I'm saying no to:

• the long lasting, room clearing effects from eating a Fiber One bar.  Yikes.

• ripping open a piece of mail and then putting it back in the ripped envelope.  Throw the envelope away.

• trying to change an email address on MySpace - what a joke.

• the items that get lodged into our evil garbage disposal and are forever mutilated.

• the dude at the gym doing crunches next to me and farts while I'm trying to run on the treadmill.  He must have had one of those Fiber bars too.

• drivers who avoid the yellow turn lane warning lines and then cut over to make a turn.  They are there as a warning - it's okay to drive over them, they will not hurt your tires.  

Puh-lease!

Goodbye sippy cups.

I have a confession to make.  

I still let my 3 year old drink out of a sippy cup.  

Go ahead, judge me.  I am hanging my head in shame.  Bad mommy!

I guess I do it out of convenience.  There are less spills and messes with the sippy cup.  Now I will say I only give it to him in the morning with his milk.  Otherwise, during the day he gets a regular cup sans lid.  

But today was the straw that broke the camels back per se.

I was cleaning up around the house and noticed a sippy cup.  I don't know how long it had been hanging around and it looked empty, but definitely used.  I took it to the sink, opened it up to wash it out and about passed out from the stench that came out of the cup.  It literally smelled like someone vomited in the cup, added vinegar and sulfur and let it cook in the sun for a few days.  

P.U.T.R.I.D.

R.O.T.T.E.N.

S.T.A.N.K.

N.A.S.T.Y.

This topped any bad smell I've ever experience before in my life.  By far.  And I have three kids. 

 

Enough said.

Needless to say, the sippy cups are making their way to the trash a new home in T minus 6 days.  I had to give Luke advanced warning.  He turns 4 next Tuesday so I told him that on his birthday the sippy cups go bye-bye.  

Adios puke cups - you will not be missed  (at least not by me).

Trip to the city

Today I made my first solo trip into the city of Cleveland.  Well, solo being I drove myself because I actually had my little guy (Luke) with me.  

The reason for the trip was to see a neurologist.  Last year around this time I went to one in Indiana for some dizziness I had been experiencing.  I was diagnosed with BPV which stands for benign positional vertigo.  Basically, my symptoms were that I would begin to feel dizzy and feel like the room was spinning when I would lay flat.  It got pretty bad last year to where I couldn't even blow dry my hair without feeling dizzy.  Just tipping my head upward initiated it.  It sucked, to say the least.  So I got fed up and enlisted professional help.  

Luckily it is a very easy thing to fix by means of particular head positioning from a vertigo specialist.  And I have been dizzy free until a few weeks ago.  I am not sure what triggered it again, but it is back and now I have to start from scratch in finding a vertigo specialist out here in Ohio. 

That is why I went downtown to Cleveland.  I had a 2 pm appointment with a general neurologist and got there 15 minutes early.  Luke had his backpack full of things to keep him occupied.  It wasn't until 3:30 that I was actually called back.  Very irritating.  

During the exam the doctor, who totally reminded me of Doogie Howser MD (Neil Patrick Harris), had me push against his arms while I was seated on the table.  Well, either I have super natural strength or he is a wimp, but I literally slid his body a foot across the floor.  You should have seen the look on his face - it was a bit of shock and shame mixed together.  And his comment was the best.  He said, "Looks like I need to get myself to the gym."  

Luke was starting to get bored and curious - not a good combination in a 3 almost 4 year old boy.  Luckily, my appointment was almost over after being there 3 1/2 hours.  

We walked back to the parking garage and drove to the window area to pay.  When we pulled up to the parking attendant Luke yells out, "Mom, order me a cheeseburger!"  He must have thought we were in a McDonald's drive thru.  Too cute!  

I was so glad I had my GPS with me because I ended up getting so mixed up to which direction I was heading.  My compass said I was heading west but it sure felt like I was driving east.  That is such a strange sensation.  I was able to find my way home thanks to my handy GPS, otherwise I could have easily ended up in Pennsylvania.  

