Tales of an over protective Mommy

Tonight is Braelyns first Christmas parade (as a participant).  She will be riding a truck for her Dance school (Cheryl's in Central).

While Brealyln herself is over-joyed at the idea, I am a little worried.  Over the last few days our temperatures have been freezing.  She has not set foot outside with out a heavy coat and other warm clothes.  How will it be in the afternoon on a long truck ride. . .?

In the spirit of wanting at most a White Christmas (dream big right?), and at the very least a good snow to play in this year I bought her a $4 FULL snowsuit.   It fits perfectly, and with such a small investment I don't care if she only wears it once.

Tonight she is to wear a red tee shirt and black pants, over whatever she needs to keep her warm. . .

In the interest of protecting her, I will gladly run the risk of her looking like Randy form the Christmas story.  In the interest of future humiliation I will post those images when we return home!

90 Day Challenge--step one

Step one—know where you are.

Life has gotten me so very busy that I do not recognize this person in the mirror.  Who is she and what is she wearing?!  I don’t know who this stranger is.  Internally we are one, but the way I feel is not reflected in her face (or her thighs for that matter).  

The Parham’s say the first step in this journey is ‘recognizing where you are”.  To many of my closest friends and family this is hilarious.  I am forever lost; I have no sense of direction what-so-ever.  This God-given ‘homing ability’ has been lost to me.  I often tell people that I am unable to find my way to the bathroom without the light being on.  Even in our tiny home town.  My GPS system has always been my Tim-Tim.  This little gem guided me around long before the whole Tom-Tom thing came about.

Where am I?  Where are you?  What Do I want from this journey?  To feel better, to be better?  To look better?  Why not, why not want it all?  I am worthy, without a doubt.  Thankfully I am not afflicted with self-loathing that often comes with weight gain.  My self-worth has never been tangled with numbers, I was raised that way. 

So . . .where am I.  I am here, right at the start of this journey.  It is just that a side road taken as I head towards whatever destination I choose.  Thankfully I have several companions on this trip, my dear sweet husband and our children.  Wherever this road leads, regardless of the outcome they will be there.  So, I am right where I need to be, and right where I want to be.

90 Day Challenge

Honestly, I am excited about this one.  We met Phil and Amy Parham, and their boys at the Maudlin Miracle League.  The baseball league was a wonderful expired for our family, though the weekly drive to Maudlin proved to be too much.  Tricia finally found a place to be herself.  We found other parents who understood our struggles, and shared our smallest joys.

The Parhams were contestants on the Biggest Loser and are looking great! 
They have created a now book, The 90 Day Fitness Challenge.  It was available on the Kindle so I jumped on it. 
http://philandamyfitness.com/

I am excited to share this journey with you, although daunting, Tim and I felt it was worth enough to start BEFORE the holidays.  Wish us luck

Control Freak

Admitting I am a control freak-and it works for me.  I can pretty much handle the things that come my way because I have gone over every scenario in my head.

Today we enjoyed brunch as usual, then made caramel apples with Aunt Tiffany before venturing out.

Anderson was having a hot air balloon festival called "Balloons over Anderson".   The tethered rides were only $5 for the kids.  I though that it would be a great memory for them--what an adventure!

We waited and boarded the basket, Braelyn had to be held to see over the side.  As we all loaded and the edge of the basket lifted from the earth, my first mommy instinct was to clench Braelyn with one hand and --don't laugh--hold UP the basket with my other hand.

The weightless sensation, and dramatic realization that all my girls were 'in one basket" (a disastrous southern saying-Mama warned me about) left me with that one conclusion.  I have to keep this thing up.  I am unsure about the underlying meaning here but we had a good time.

I am knee deep in the Happiness Project, and excellent book by Gretchen Rubin.  My wonderful hubby bought me a Kindle and I have to admit the creators of this tiny device got the name perfectly!

kin·dle1    (kndl)        
VERB: kin·dled, kin·dling, kin·dles VERB: tr.

1. To build or fuel (a fire).
2. To set fire to; ignite.
3. To cause to glow; light up:

Not only am I gleaning unimaginable joy from reading (and begin read to while cooking) my Kindle has offered another way to foster the love of reading in my children.  My older girls are even suggesting books.  "Mommy, Mrs____ is reading this book can you get it on your kindle?"

Sorry for the Delay

It has been a busy few weeks-------"we are here! we are here! we are here!"' (Horton hears a WHO).

