A Dog's Best Friend

Gus was being a nuisance this spring.  In addition, we had to put him in the front yard while we started the reseeding process of the backyard.  Boredom is an issue for this beast.  My term of endearment for him.  You would think with all these children around he wouldn't be bored.  Daily walks were initiated to help wear him out, to no avail.  Then I was at the commissary and they had femur bones for sale.  Oh yeah!  Score one for mom.  As long as he has one of these big bones, he is quiet.  He doesn't even care if the kids are out in the yard.  He just wants his bone. 

You can't take the boy out of the man!

Hockey Player is 13.  He is growing up.  Just a inch or two shy of being almost or taller than dad.  Looks us in the eyes these days.  If I am barefoot and he is not, I am quickly reminded how short I am becoming.  He has tryouts coming up in a month or so.  His stick broke at the end of the season. 
He doesn't nag.  Daddy O reminds me often.  So finally I sat down with Hockey Player. 

We looked online.  He took me to Hockey Monkey and showed me the sticks he wanted.  I took a chance and went to Ebates and discovered Hockey Monkey was affiliated with them.  Joy of all joys!!  Not only did we discover his preferred sticks clearance, we scored 3% back on Ebates!!  So excited, I was quick to call and Facebook moms of his teammates. 

But that is not what this post is about.  I order online, but not a WHOLE bunch.  Though it is increasing in this season of life.  A huge package showed up at the door.  I kept hollering for Hockey Player to come.  He is entering this season of life where he can be slow to respond to mom.  He is starting to think for himself.  He tries to interpret my calls to determine if he wants to/should actually come.  It is really annoying.  So this particular day, he wouldn't come.  Not with all the cheering and cajoling of his sibs.  They even told him what they had...now guaranteed he might now have heard all the way in the depths of the basement.  But guaranteed he heard some sort of rumble and knew something was up.  Soooo, I yelled down to him, if he didn't get upstairs I was gonna stop the truck as it turned around and drove back by and send the package back with. 

He showed up! And he did this when I suggested returning his box.....

And I realized he is still my "little" guy at heart.  Especially when it comes to his "toys".  

 

He doesn't look all that happy, but that is Hockey Player.  He was posing.

Then Fun Girl got in there with him and they started measuring where they might need to cut the stick. (Aunt Shell, please note:  He is taller than Fun Girl!)

Trying to get a picture and this is what I got.  They were being silly.  However, this is a classic look.  For whatever reason, I seem to capture this expression a lot on film.  It is definitely not the one I am trying to capture!

This is what I wanted to see! 
Success!!!!!

 

 

 

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Essential oils ~ Essential reference

So I really love, love this book !



I like instructions.  I like guidelines.  I am learning to cope a little better without them.  I am growing in this area of my life.  But please, oh please, don't hand me a blank piece of paper and tell me to draw.  I want you to tell me a theme, a concept, something, anything, just so I "won't get it wrong!"  So when I entered the arena of essential oils, there are these little bottles filled with this wonderous and amazing liquid but no "instructions". This little books is great!  It has ideas.  It has research data.  It has all sorts of really awesome information.  Reflex/Vita Flex point charts.  Massage instructions.  Bible references.  Charts. Graphs.  Historical data.  I love this little book.  My older kiddos do to, especially Fun Girl.

It is an expensive book, but well worth the investment.  It is available in app form.  But as of right now, I really like having something in my hands.  It brings me joy to see my kids looking up things and showing an interest in reading and researching something on their own.  If I had the app, well they might want my phone at really inconvenient times.   




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Laundry woes!

A couple of weeks ago I had to stop using my essential oils...another story in of itself. They were helping. I was speaking and starting to function more normal. Then it was time for my neurological testing and they wanted a base line of me not on the oils. So half the testing was done, and the snow arrived. The second half of testing was canceled and my washing machine died. We do a lot of laundry but for some reason snow play generates more laundry.

Maybe it is because The Man feels it is necessary to wear 5 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of pants to go play outside.
Maybe it is because the kids come in after an hour, strip down and change clothes so they can warm up...just to repeat the process before the first set of clothes have dried.



It is after all snow. Slightly frozen water. Dry them and wear them again..,, unless of course they are left on the floor to be trumped on by dirty shoes and dog paws.".



So on a good day, when I was feeling productive, I stopped in at the library to read the consumer report recommendations for washing machines and dryers. I took pictures of the charts and paragraphs I wanted to read to hubby with my I Phone and headed home to do further research.

Disgusted, I am with the current state of washing machine business.