I did end up getting the referral I needed to see a vertigo specialist and I am also scheduled for an MRI this Friday to make sure there is nothing else causing the problems I am experiencing.  

Fun stuff.  

And to top it all off, this marks my 400th post.  How in the world did that happen already?  Wow.

Quick Weekend Recap

I (including my 3 boys) took a quick whirlwind trip back to Indiana this weekend (literally there for 24 hours - and it's a 9 hour round trip).  But it was SO worth it.  

I got to be part of a very meaningful event to honor Beth's twin boys James and Jake who left this world too soon.  The March of Dimes was a success and all the sweat that each team member shed during the 6.5 miles of walking (or running in my case) was done for the sake of helping this worthwhile cause.

I consider it a privilege to be a part of this team and group of friends and family.  It's such a great feeling to be involved and feel that I am making a contribution to such a great cause.  Thanks so much to those of you who made a monetary donation to the team.  We hit our goal and couldn't have done it without the support of each person who contributed.  I know Beth and her family were feeling the love yesterday and continue to do so.  

Great commercial

This has got to be one of the best commercials I have seen in a long time.  So funny!

My sink is a monster

Check out its latest victim.

The perfect contest.

I recently re-joined Twitter.  I thought I'd give it another chance and actually try to use it this time around.  

I found this site via 5 Minutes for Mom and decided to join in the fun.  It's called Plumkeeper and they are having a "Moms Tweet the Darndest Things About Their Kids" Twitter contest.  Basically you submit tweets about things your kids say or do that are funny.  

Yeah, this is perfect for me and my boys.  So I spent some time during the day digging up some of my favorites from the years past and posted them.  It would be really cool if one of them made it to the finals.  We'll find out on May 2nd when they choose the top 5.  

If you are on Twitter you should join in on the fun.  There are some good stories on there so far.

I added one that had just happened as I was folding laundry.  Sometimes I play a laundry game with Luke where I will pull out a piece of clothing and ask him random questions about the item such as who it belongs to, what color it is, etc.  Well, I pulled out a pair of thong underwear and asked him what he thought it was.  His response, "broken underwear."  

 

Humor from the boys

For anyone new to my blog, I have a reoccurring series that I call "kid sayings."  My three boys provide me with many examples of their humorous view of every day events.  Here are some more for you to enjoy.

___________________________________________

Carson asked me if all his remaining teeth were to fall out would he have to get fake vampire teeth.

___________________________________________

While the boys (Carson and Luke) were playing in the other room I overheard  Carson say, "Luke, call me Master!"

___________________________________________

Luke and I were playing with and petting our dog, Sasha.  Luke asked, "Mom, does Sasha have armpits and can I tickle them?"

___________________________________________ 

I was helping Carson with his kindergarten homework and the topic was tornado drills.  I asked him where we would go if there was a tornado or bad weather.  His response in all seriousness was, "Florida."

___________________________________________

There is a boy in our neighborhood whose name is Christian, but the way Luke says it is, "Rishkin."

___________________________________________

Out of the blue Luke asks me, "Mom, do I have a cute neck?"

___________________________________________

While driving in the van we saw two large deer cross the road in front of us.  Luke noticed them and asked if we could stop and pet the deer.  I told him no because they might bite us or smack us with their legs (hey, I've seen it before on AFV!).  Then Luke asked, "Will they poop on me?"

Warning

This serves as your warning.  

I am about to share with you the most addictive homemade item known to all chocolate lovers.

I bring you. . . . . 

The 5 minute Chocolate Mug Cake (scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

It's like Warm Delights meets Betty Homemaker-Do-It-Yourself.  

All I can say is thank you to Together We Save for leaving a comment on my blog the other day. If it hadn't been for her visit and comment, I would have never found out about this simple and highly addictive recipe.

Here it is and don't say I didn't warn you.  The name should be changed to 5 Minute Chocolate Crack Cake.  Seriously.

