routines that help keep everything together. Like do your dishes, shine your sink, check your calendar, and lay out your clothes every night before bed. Be sure to find the beginning babysteps section so you don't get overwhelmed trying to learn her ideas all at once. It takes time to develop these kinds of good habits (I am still learning for sure!), but it does help a lot.
3. Be patient with yourself. You become a mother the day you give birth...sort of. It is really a role you grow into and become better at over time. You have never been a mother of two kids before. You are learning. Give yourself a break if you can't do it the way you want to right away. Just do your best and give yourself time to learn. Honestly, I can keep my home running more smoothly now with four kids than I did with one or two. I am more up on the laundry, even though there is more of it. And I still read to and played with my kids today. But, I have been doing this motherhood thing for almost 7.5 years. I would expect to be better at it now than I used to be.
4. Now that you know the signs of PPD, be watchful, and seek help if necessary. You may or may not have a repeat of last time, but just be prepared.
5. As others have said, find activities to do. Playgroups, classes (we have loved Kindermusik as well as mom and tot gymnastics classes), library reading time, hanging out at the pool or zoo...whatever works for you. When I had just two, I belonged to a local gym with child care where they loved to play. I could work out and feel better, and they had a blast.
6. Find something for you each week...make time for it. Maybe you can trade baby-sitting with another mom. Maybe you take a class at the community college, or an exercise class while your husband is with the kids. Be in a book group. It doesn't matter as much what it is, just that you do something for you
7. Have a date night every week, so you don't just feel like the mom, but you get a chance to be the wife too. Maybe you trade baby-sitting or hire a sitter. Maybe you watch a movie, play games, make a nice meal together, or play the wii or whatever when the kids are in bed. Maybe you get up extra early and enjoy breakfast on the patio together. It doesn't matter what it is...just so long as it is kid-free.
8. Exercise as regularly as possible...even just taking the kids out for a walk when the weather is nice, or doing an exercise video at home. Exercise really aids depression feelings, as natural feel-good chemicals are released in the brain. Plus, you are setting a good example for your kids, and it sure helps a post-partum body!
9. Look into babywearing options. I love the pouch style sling for tiny babies (see http://www.coastalsling.com/V3/). I have also loved the babyhawk mei tai (also sold at coastalsling) and the ergo (http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/) I use the ergo all the time now. These are especially helpful for doing chores around the house or playing with the toddler while making the baby feel that you are still holding them, grocery shopping (so the infant carrier doesn't take up the whole cart and you actually have room to purchase groceries) and also for being out and about. I could never have done the mom and tot gymnastics class with my 3rd if I hadn't had use of these carriers for my fourth. There is TONS of great info on thebabywearer.com as well as a for sale or trade forum where you can get great deals on used carriers. (Also easy to resell those carriers if you find you got one you didn't like so much).
10. Find a way to talk to adults everyday...whether at the park, on the phone, or with the husband. Conversation with complex sentence structure is good for the SAHM mind.
11. Try to have some semblance of schedule, but know that it will probably adjust slightly every few weeks as your kids hit different stages.
12. Finally, take all the advice with a grain of salt...everyone gives advice based on their own life experience. Your experience may or may not match that.
Sorry that was SOOO long!
I admire how thoughtful you are being about the process, and I think your preparation will really help you to find the success you are looking for.
Best of luck to you.
Enjoy a couple of encouraging pictures depicting the glory of motherhood that I didn't choose to share with her:
When I had my first baby, we had the fancy schmancy Diaper Genie with the expensive refills. When I had my second, we got the Diaper Champ, which used regular garbage bags. With the third and fourth? On days I haven't been feeling well or have been too busy, we have a pile on the tile waiting to be tied into a used plastic grocery sack and tossed into the trash in the garage. And yes, I know that it's gross.
About last November while at the store, I happened to notice that Calgon was on sale. Now, I have NEVER before purchased Calgon, or tried it, but the whole "Calgon take me away" slogan just won me over at that moment, and I made the impulse purchase.
Unfortuneately, though I can now say that I have purchased Calgon, I still have not been able to try it, though it did seem to leave my bathroom sparkling clean!
