Legal Shoplifting - Love it.

Quick money saving post.  One day I'm going to look back on these and be shocked.  And remind myself of how awesome I am.

Went to Kroger the other day.  They have a promotion right now when you purchase 2 Huggies diapers you receive a $5.00 register coupon good on your next order.  I just happened to find 6 packages of Huggies diapers on manager's special for $4.49.  Split them into three transactions with two packs of diapers each.

First transaction:
2 packs of Huggies Pull ups priced at $4.49 each
Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons
Paid $5.52 cents and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Second Transaction:
2 packs of Huggies Pull Ups priced at $4.49 each

Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons
Paid $5.52 cents and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Third Transaction:

2 packs of Huggies Pull Ups priced at $4.49 each
and purchased 10 Lysol all purpose cleaners priced at $1.49 with a raincheck

Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons and 10 50/1 coupons that doubled.
And used 1 $5 off coupon
Paid $6.32 and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Fourth Transaction:

Purchased 2 16 count double roll Packs of Scott toilet paper priced at $5.99 each

and 6 packages of Stayfree feminine care products on manager special for 99 cents each

Used 1 $1.50/1 coupon and 1 75/1 and 6 $1/1 coupons

Also used 2 $5 coupons from previous transactions.

Paid 17 cents and received a $3 on your next order coupon from purchasing the Stayfree.  

That's a total of $17.53 cents out of pocket for 6 packages of diapers, 6 packages of feminine care products, 10 bottles of Lysol and 2 large packages of toilet paper.  And I have a $3 coupon off my next order.

Went to Rite Aid next, my favorite store.

Purchased 16 nail polishes - 6 Sally Hansen and 10 Wet and Wild.

Sally Hansen Priced at $4.99, reduced to $3.99 after my 20% discount.

Wet and Wild priced at 99 cents on sale for Buy One get One 50% off.

Used 6 $4/1 Sally Hansen coupons and 7 $1/1 Wet and Wild Coupons

Paid $2.22 out of pocket and received a $10 +Up Reward for my next purchase.

Uneventful Day - Is there such thing?

Today has been a pretty uneventful day.  There was no poop on the floor or keys in the bathtub (yes that has happened).  Just a lot of toddler fits and deep calming breaths for me.

Ryder had speech this morning.  We pulled up to the school and both of the boys were throwing their hands into the air yelling "Hooray!".  They love going to play with Miss Dionne and she has taught me so much about how to help the boys and what is good to work on with them next.  I would have never thought about some of these things that she informs me to do and I will be able to carry it on with all of my boys.

Some words I will miss from Ryder's toddler talk.

Es - Yes
Wubbin - Welcome
Wheaton - Blanket
Aunt Ebbie - Aunt Stephie

Ryder's very first words were 'one more'.  Just out of now here while he was sitting building things with dada.  Shane said 'I need one more of these.' and Ryder responded 'one more'.  We probably made that kid repeat those words 100 times because we were so excited.  Wyatt's first words were 'uh oh'.  Seems like that fits him perfectly.  Especially considering he is currently standing on the side table.  Lets hope I didn't speak too soon when I said that its been an uneventful day.

Sawyer has slept through the night since he was a month old.  From 10 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning every night without fail until last night.  Last night he decided that he was going to wake me up to eat four times.  Four times?  Really!  It made waking up this morning very difficult.  I suppose I'm sort of spoiled in that way.

Like I said, rather uneventful.  I'll update you on any excitement that may happen.... If I can keep my eyes open that long.

"...Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream" ― Kahlil Gibran

Yesterday.

I really need to take more minutes to update about my days.  One day I will look back on all of this and wish that I had kept better track of how amazing these days are watching my little men grow up.  All the crazy things they say and do should be recorded for them to enjoy and their wives and children.

Note to self:  PLEASE write more.

Yesterday I had some errands to run and across from one of the buildings I had to go into was a toddler sized park.  They boys have been cooped up for so long that it was the perfect treat for them.  Wyatt climbed all the way up a set of bars and climbed down counting as he went.  When he got to the bottom he threw his hands in the air and yelled "Hooray!!"  That little boy has so much personality.  Never lose it little man, its one of your best qualities.

Ryder came up to me the other day and said "Momma, look at my funny face."