• 4 TBSP flour
• 4 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSP cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 TBSP milk
• 3 TBSP oil
• 3 TBSP chocolate chips
• splash of vanilla extract

In a large microwave-safe mug add dry ingredients and mix well.  

Add the egg and mix well. 

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips and vanilla and mix well.

Put mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes (using a 1000 watt microwave).

The cake will rise over the top of the mug - it's ok.

Allow to cool a little.  Tip out onto plate or eat out of the mug.  

I like to sprinkle it with powdered sugar, whipped cream or serve it with ice cream to punch up the calories.  Why not - you're already eating homemade cake!

Enjoy your awesomeness-in-a-mug.

My new buddy

I would like to introduce you to my new best friend.

This new friend of mine holds me accountable, encourages me, helps me stay healthy, joins me at the gym, is the perfect shape, has amazing features, and makes me have to pee a lot.

Meet my new water bottle.

After the UBP (Ultimate Blog Party) I was notified that I was a winner.  Whoo-hoo!  

I won a gift certificate to The Soft Landing online store. I had never heard of this store before.  They specialize in selling safe feeding products that are free of BPA, PVC and other unsafe plastics.  I looked around the store and found a few things that I knew my boys would enjoy and decided to buy myself a new water bottle for the gym.  

But this isn't just any old water bottle this is a special one.  It is a Thermos brand 24 oz. Intak water bottle.  The lid operates with the push of a button keeping the spout clean when not in use.  It has a flip up loop which makes it easy to carry around.  It's dishwasher safe and it fits in the cup holder of my van (big bonus!).  Plus the coolest feature on this bad boy is the rotating meter that helps you keep track of how much water you've consumed (from 1 to 6).  Sweet!

And just for the record I am not getting paid to endorse this product, nor am I giving anything away (bummer, I know).  It is just me recommending a new find that I wanted to share with you all.  

You're welcome.  

Now go get yourself one.  The green one is still on sale for $10.  

To angle or not to angle.

That is the question.

I have a confession to make.  

I am a habitual angler.  And I'm not talking about fishing. 

We're talking home design and decorating, neither of which I have a knack for, but I do my best at what I've got.

So I ask myself why do I feel the need to angle?  Is it because it makes the room flow smoother?  Is it a waste of space?  Or am I just strange?  

I'd say a little of all the above. 

Here are some documented cases of angling currently going on in our home.

Let's start in the kitchen.  First up, the radio, which is set up in the corner at an angle.

Then we have the coffee maker at an angle in corner # 2.
Next angled stop at corner # 3 is the Kitchen Aid.
And don't forget the wine rack also in another corner of the kitchen and nicely angled.
Oh, but it doesn't stop at just the counter level, here is one above the cabinets.

Next stop is the office - check out the bookshelf. What do you think?  Angled?

Or not angled?

Then in the living room is another piece of angled furniture?  Are you getting sick of this yet?

But wait, there's more! Check out my bedroom and the oversized TV and TV stand which I can't wait to replace.  The color has even gone out on the TV so we watch shows in black and white.

Even that picture on the dresser is angled if you look closely.

But I don't stop in the bedroom - we move on to the master bathroom.  I think if I could I would angle the toilet.  

Even the basement has some sort of anglement going on.  (Was that even a word?)

And if you take a step outside with me you will notice the basketball hoop in it's own angle of the yard. 

Even the construction of the house makes great use of angles and corners - the built in angled display area.

What do you think?  Extreme?  Is it time for an angle intervention? 

Or should I just hire a professional interior decorator?  Yeah, right.

 

A weekend of new

This weekend I experienced quite a few new things:

• I played the game Blokus which I keep pronouncing wrong.  (Thanks Laura for bringing that over!) Now it is on my shopping list - one of Luke's b-day gifts.  That works.
• I pitifully sang a song in front of Jason and 2 of his musically talented friends.  I wish I could say I rocked it, but I was more embarrassed and nervous.  They made me do it or maybe it was the cosmos.  Hmm.
• I bought a new cool gadget which is similar to a blackberry, but is strictly for getting your email on the go.  And it was a steal.  Originally $49 and marked down to $12.  
• I took 2 classes back to back at the gym yesterday and am sore today.
• I took a super long nap today and now I am afraid I won't be able to sleep tonight.
• I signed up for a Netflix account and we got our first movie in the mail yesterday.  What a cool concept and it's reasonable priced.
• Our family took a walk together around the block - all six of us (that includes the dog).
• I pulled out and was able to wear my tank tops, capris and sandals up until today.