I am to only expect a washing machine to last 5-10 years. 6-8 years is most realistic.

The repair guy who diagnosed our current washer informed us that retailers are price fixing machines forcing manufacturers to cut corners and quality.

I wish I had invested the money in our first Maytag to have it repaired. It was a sturdy solid machine. But I was lured away with the promise of a bigger tub, more efficient spinning. Our latest machine is just under 8 years old. Its first demise was less than two years ago and under extended warranty. The motor died. This time the motor died and I did not catch things in time and water got into the electronics and fried them.

Why on earth do the manufacturers think electronics and water go together?
Why create something that when the motor dies during the spin cycle it send water into the control panel?

Stupid. I know I used the S-word.  But really???!!!??? !!!

I have read all sort of reviews...electronics problems....mold and mildew....have to clean the washing machine on a regular basis.... Wash the washing machine? Really? Like I don't have enough to do already?

So we bought this beauty.  She arrives tomorrow!

I helped my dad pick her out a couple of years ago.
No electronics.
Easy to load and empty.
I have used it through both times my washer has died. No issues. And best part, doesn't cost $1000.
No frills.
The only thing I don't know is longevity.
But the whole process of washing clothes is simplified for my kids in training.
By the weekend the laundry should be whipped back into shape....maybe!

Shopping with Grandmama!

Counting the joy still....
I love this photo from January.... Mom's eyes are smiling.  She has her Pepsi.  And she is in a store all at the same time.  Anyone who knows her, knows she hates to shop or go to the mall.  So standing in the mall with this beautiful smile and look of joy is the only indication of her memory slipping! 

1061.

 

1062.  Discovering the trick to shopping with Dad's Bud. Provide him with 3 way mirrors and he is entertained !  LOVE IT! 

 



1063.  Playing dress up and modeling for Grandmama..a  fun favorite!  Beautiful!

Another Fun Girl Quoteable!

Because Fun Girl would not expect me to do it, I am posting this!

Under the influence of end of day fatigue and post-concussion syndrome

and the inability to argue and defend myself.

My girls and my friend put this on my head!

They found it in the back of the store at Kirklands.

Then Fun Girl texted out the picture with the following quote,

"The devil wears discount Prada"

 



Way to Go Aunt Tracy and Uncle Charlie!

See this smile.

You put it on Dad's Bud face!

 

 

Paint with Water by Melissa and Doug

 

This is the coolest thing ever.

Water Color pages with paint included on the page.

This isn't the dip your water in brush and paint with water and watch the color appear.

Each individual page has a water color strip to use. 

Trim off the top of the page.

Cup of water with the paint brush included.

Paint away.

So perfect here in the hospital.

No mixing the paint colors and ruining the box.  When done, toss the strip.

I can see myself getting more for:

 athletic trips to keep the youngers occuppied while they wait

gifts for younger cousins

and just to have at home,

cause I so don't like cleaning up the water color boxes!

 

 

 

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Favorite Things....Ebates

In my inbox today was one of my favorite emails...
"Your big fat payment from Ebates"
I love rebates and money in my pocket that didn't take more energy from me other than what I expend already. 
Ebates is one of those awesome resources. 
Shopping on line.
Stop first at Ebates.
Sometimes you will find codes for deals for your store...BONUS!
Find your online store/website on their site and click on the link. 
They open the shopping window. 
You shop.  You pay and close the deal.  Ebates takes note and processes your r"Ebate" payment for you. 
They pay out 4 times a year. 
Who doesn't like a BIG FAT PAYMENT, especially one that doesn't require you to copy the receipt, clip the UPC code, fill out the form and pop it all in the mail box. 

FREE laundry detergent!

You read that right!
Free laundry detergent.

Unless you are one of those people who wear your clothes till you have to burn them so you don't have to wash them, check out what Michelle over at By Quiet Waters has to say about Purex and enter for some free detergent!

Cause who doesn't like FREE ?! ?! ?!

Check out here for more details!

Favorite things....Swagbucks

Favorite Things Tuesdays. 

With the Holidays approaching, I am appreciating my Swagbucks even more. 

How do you search the internet? Google?  Bing? 

Switchover to Swagbucks and start earning..well, Swagbucks.

What do you do with Swagbucks?

You can redeem them for all sorts of prizes.

My favorites:
Gift card codes for Amazon
Gift cards for Starbucks
and cash in my Paypal account.

I stash the gift cards, for gifts of course! 

And it is super cool to need to order something on Amazon and have part if not all of it paid for by banking the gift codes for Amazon.  Those unexpected expenses all taken care of, Thank you Lord!