Priceless.

I finally after three years of living here broke down and bought myself a baby gate for across my kitchen.  And it couldn't have come at a better time.  Ryder is so adventurous and likes to "cook dinner" (his words).  And Wyatt's middle name should have been mess.  This keeps them in the kitchen at mealtime and out of the kitchen all the rest of the time.  It's seriously about the best thing I've ever bought.  Makes life as 'momma' much easier!  

And it's pretty.

Wyatt decided the jump on the potty training band wagon.  Ryder isn't all that enthusiastic about the whole process.  He politely tells me "No Thank You" every time I ask him if he has to go potty.  If I push a little harder he will go in there and sit down on the potty and tell me "No potty in there, Momma".  Wyatt runs in there when I ask him and whips off his diaper.  Plops himself down on the potty (with help of course) and sits there and continuously wipes himself with a square of toilet paper.  You know, I'll take what I can get.  Then we get down, throw a miniature party over the fact that he 'went potty' and go about our day.  

Another note to self:  Show Wyatt's future wife that photo. 

There so much more to say, so much more that has happened.  It's so late now and I'm so exhausted from all the chaos each day holds, I think I'll say goodnight before strange things start coming out of my mouth... or my fingers.... or... well you get the idea. 

Goodnight to one adventure

Today was an adventure, as it every day with boys.  I sit in bed tonight writing this thinking about how perfect my life feels.  Like I've finally found my place and I'm happy.  Happier than I've ever been.  My husband makes me happy and my kids make me happy.  My full time job taking care of them all makes me happy too.

Did I just admit that?

Back to the adventure part.  This morning Ryder woke up so cranky.  Crying and whining over everything.  And it seemed like there wasn't enough minutes in the morning to get everything done.  He was sitting at the kitchen table fighting with his breakfast wearing only his diaper.  Makes much more sense to get him dressed after he eats than before.  Less changes of clothes for the day that way.  Miss Becky got here and he refused to leave the kitchen in just his diaper.  When did my three year old learn modesty?  He just stood there with his hands over his eyes grinning like he was embarrassed until I got him dressed.  Then he was all ready to play!

Nap time rolled around.  I put Wyatt down first like always then got Ryder in bed and Sawyer sleeping and laid down myself.  This mom stuff gets tiring.  Wyatt usually is asleep almost immediately but today he played in his room for over an hour before he fell asleep.  Ryder woke up, Wyatt woke up minutes after.  I opened Wy's door and he was standing in front of me with his pants off, shirt over his head but still on his arms, and diaper on the floor.  There was poop everywhere.  He had been playing in it.  I took him out and cleaned him up with a wipe.  Cleaned his room up.  Then asked if he wanted a bath.  No.  He refused but Ryder wanted a shower.  So into the shower I take Ryder.  As the water is warming up for him I go back out to finish with Wyatt.  Check cleaning poop off my list of chores for the day.  Go back in to get Ryder into the water and he was all excited.  "Momma!  Me potty in there!"  And he ran to the toilet to show me the pee that was in the bowl.  I was so excited!  My little man used the toilet all on his own!  Then I saw the floor.  He made the toilet a little bit and the rest was in a puddle in front of the toilet.  So I suppose I can check cleaning pee off the floor off my chore list for the day too.

Like I said... adventures.

My boys really are the most amazing little men.  They make me so happy and so crazy both at the same time, that's pretty talented of them if you ask me.

Now it is bedtime.  Ryder has made me sing "Twinkle Star" to him at least twice before he goes to bed every night for the past two months.  I've sang it so much that even with his speech delay he can sing the song almost perfectly all on his own.  Earlier today I caught him singing the "abc" song to himself too.

Note to self:  Sing more.

So now we say goodnight to this adventure and await the new one that is tomorrow.

Goodnight moon.

Happy Mother's Day - A Little Late.

It always seems like I'm slightly behind with my blog posts.  I think I get so busy with all the other 500 things I have to do during the day that by the time I get a chance to post I'm already too tired to stay awake.

Can I just say that my boys are the most amazing little men that God has put on this earth?  They are so special.  And they are my ultimate mother's day gift.  Without them, my days would be boring and quiet and I would actually sleep at night... but who wants that, right? 