And that pretty much sums up my weekend.  How was yours?

What a deal

Today I went to Target.  On my list was rice, Cosmopolitans and shoes.  What a combination.

Taylor decided to tag along with me and wanted to check out the "techie" aisle, you know where the ipods are and such.  

I have no interest in that area, but agreed to let him browse since he had a gift card that was burning a hole in his pocket.  

While looking around I spotted an end-cap clearance section.  I am completely drawn to these areas of Target.  And they always seem to be hidden away from the main walk areas.  I bet this is planned for a reason.  

I started digging through the Hannah Montana DS games and odd battery sizes and found a cool pair of Sony active headphones.  The original sticker price said $28.79 and the sale price said $20.15.  Not much of a deal, but I have been wanting a new pair of headphones for my weekly run and these seemed perfect. So I figured, at least they were on sale and I would try them out. 

I didn't pay attention when the lady was scanning my items, but when I got home I was in for a very nice surprise.  Check out the receipt, last line. 

$7.18  

Whoo-hoo!!!

I love bargains! (and Target!)

The shoes were cute too.  Check 'em out.

Face Painting

Last night at the gym the child care workers were doing face paintings for the kids.  Carson of course would not participate.  He doesn't like unwanted attention and the thought of someone painting his face does not appeal to him.  

Luke on the other hand was thrilled.  When I came to pick them up after Turbo Kick class the girls told me Luke had asked for them to paint a butterfly on his cheek.  So I am thinking ok, that is fine, I bet they made it a cool camouflage "manly-boyish" butterfly. 

Then I spotted Luke in the back of the room.

Apparently, he requested a pink butterfly.  I may need to have a talk with this boy in the near future, but for now he is rocking the pink butterfly as cute as can be.

My blog - in a nutshell.

Here is some background information about blogs:

Personal blogs

The personal blog, an ongoing diary or commentary by an individual, is the traditional, most common blog. Personal bloggers usually take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read by anyone but them. Blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality. Few personal blogs rise to fame and the mainstream, but some personal blogs quickly garner an extensive following. As of December 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 112 million blogs.

Therapeutic benefits

Scientists have long known the therapeutic benefits of writing about personal experiences. Blogs provide another convenient avenue for writing about personal experiences. Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell activity and even speeds healing after surgery.

Why I blog?

I realize there are some people that don't understand blogging and therefore may not agree with it. 

I started blogging over 3 years ago to document my boys and the things they say and do for my own type of record keeping.  Think of it like an online "baby" book.  I didn't have much if any of an audience (and still really don't) but that does not matter much to me.  My focus and 98% of the material I share revolves around humor and things that bring a smile to my face.  Most people who truly know me as a person know I am very light-hearted and also a wee bit sarcastic.  I am also upbeat and find the bright side of situations.  

But, I too am human and experience all range of emotions like every normal person on earth.  For the most part I keep the negative out of my blog unless a) I feel that by talking about my situation, others may be able to relate and find a bond and realize that it's okay to share how they are feeling or b) I've had one too many glasses of wine and the alcohol's doing the talking.  That would definitely be the case a few days ago.  I was reminiscing while being back in my home town for Easter.  (Note to self: never blog after having a few drinks ever again.)

Simply, my blog should be taken at face value without thinking about what else it could mean.

I am very happy and content with where I am in my life right now.  I have an awesome, supportive, and loving husband who means the world to me and who I can go to and talk with and find encouragement from.  And my boys bring so much joy, laughter, and meaning to my life.  We've found a wonderful church that we are starting to feel a real part of.  My life's not perfect by any means, but really, whose is and what fun would it be if it were?  I am finding balance and it feels really good.