Life is just that-busy.  Brealyn is still home schooling but she has picked up geography (just the USA) due to Papa and Ya-Ya's trip. 

Her GG and Papa Doug have provided her with great postcards from around the world, and we will tackle that a little later in the year.  She has a great understanding of the lower 48. 

We talked about the New York City area and a few of the landmarks.  At the thrift store she had a fit because they had the Statue of Liberty costume!  She calls her the green princess in the harbor.

Preschooler in Motion!

Motion Sickness is apparently inherited!  Braelyn's theme this week is motion, and her song is "The wheels on the Bus".  I thought since the Clemson Area Transit (CAT) bus was a free ride that it would be a great adventure for a Monday morning.

Apparently sitting on the inward facing seats causes both Mommy and Braelyn to become queasy!  We did enjoy the ride.  Our trip started at the fountain at SWU, then we rode the red route to Hendricks center for a nice brunch, a visit to the Barnes and Noble book store and a yummy ice cream.

On the return trip we decided that the forward facing seats were much better for little tummies.
 (PLEASE notice Braelyn and Natalie--her doll have matching mommy-made skirts for the trip!!)

We sang her song, counted all the things that had wheels and learned that the bus can also carry a bicycle from one stop to another.  She collected a pine cone while waiting in the shade for the bus to arrive.

We finished up our homeschooling day with a little m&m math and graphing activity!


--CHERISH the days they are young!

Giddy Grocery Getting!

I left the house with no intention of buying anything,  merely to support and assist a fellow couponer for her trip.  The deals were calling my name and I did have some cash on hand!

At Bilo:
3--Lbs apples
1-Bisquick pancakes shaker
1--1/2 fresh split chicken
4--Boxes Trix cereal
4--Boxes Coco puffs cereal
1--Lucky Charms cereal
 TOTAL SPENT (cash)  $7.18--8 items (average cost per item 0.90 each)

At Publix:

4--Lysol Kitchen and bath cleaners
6--cans Hunts Tomatoes
2--Mt Olive relish jars
4--Taco Bell dinner kits (2 have kool-aid in them!)
4--Glass plus cleaners
TOTAL SPENT (cash) $10.39-- 20 items (average cost per item 0.52 each)

Here is a visual

I only spent $17.57!!!!

Homeschooling week 3

Theme: Wheels
Letter: Ww
number: 4
Vocab word: motion
Color: green
Shape: circle
Poem/Song: Wheels on the bus


Spelling words: on,
be, he, was, who

She has finished the Dolch words list for preschool-so we are on to first grade!!

 www.catbus.com

 

I want to take her on the CAT bus--trying to figure out a good little trip.  Monday looks like a field trip day!  Not sure about all of the routes and details like her car seat-I will call them on Monday.

Hooked on Green Tea--thanks Lipton

We are hooked--not that making southern sweet tea is difficult or time consuming but the volume that we go though makes it a daunting task.  We love the Lipton green tea with citrus.  I do not let Braelyn have the diet--I still feel better with her having a plant based sweetener than an artificial one at her age. 

 

The Lipton green tea with citrus is light refreshing and yummy.  It is not too heavy like sodas or juice, but perfect, except for the price.  We do find it on sale and use CVS bucks to lessen the sting of our addictions.

Here is a recipe for a mock version-I have yet to try it but will very soon.

www.ehow.com/how_2297118_lipton-citrus-green-tea.html

Not that Leapfrog needs it but I can not stop singing the praises for the TAG system.  We bought Braelyn for Christmas 2009.  She has honestly played with it everyday.  We have added new books and she can read independently.  We have worked hard to help her learn to read, but her tag is a fun avenue for practice.  There are very few items that the children play with until they wear out.  She has worn out the Cat in the Hat and the Ozzy and Mack books, the books were not destroyed but loved to pieces. 


We are thinking of getting the Tag Jr for Tricia.  The books are board books and the reader is easier to hold!  Tricia and Braelyn already fight to the death over the Tag reader!

Last year Kohls has a coupon deal and a Kohls cash reward that made Braelyns reader a bargain!

More Crazy coupon deals

I just ran by publix for the Finish tabs deal.  The pack of 25 tabs are normally $6.99, but are buy one get one free this week ($3.49).  I have been sitting on 9 of the -$3 Q for a few weeks waiting for a sale. 

My total before coupons was over $60, then with the sale and the q it was less than $7 for all 9 boxes!!

( boxes (25 tabs each) for less than the cost of 1 box normally!