And now that the picture fun is over...I am including my response to this mother below:
First of all...I applaud your efforts at being a mom, and in your desire to stay home, even though last time it didn't work as planned.
I think you have gotten lots of great advice already. Some of my advice would be the same as heard before, some additional. Hope it isn't too long, and that you find it helpful.
1. Take a shower every day, no matter what. Even if you can't take one until nighttime. Even if you haven't planned anywhere to go that day. Take a shower. Get dressed everyday in clothes you would be willing to wear to go somewhere. Can be casual, but not scrub type clothes. That will help you feel like a normal person on days when you feel like you are a lactating, nose-wiping, dishwashing, toy-playing laundry maid.
2. Check out flylady.net. She does send a lot of emails, so be prepared for that, but she has great tips on how to live your life with routines that help keep everything together. Like do your dishes, shine your sink, check your calendar, and lay out your clothes every night before bed. Be sure to find the beginning babysteps section so you don't get overwhelmed trying to learn her ideas all at once. It takes time to develop these kinds of good habits (I am still learning for sure!), but it does help a lot.
3. Be patient with yourself. You become a mother the day you give birth...sort of. It is really a role you grow into and become better at over time. You have never been a mother of two kids before. You are learning. Give yourself a break if you can't do it the way you want to right away. Just do your best and give yourself time to learn. Honestly, I can keep my home running more smoothly now with four kids than I did with one or two. I am more up on the laundry, even though there is more of it. And I still read to and played with my kids today. But, I have been doing this motherhood thing for almost 7.5 years. I would expect to be better at it now than I used to be.
4. Now that you know the signs of PPD, be watchful, and seek help if necessary. You may or may not have a repeat of last time, but just be prepared.
5. As others have said, find activities to do. Playgroups, classes (we have loved Kindermusik as well as mom and tot gymnastics classes), library reading time, hanging out at the pool or zoo...whatever works for you. When I had just two, I belonged to a local gym with child care where they loved to play. I could work out and feel better, and they had a blast.
6. Find something for you each week...make time for it. Maybe you can trade baby-sitting with another mom. Maybe you take a class at the community college, or an exercise class while your husband is with the kids. Be in a book group. It doesn't matter as much what it is, just that you do something for you
7. Have a date night every week, so you don't just feel like the mom, but you get a chance to be the wife too. Maybe you trade baby-sitting or hire a sitter. Maybe you watch a movie, play games, make a nice meal together, or play the wii or whatever when the kids are in bed. Maybe you get up extra early and enjoy breakfast on the patio together. It doesn't matter what it is...just so long as it is kid-free.
8. Exercise as regularly as possible...even just taking the kids out for a walk when the weather is nice, or doing an exercise video at home. Exercise really aids depression feelings, as natural feel-good chemicals are released in the brain. Plus, you are setting a good example for your kids, and it sure helps a post-partum body!
9. Look into babywearing options. I love the pouch style sling for tiny babies (see http://www.coastalsling.com/V3/). I have also loved the babyhawk mei tai (also sold at coastalsling) and the ergo (http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/) I use the ergo all the time now. These are especially helpful for doing chores around the house or playing with the toddler while making the baby feel that you are still holding them, grocery shopping (so the infant carrier doesn't take up the whole cart and you actually have room to purchase groceries) and also for being out and about. I could never have done the mom and tot gymnastics class with my 3rd if I hadn't had use of these carriers for my fourth. There is TONS of great info on thebabywearer.com as well as a for sale or trade forum where you can get great deals on used carriers. (Also easy to resell those carriers if you find you got one you didn't like so much).
10. Find a way to talk to adults everyday...whether at the park, on the phone, or with the husband. Conversation with complex sentence structure is good for the SAHM mind.
11. Try to have some semblance of schedule, but know that it will probably adjust slightly every few weeks as your kids hit different stages.
12. Finally, take all the advice with a grain of salt...everyone gives advice based on their own life experience. Your experience may or may not match that.
Sorry that was SOOO long!
I admire how thoughtful you are being about the process, and I think your preparation will really help you to find the success you are looking for.
Best of luck to you.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
How fast do you type?
Okay, so I don't usually click on the links my friend's have on their blogs about how well you can do something, but this time I did.