And well, I like getting extra cash, (in Paypal) just for doing what I am doing anyhow. 

It is easy to do.

You can load the tool bar and search from there.

I occassionally do the polls for an extra swagbuck. 

I print coupons from their site and earn points when I redeem the coupons.

There are referral perks as well.

When someone you refer signs up through your link, you earn swagbucks when they earn swagbucks.
Up to 1000 Swagbucks per referral!

Talk about earning those gift cards even faster!

If you are thinking you just might need to give this a try, please consider signing up under my referral link or by clicking Sign up on the widget on the right side of my blog!

Happy Searching and Earning!

I am soooo excited and this email is why!!!

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Going Vertical !

 

Grandpa Mac retired from teaching this past spring, well sorta...

We received an email offering us some bookshelves.

I got kinda excited. 

Cause despite our best efforts, school always ends up in the dining room.

School gets scattered all over the table.

School time runs into meal time and well we end up with piles.

Piles everywhere.

Piles on the floor.

Piles in the living room.

Piles on the piano.

Piles on the fireplace ledge.

Well maybe this would be the fix...?? 

The Hubby was not to sure about more stuff in the house.

First he said, "No," then he paused and said, "Yes."

Then he asked where?

He was not too sure about my plan.

But after this many years of marriage, he is learning to let me try and fail....

and sometimes not fail!!!

This was definitely a win!!!

I am learning too.

As time has passed and lots of decorating fails, I am learning.

With his agreement to buy some pretties to pretty up my dining room.

I spent a whole weekend in between activities and such

sprucing up my dining room and going vertical.

 

 

 

 

 

Jehovah Jireh My Provider, His Grace is Sufficient for Me

A couple of weeks ago, I took Little Princess for a physical. Perfectly smooth morning it was. We stopped and found an awesome garage sale on our way towards home. Had a couple of chuckles and some fun together. While at the garage sale her nose starts gushing. The lady running the garage sale was sooo gracious. She was quick to grab some kleenex and kept encouraging us to take more. This nose bleed was slowing down none to quickly. Both Little Princess and I were grateful we stopped at the sale because otherwise this would have happened in the car and I was out of kleenexes in the car. AIY! As we would find out, I couldn't even find a restaurant napkin in the suburban. Completely unusual for us. But considering the time of year it is to be expected. Ragweed season and I am always sneezing, sniffling and sometimes the others join in with me.

We take our tissues, and special garage sale finds and continue on our path to home. Our path has another stop at the grocery store.

 

All was going well, and I told Little Princess to lay down, because we were only going a half mile to the store and we were on the back roads. If she laid down she would be better able to get the bleeding stopped.

 

We stopped at the light and within seconds, Little Princess is asking if we had been hit. Yep! In spite, of my assurances that all would be okay. We had been rear-ended at the stop light. The other driver, a nurse, is quick to check on us and we cross the street to a parking lot. When she sees Little Princess' bloody tissues she becomes concerned. I reassure her, no worries.

 

 But the bummer is we are running out of tissues and my nose is starting to act out because I standing outside in the Kansas wind. The police come... they discover the blood and ask if we need an ambulance. NOPE! Everyone is okay. Just a nose bleed. Cars are banged and bruised. Insurance companies will have to be called. Everyone is okay. The bleeding has stopped, so has my sniffling.
Good thing there are no more tissues.  

Once released we make our way to the store. Why do I have to go to the store?

Because between school, life and putting stuff on EBay, I have failed to keep up on my deal shopping for household goods. Thankfully, there was once upon a stockpile. Nothing like what you will see on Extreme Couponing. A stockpile nonetheless. However, when life gets hectic, that pile can dwindle.

I actually found myself needing to crisis shop for dishwasher detergent.

When I say crisis I mean, the dishwasher was full and there was overflow in the sink. This would be a run the dishwasher 3 times day.

If I was truly industrious, I would have searched online, found a recipe and made my own. But life is hectic and busy and well the store is only 2 miles away. The five dollars I would spend was so not worth all the time I would spend trying to find a recipe and make it.

I did think to grab my coupons, because

I vaguely recalled there was a buy 10 things get $5 off sale happening.

Good thing, because I was down to my last bottle of laundry detergent. I scored all of the below for my target prices when keeping up with the deals!

6 bottles of laundry detergent

Cereal

Pringles...just to be kind to my crew

Gatorade

and of course dishwasher detergent!

 

But did I remember tissues?  NOPE !

I left the store telling God thank you.