They were so happy to just sit together.  I am so blessed.

Ibotta - New Obsession

What's better than earning money for shopping, right?

Ibotta has become my new best friend.

It's easy, fun, and earns you money!

After signing up here and then downloading onto your Android or Apple phone, you look through the products offered.  Complete the circles below the product and purchase that item at a participating store.  Take a photo of your receipt and scan the barcode.  Within 24 hours the money will be applied to your account where you can then transfer it to PayPal or donate it!.  In the last few months I've earned $74 from completely offers and bonuses from Ibotta.

Ibotta is offered on Android and IPhone and super easy to use!  I find myself checking it often looking for new offers and easy ways to earn money.  The great thing about it is that you can use it along with your coupons!  At Walmart the other day I used my coupon overage to get all of the items I was purchasing for only 70 cents, and then I earned $1 from Ibotta!

Sign up using this Link, or any of the links above and then download the app from your AppStore or Google Play.  Easy as can be!

(Okay, so maybe a little overkill on the links, but at least you won't have trouble finding it!)

Wyatt

Things I love about Wyatt:

• He has a huge attitude.
• He greatly dislikes socks.  He never leaves his own on for longer than a few minutes, and if he sees someone else wearing them he will take them off too.
• He says 'no' about 2000 times a day.  
• His facial expressions, they make him an open book.
• He loves his blanket and carries it around everywhere.
• He puts himself to bed.  Gets his pillow and blanket and lays down all on his own.
• He knows what he wants and won't accept anything less.
• He does everything that Ryder does.
• When he's not around his brothers he is extremely well behaved.
• He only cuddles when he feels like it.

Just a few for now, there are so many more.

Sunday

Sunday.

I love Sunday.  Shane's day off... Shopping day... you can't get much better than those two together.

My shopping wasn't really worth mentioning.  The most exciting purchase I had was Dial hand soap for 18 cents each.

We spent the rest of the day outside.  I'm so glad for the nice weather, and Shane spent the whole day cleaning the yard up.  I love our yard after he's finished each year, it's beautiful.

We blew up the boys Christmas present today.  A bounce house from Grandma and Grandpa R.  Ryder calls it his "Jumpin' house".  The boys had a blast with it, but trying to teach a toddler not to bring rocks and toys and all the other fun sharp stuff into it was quite a challenge.  Then Ryder decided that it was going to be part of one of the fun towers that he has been building recently and started piling everything large in the yard he could find against it.  Suddenly it became his rocket ship.

Then the lawn mower broke.  And it couldn't just snap a belt or break a gear, it had to bust the whole mower deck.  After we come up with $400 to replace it we can have pretty short grass again.  Maybe I'll start taking donations.  I'll write on the can: "Help poor people mow their lawn."

If only it worked that way.

I do have to mention the cupcakes I made yesterday.  I've decided that I need to try my hand at all those pretty cupcakes that you see them making on television.  I can do that right?  It can't be that hard!  Maybe.  Anyway, I'm really proud of my first try at pretty cupcakes.  Chocolate banana cupcakes with chocolate butter cream frosting.  Yum!

 Yeah, I'm gonna be that mom at the bake sales.

My highlight of the day.... which is hard to choose really when you think about how much fun we had today, happened tonight when I was getting Ryder ready for bed.  I was cleaning up the toys in the boys room when Ryder walked in.  I said to him:

Me: 'Ryder, this will be your bed soon'

Ryder: 'Up there momma?' (pointing to the top bunk)

Me: 'No, baby.  When you get bigger you can sleep up there.'

Did I really say that to a three year old?

Ryder: 'Food me bigger, momma!'

This is when he took off running into the kitchen and I followed.

Ryder: 'Momma, please have banana? Make me bigger.'

I gave him the banana, he peeled it himself of course.  Would an other three year old yet their parents peel their banana?  He ate it.

As he was running to the trash can to throw the peel away....

Ryder: 'Momma, look!  Me bigger now!'

Why you ask, is that out of everything, the highlight of my day?  Because the logic of a three year old is so simply.  He wanted to get bigger so he ate a banana.  He is such an amazing little man and I am the most blessed parent that God gave me his as a son.

The 'flowers' that the boys picked for me today from the yard.

Happy Sunday.