 

So while you're here take a look at some of the bloggers that I read on a daily basis.  Go on - check 'em out over there to the right in my blog roll.  There's more bloggers in the blogosphere than little ol' me.  

And feel free to comment.  The best explanation I have ever read about a blog's comment section is from my friend Beth. Click the link to read her entire post, but here is a brief recap:   

"A comment is more than just a comment, it’s feedback, it’s conversation, it’s appreciation. . .  A blogger who is appreciated is more likely to be a happy blogger and a happy blogger blogs for a long time and doesn’t stop because they are under appreciated or frustrated.
The best way I can explain the importance to you, is with this question: Can you imagine wanting to share a story, a thought or a belief with forty people and preparing what you had to say, choosing the right words and nervously approaching them and then saying what you had to say, you say it just as you planned and you wait for the response and the person you are talking to listens to you, looks at you and just walks away.  Without a smile, a frown - no reaction.  They just walk away.  And out of the forty people you say this to, only one replies to you.  That’s how it feels for a blogger."  

Now let's move forward and bring back what I've always intended to represent:  Finding the humor in life with 3 boys.

Wine and multi-tasking do not mix (very well).

Or this could alternately be titled, "Lynette doesn't know how to use a phone."

Let me set the stage for you.

Last night, I got the kids to bed, came downstairs, poured  myself another glass of wine, and sat down to watch American Idol via Tivo.  I can't stand to watch it live and not be able to fast forward over Paula's babbling non-sense.  

I got through Allison's performance and felt a little let down.  I love that girls voice, but I wasn't feeling her with that song choice.  Plus her choice of clothing didn't do her any favors.  

Next up was Anoop - dawg.  He has been hit and miss these past few weeks so I was curious to see how he would perform this evening.  And let me just say I was blown away.  He sealed the deal for me and prompted me (for the first time this season) to pick up the phone and vote.  And I was only 2 contestants in. 

So here I am dialing with the phone in one hand and holding my wine in the other hand while watching the other Idols do their thing and attempting to fast forward over Paula and the commercials.  At one point I was so caught up with the multi-tasking going on that I pushed redial on the phone and put the wine glass up to my ear instead of the phone.  Luckily I caught myself before I caused a mess.  But I had to laugh.  

That reminds me of the time when I was back in high school.  I was in a deep sleep when the phone rang.  I didn't have my contacts in and couldn't find my glasses in time to reach for the phone.  I ended up picking up the TV remote control and talking into it thinking it was the phone.  Duh!     

Worst show and tell - ever.

Back when I was a kid in elementary school I vividly recall having show and tell.  It was the highlight of the week.  

I remember one in particular that had a theme of the smallest show and tell item.  I decided to start a collection in my clear zip lock baggie.  In it I put a paperclip, a tiny rubber band, a toothpick among other items and the smallest grape I had ever seen.  Looking back on this it was kind of dumb, but I clearly remember doing it.

I never wanted to bring something normal, but it had to be unusual and stand out.  I wanted that wow-factor that would have people talking.  One time I even got permission to bring my dog for show and tell.  That was a good one.

But I will never be able to top the one show and tell that sticks out in my mind and is very disturbing.  There was a boy in my 1st grade class who had been out sick for the week.  When he came back to school we found out that he had to get his tonsils out.  And wouldn't you know it - he brought the grossest show and tell to class upon his return.  Yep, his tonsils.  He sure knew how to impress the ladies.  

Do you have any show and tell memories from your childhood or your kids?  I'd love to hear them. 

It's Dynamite!

This is totally something my boys would say if they found this.  

What's your holiday tradition?

Easter is finally here.  Did the Easter Bunny show up at your house and hide eggs for your kids to find and bring baskets of goodies?

The Easter Bunny had to pay us a visit in Indiana today since we are here visiting family.  But he remembered - barely.  

Here is a fun video for you to enjoy.  I could post this on Christmas, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Halloween.  Watch and you'll see.