First score:
113 words
And a second try produced:
114 words
And with a final third try I achieved position 667 of 176994 on the ranking list:
121 words
It sure makes one minute seem long! Hopefully my 8th grade keyboarding teacher would be proud. I know my grandma always told us we should know how to type...I don't think she had any idea how much more people in my generation actually WOULD type than in hers.
Be sure to let me know how you do. Happy typing!
First score:
113 words
And a second try produced:
114 words
And with a final third try I achieved position 667 of 176994 on the ranking list:
121 words
It sure makes one minute seem long! Hopefully my 8th grade keyboarding teacher would be proud. I know my grandma always told us we should know how to type...I don't think she had any idea how much more people in my generation actually WOULD type than in hers.
Be sure to let me know how you do. Happy typing!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
My Pre-Pre-Teen
So yesterday we stayed to play at Number One's playground for quite a while. We are just SO happy that the weather is nice again.
Number One kept chasing, and getting chased by, a few boys. One of these boys, B, has had a crush on her for some time. He is in her class, and is always happy even to just say hi to ME. Anyway, B's friend T was pressuring him, along with a couple of other boys, to KISS my Number One...chanting, and the like.
Hello, first grade?!?
Number Two was the perfect sidekick for Number One after her other girlfriends had gone home. She even asked, "Exactly what is it that you want with my sister?" in her most perfectly attitude-filled voice. Number Three had a great time joining it too, particularly with the running around part.
I intervened. I walked over to the boys and told them I was Number One's mom (B and T already knew that), and that Number One wasn't allowed to kiss boys until she was 20. Period. And that they shouldn't try to pressure B anymore. One of the little boys piped up, "Can they hug then?"
"No. They can high five."
B, though he really does like Number One, looked relieved. They high fived, and ran off to play some more.
Number One is SO filled with attitude these days. And she is SO into herself. We are working on putting together a family charity fundraiser (I'll post more about it later) in the hopes that 1. we can really do some good, and 2. that our kids can be encouraged to better think outside of themselves. So far it has been a bit of a rocky start with Number One, who can't understand why she can't have part of the funds to go towards a horse for her.
Off to give Number One some attention...her love language is quality time, so maybe some mom attention will help calm the attitude. And if not, at least bedtime is only a couple of hours away...they are ALWAYS so precious when they are sleeping.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day?!?
So looooong overdue.
At Valentine's Day, Number Two's school did the CUTEST little program. Apparently it is an annual event for the school...the Valentine's Day Tea, just for kids and their moms.
I was lucky enough to have a friend available to watch Number Three and Number Four, and I was even luckier to be placed at the front table in the center. It was all assigned seating with namecards. There were about 20 8-foot long tables in the room, four rows back of five tables each...so my seat really was special.
The children all performed cute little Valentine's Day songs (Number Two was SO fun to watch), and then came to eat with the moms.
The children had donuts and juice and the moms had cheesecake with their choice of juice, tea, or hot chocolate. I, of course, went for the hot chocolate. I even managed to eat some of the cheesecake (I don't really like cheesecake and on top of it I was still morning sick all day long, but at least the topping was really yummy! The company was definitely better.)
It was a great experience for me. Though I love having all these little children all close together, I really value the special time when I get to have just one of my amazing darlings all to myself.
At Valentine's Day, Number Two's school did the CUTEST little program. Apparently it is an annual event for the school...the Valentine's Day Tea, just for kids and their moms.
I was lucky enough to have a friend available to watch Number Three and Number Four, and I was even luckier to be placed at the front table in the center. It was all assigned seating with namecards. There were about 20 8-foot long tables in the room, four rows back of five tables each...so my seat really was special.
The children all performed cute little Valentine's Day songs (Number Two was SO fun to watch), and then came to eat with the moms.
The children had donuts and juice and the moms had cheesecake with their choice of juice, tea, or hot chocolate. I, of course, went for the hot chocolate. I even managed to eat some of the cheesecake (I don't really like cheesecake and on top of it I was still morning sick all day long, but at least the topping was really yummy! The company was definitely better.)
It was a great experience for me. Though I love having all these little children all close together, I really value the special time when I get to have just one of my amazing darlings all to myself.
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