"Thank you for protecting us.  Thank you for the deals. Thank you for providing for me and my family. Thank you for a healthy daughter.  Thank you for no blood in the car.
(This is because, I told Little Princess I was sorry for stopping at the garage sale.  The accident might have been avoided if I had stopped.  She quickly pointed out if we hadn't stopped she would have bled all over the car.  Such an insightful young lady.)
Thank you for such a friendly driver to have hit us.  Thank you for insurance.

Thank you God for your provision.

Thank you for your faithfulness."

Find It Games

My kids are in love with this game.  I recently bought it for my Granny.  She is wheelchair bound after falling and breaking her hip.  Her memory is fading.  Yet she likes to look at things.  After reading several reviews on various websites regarding memory loss I figured we would give it a try. Unfortunately, we are battling illnesses and have yet to deliver it to her.  But my kids have tested it out to see if it was the bees knees or not. They gave it two thumbs up.  I am thinking for trips in the car, times when we are visiting Granny and the adults are doing more visiting than children this will be a good distraction!  We just might find one or more of these in the mail or under the Christmas tree.



(if you want to quickly find this item on Amazon, click on the photo or click on the tab "My Amazon Store")
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24 Hours with Fun Girl

Recently, I snuck away with Fun Girl for 24-36 hours.  Who is counting?

It was just her and me time.

To save money we took advantage of Grandpa's empty house a few blocks away.

He is out of town, and Daddy O sleeps there during the day when he has to work the night shift.

Just the same as staying in a hotel, but no room keys to keep up with and a kitchen to

stock up with yummy treats.  It just felt more homey than a hotel.

I picked her up from work and swim practice,

ordered pizza.

Then we did a Bible Study,

laughed and giggled and talked. 

That was sooo good for this momma.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day there were donuts and fruit that the guys had cut up the day before

for us and tucked in the fridge.

Luxury of using Grandpa's showers and pitter pattering through the house.

Another Bible Study time and off to the mall.

First store we came across was this one. 

Doesn't it sparkle and have lots of fun things to try on!

 

 

The above was Fun Girl's favorite.

Much to her suprise, Mommy announced we were getting the ring.

Her class/purity ring.

She was SPEECHLESS.

Anyone who knows Fun Girl knows she never lacks words to say.

She even talks in her sleep.

The rest of the day, I caught her looking at her hand, shaking her head and smiling.

Still in disbelief.

She had a hard time concentrating on shopping. 

Which my wallet appreciated. 

Silly girl, one of her favorite parts in the uniqueness of the ring and detail work around the emerald, but she will quickly tell you, we found it in the clearance case!

Silly girl, she thinks that is one of the coolest parts.

I am afraid to say, but I think she is becoming her Mother's Daughter. :)

 

 

She did manage to try on clothes and this was one

of the beautiful dresses she tried on and we didn't buy.

She did find a LBD that was super versatile and makes

her Daddy shake his head.

Looks to pretty and grown up for his taste.

Bothers him, that his little girl is growing up.

 

 

We shopped till I could shop no more. 

We laughed and giggled and then dashed off to dinner.

Acknowledging that as much as fun as we had, the rest of the family

would probably want us to return soon.

So off to Grandpa's to pick up our stuff.

So much nicer than having it in the car all day.

Back home, to show and tell and relive our memories

with the crew and Daddy O

 

Shortly after our time together, I posted on her facebook. 

"Your heart is more beautiful than your ring. When you look at your ring remember that and remember you are more valuable.
Love yoU!"

 

I hope she will always remember that!

Fruit Tales....

My oldest kiddos were raised on Veggie Tales. 

We loved the movies.  As Hockey Player grew up, he discovered Larry Boy and then Bible Man.  So naturally, the younger two boys grew up on Bible Man and eventually Star Wars....  My warriors.  Every once in a while, they get to watch Veggie Tales in the children's ministry at chuch. 

The years have passed and references to Veggie Tales will illicit some groans from my olders.  They are older and so much more mature and cool now.  So imagine my suprise, when I selected my produce at the grocery store and heard, "IT'S LARRY!!!!   IT'S LARRY!"

 

Once home, there was some embellishments. 

 

 

And then Bob's fans became hungry !

 

 

And a little violent!

 

 

 

Looking good Bob!

 

 

 

 

 

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Just Like Dad....

Shopping not too long ago with the kids, THE Man
finds a pair of shoes. 

He won't give up.

He has gotta have them.

I stop the hunt and say something like, but you won't wear them.

"Yes, I will."

and before I say yes or no

he says,

"I am getting shoes just like daddy, only daddy's are bigger!"

How could I say no?