Happy Easter!

Reminders

The gentle, yet subtle reminders.


They are all around me.

From the car at the 4-way stop to the lady at the store with her kids.

It is unavoidable.

All of these events stir up feelings from my past. I feel as though these events and occurrences are real, yet they are just a reminder of what I remember life to be.

I am here now creating a new today with new memories not those of my past.

Yet, I still feel the ties to the old. These memories do not cease to be. They are fresh in my mind and draw me back yearning to be made new again.

It is a struggle between past and present and what I yearn to be.

Where do I find the balance? Where do I need to be? How do I move forward and find peace?

Where do I belong?

Hip-T - So cool!

During the Ultimate Blog Party I found some new blog "friends" that I have starting following on their blogs.  One of these new finds is Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy.  Can you guess she has 3 boys like I do?  If you caught on to that you are one smart chick (or dude for the handful of guys that may be reading my blog - bless you!).  But to those few guys, the rest of this post may not be worth your read unless you want to pass on a really cool clothing accessory to your significant other.

Click on over to Lisa's blog where she is having multiple giveaways to celebrate her one year blogging anniversary.  Since I've been blogging for over 3 years now and have never done a giveaway this is my treat to you - I am sharing the wealth.  So you can't say I never gave you anything!

I love the Hip-T product that I have linked to.  It is such a fantastic solution to shirts that aren't quite long enough or if you want the layered shirt look without the bulk and extra insulation that two shirts create.  Brilliant!  I could easily purchase all of the styles, but hopefully I will win one and get hooked and go back for more.  

You can win one too.  Here a a few ways.  Click over to Lisa's blog at the link above and enter her contest which she also gives you multiple chances to enter.  Also on the Hip-T site there is a weekly giveaway.  Click here for details.  

I'm signed up, are you?

Love it!

Yes!  I love this comic that my mom and dad sent me.  Hilarious, being that I am a fan of Snuggies.  Yet, sadly I have not gotten around to ordering one yet.  Until then, I guess I will have to resort to putting my robe on backwards.

Then again, maybe spring will decide to actually show up and I won't need to resort to cultish attire. 

Progress

I literally spent 2 solid hours sorting through 2 boxes of pictures and putting them in photo albums today.  My guess is that there were between 750 - 1000 pictures.  

And you may be wondering why on earth they were in boxes to begin with.  

Because way back when I was in a mommy's group we had a scrapbook get together (probably 3 1 /2 years ago).   Now I had never before done any type of scrapbooking and didn't know much about it, but I really liked the end product.  After that party I came home and emptied 5 years worth of photo albums and made sure they were sorted by month and year.  Now that was a lot of work and I had a huge project on my hands. 

Looking back I probably shouldn't have started with that amount of pictures.  I was completely overwhelmed.  

Guess how many scrapbook pages I have done since that fateful scrapbook party?  

None.  Well, one if you include the one I made during the party.  

(Here's the top and bottom half that I attempted to scan in.)

I priced the supplies and just couldn't bring myself to make that sort of financial and time commitment.

After this recent Christmas I bought some really nice photo albums from none other than Marshalls.  And today I decided to tackle the photo boxes once and for all.  

Some are not exactly in sequential order like a family picture of the three boys, then one of me completely pregnant, but for the most part they flow.  

And that is good enough for me.  

 

Random is as random does

I'm feeling random today, care to join me?

• And I feel like posting with bullet points
  
•  so sue me.
  

• It has been snowing with slight accumulation for the past 2 days.  We actually made a decent size snowman in the front yard and he is slowly tipping over.

• I would take a picture, but the batteries in my camera are dead and I can't find my camera case that holds my charger.

• The last time I remember seeing my camera case was at the Cleveland Cavalier basketball game the end of March. 

• I never told you about the game and why we went.  Maybe another day.

• Today I delivered the final hamster of the 11 babies the mom and dad hamster created.  

• Now we only own 4 hamsters and I am okay with that.  The two boys are in one cage and the two girls are in the other and it will stay like that.