Top Mommy Tips

Here is what I did today-
to keep the kitchen cooled off I made mini meat loaves in a mini loaf pan and put it on the grill outside, then I grilled off a box of turkey burgers and a bag of peeled shrimp.

 I have minimal cooking to do the rest of the week with my major meal elements done.

I can only manage about a week at a time--the once a month thing takes a good deal of coordination.

I am looking for YOUR MOMMY TIPS-ideas time savers and tricks--I will pick the best, based on comments and reward the winner with a spa basket full of lotions, bath goodies and products!

Pass this along to your friends!  We all could use a treat or two!

The Plan

Here is the plan for this trip:
MONDAY
Drive Down Early Monday, arrive in Charleston by 11 a.m. .  Tricia has surgery at 1, then 23 hours of observation.  While she is admitted to the hospital I will take Brealyn and walk the 3 blocks to the pharmacy and get her meds filled, then back to the hospital. 

Ya-Ya plans on spending the night with Tricia (YEA no mask).  Braelyn and I will find and activity before dinner then share dinner at the Ronald McDonald house.  Braelyn and I will find another activity before bath and bed. 

TUESDAY
Then we will grab a quick breakfast on the way back to the hospital (3 block walk).  We will do lunch at the hospital.  We will hang out at the hospital until Tricia is released and plan on a harbor tour/ride.   Then dinner and a late evening beach trip for the girls (wear them out).  Then off to baths and bed.

We plan on leaving before lunch on Wednesday.

Here is the plan for the girls:
MONDAY
Early morning at Michelles house until around 4:15 (dad will pick them up)  then back home Annie can pop dinner in the oven (mommy made extra lasagna-last week).  Tim will go to work at 5, Papa will watch the girls until Tim gets off at 8.  Then bedtime at 8:30.

TUESDAY
SCHOOL---yea!!!  Then Papa will watch the girls until Amanda arrives around 5:45.  Amanda will watch the girls until 9 when tim gets home from work.

I told you all that launching the Titanic was much easier to coordinate.

Remember I said thie was the plan, now lets see how it goes!!

Home schooling week 2

Theme: Charleston
Letter: Cc
number: 6
Vocab word: harbor
Color:
Shape:
Poem/Song:

Popcorn words: little, go, big, find, run

Spelling words:  in, it, is, up, can

We will be in Charleston fro another surgery most of this week so we are going to try and make the most of it

Just Plain fun--It's a Match

Braelyn delighted at a new game I presented her from the box this evening.

It's A Match

http://www.discoverytoyslink.com




I was wondering if level 1 (ages3+) would be too hard for her but she breezed through making the matches with very few incorrect answers.  She passed up t.v. time (take that Disney Channel) and moved on to level 2 (age 4+)!!

Learning Pathways: from 3 years - kindergarten
EXPLORATION, MOTOR SKILLS, THINKING SKILLS, MATH, READING & LANGUAGE

 
She INSISTED that I order book 3.  

Homeschooling week 1

Braelyn bought a new fish this week so we started homeschooling early.

This week looks like:

Theme: Fish
Letter: Ff
number: 5
Vocab word: habitat
Color: blue
Shape: oval
Poem/Song: If I could be a Fishy

useful links:

http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp
http://stepbystepcc.com/sea.html
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/activities/default.aspx

Healthier Recipes

To make recipes that Ya-Ya can enjoy we have started eating quinoia .  Quinoia is a grain,  it can be used similar to rice or couscous.  We have found that is does not impact blood sugar levels near as bad as other carbohydrates can. 

Today we are having Bargain Shrimp Fried 'rice'
Our amounts will be larger than yours unless you are feeding an army too!
nice one pot meal

2 lbs Shrimp
2 cups broccoli florets (frozen is fine)
4 eggs
2 cups cooked quinoia
2/3 cup soy sauce (to taste)
3 tbs dried onions
1 cup snow peas
1/2 cup shredded carrots

scramble the eggs, add soy sauce to taste, add chopped shrimp, broccoli, pea pods, and pre-cooked quinoia.

You can thicken it with cornstarch, and serve-YUM

we added homemade baked egg rolls filled with broccoli slaw

WELCOME

Welcome to my blog.

It is intended to share information.  I am an avid coupon-er, homeschooling cloth diaper mommy to 6.  I always have an educated opinion to share and love to express myself.  I want to help other moms "keep it together" and save money doing it!

Please share any deals and sales with all of us