 

Like Mother Like Daughter!!! I am so Proud of Her

It was one of those days.  I had been putting it off all week.  The weekend came and I felt crummy.

Hubby gave me a pass and let me rest the weekend away.

I just didn't want to do it.

It was ~

GROCERY Shopping!

With kids in tow!

Mondays the Commissary is closed.

We were scraping the bottom of the barrel. 

But the bonus is, we really cleaned out the freezer, cause this wasn't the first time in the last 6 weeks I pushed off the inevitable. 

With one kiddo on a church outting, and two at home playing games I made my way to the store. 

With not 2 kiddos but 3. 

If you know me well, the math does not add up.

But we were babysitting this particular Tuesday.

Talk about putting things off and not getting any better as time passes.

My kids aren't so bad, but it was a BIG trip.

Did I mention we had no food in the house? 

You aren't suppose to go to the store hungry.

So I popped some popcorn for in the car.

REALLY!

All sorts of suggestions and requests, cause you know, they had seen so much food in forEVER!

And food is a growing child's LOVE language.

and LOTS of IT!

I am couponing.  I am thinking.  I don't have a list, but it doesn't

really matter cause the cupboards are bare and I am just

getting the ESSENTIALS!

We discover lemonade for 50 cents, cause someone left a whole bunch of awesome coupons! 

YEAH!

A few more aisles along, I head to the meat counter and Fun Girl

starts trying to talk to me. 

There are 2 times in my life children are not to talk to me...

when I am paying bills and balancing the checkbook

AND

when I am grocery shopping with coupons and trying to not go over budget.

YEP!

AND my 16 year old Fun Girl is trying to tell me something about BBQ sauce.

Really, cause doesn't she know I don't like the stuff?

Really! 

Let me pick out the MEAT already.  

Not to mention, our friend for the day is asking me all sorts of questions about the meat.

She thinks she is one of mine and keeps asking me if we can buy stuff.

Obviously, she isn't one of mine or she would know NOT to talk to me.

(Are you laughing yet?)

While I am selecting meat she says..."GROSS!!!!

If that is lunch I am not eating it. "

And I am trying to think about anything but lunch

cause when I am done,

 I don't want anything to do with food again for at least 12 hours. 

PLUS, this is the area, that always gets me into trouble.

I, always, go over budget in the meat department. 

So bad so, hubby is suppose to shop with me and take care of it.

BUT, alas, he is not there and I am trying.

And

 they

are

talking

 to

 me.

Further down, she asks, "WHAT IS THIS?"

Brisket.

"OHHHH BEEF"

sure thing sweetie

"MOM the BBQ deal is really good" ~ Fun Girl.

again with the BBQ sauce.

Deep breathe, okay sweetie tell me about this deal.

You buy this, and this and this and it is like free!

HUH?

So I try to do some mental math, but my head is back in the meat dept. 

I left condiments and lemonade a long time ago. 

I come up with well, it will cost us about $4 but okay, just give me the coupons and lets

get the stuff in the cart so I can get back to my meat.

$4 is worth it if they stop talking.

She hads me coupons and then she says,

"Don't forget these!"

What are these?

WHOA  NELLY! 

This deal just got sweeter.

She has learned the fine art of stacking coupons.

It is a 3 part deal.

Coupon for lemonade we found on lemonade shelf.

Plus, coupon for if you buy 2 BBQ bottles and 1 lemonade.

Plus coupon if you buy 2 BBQ.

3 items ~ 3 coupons.

End result

$0.50 overage for each threesome.

It didn't cost me $4.

It provided me with $4 in overage

THAT IS MY GIRL!!!

She was so excited and couldn't wait to tell her daddy.

She did it all on her own.

Good thing my family likes BBQ sauce, cause did I mention, I don't like the stuff!

But I do like the lemonade.

She is a crochet machine!

Little Princess is going to town with her crotcheting.  After her potholder and 2 hats, she decided to learn how to make an afghan.  She pulled out the afghan my Grandma made me 30 years ago. 

Sized it up.  Looked at it from all angles.  Counted the number of squares.  All sorts of wheels were turning in her head.  She watched this video a bit more...

and watched some You-Tube videos.
Then she got to work.
This is what she created for her American Girl doll. 

I am in awe of her talent and ability.  Not only that, but her passion for crocheting.  She is doing the research.  She is doing the self-teaching.  She is reaching out to others and asking questions.  All of it  is done in her free time.  Not in place of school or chore time.  She loves it.  She starts talking about the next 30 projects while she is in the midst of one already.  Always think ahead of what else she can create.

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