• Luke wants to keep putting the hamsters together.  He thinks the reason Turbo (our very manly hamster) has a big butt is because he ate another hamster.  (What? Is he trying to poop it out or something?)

• It has been one year since we put our Indiana house on the market and it still hasn't sold.

• I have a new favorite Christian artist - Brandon Heath - check him out - awesomeness! 

• On my calendar today I had written down that Carson and Luke had a dentist appointment to get their teeth cleaned.  When I got there they told me I wasn't scheduled for today but had me down for May 19th.  I have never been that early for an appointment - ever.  They were great about it and squeezed us in.

• Carson did amazing getting his teeth cleaned.  He has really matured since the last time.

• I am thinking about getting a different pair of shoes for step class and kickboxing instead of the running shoes I always wear.  Has anyone tried Ryka's and do you like them?  Or do you have any other shoe suggestion?  I need something that will give me support not only front and back, but also side stability.  Maybe a cross trainer?  Who knows?

• This may in fact be one of my most boring posts to date.  And for that I apologize for wasting your time and mine.

Anniversary weekend

Saturday the hubby and I celebrated our wedding anniversary of 11 years.  

We really went all out this year - by staying home, baking a pizza and taquitos along with a homemade cake and cosmos to drink.  My kind of celebration.  

Don't get me wrong, I love to get out and enjoy a night out on the town, but the older I get the more I appreciate the simple joys that life brings.  And I couldn't think of a better way of celebrating than being around the ones that make me happiest along with junk food and alcohol.  

Don't be jealous.

We did exchange cards and gifts.  I got Jason a nice bottle of wine (which I informed him he must share) and also tickets to see our favorite artist when he comes to the House of Blues in Chicago in August (which he also must share with me.)

And he got me a gift card to my favorite store of all time.  So yesterday I was off to get a little alone time and enjoy my 2nd favorite past time - shopping.  I was on a mission to find a new outfit to wear for Easter which I had some success, but I also came out with a few great items you would think I got from an Etsy shop.  They symbolizes and represent what matters most in my life.

If it ain't broke. . .

. . . don't fix it. 

These words of wisdom also apply to dog food.

Case in point:

I usually buy the same dog food for my girl Sasha - old lady senior food.  She's 11 and isn't a young pup anymore, so for the past few years we switched her to the Purina senior formula dog food.  And it's been great for her digestive system as far as being regular goes.  Every morning and every evening I let her outside, she does her things both #1 and #2 and life is good.

Well, you know how I mentioned my frugal-ness yesterday?  During my new trend we ran out of dog food.  I decided to compare prices on dog food and found a good deal on a name brand that I thought would be a decent substitute until payday.  It was a "healthy weight" formula that contained beef, chicken, vegetable & fruit flavors.  And I think it may have a lot more flavors than the senior-bland brand.  

My dog devoured her first bowl in a matter of seconds.  Normally I can fill her bowl in the morning and it will sit all day without being eaten.  Not with this crack dog food.  I thought she may be really hungry and decided to give her a second helping.  

Bad idea.  

I'm not sure if it's the fruit or vegetables or a combination of both, but this dog food causes many opportunities for my dog to have to unload herself, if you know what I mean.  Luckily she is a great dog and will just sit at the back door waiting for me to notice her and her need to go outside.  The first two days on this food I had to let her out 8 times when on average she would only go out 4.  

Is this TMI?  Sorry.

But my point is, even if you find a better deal on dog food - stick to what has been working.

Lesson learned. 

Frugal shopping

I used to not be necessarily "frugal" in my shopping habits.  More specifically grocery shopping.  My thought process was, if I need a certain item, why should I care how much it costs?  

Yes, I'm an idiot. 

Finally, I wised up and decided to actually start paying attention to grocery prices since we are trying to cut back and budget ourselves better these days, and really who isn't?  

I was shocked at how different stores price their items and the difference in prices between so called generic items and name brand.  I usually purchase the generic equivalent anyway.

Also I have started trying to only go to the grocery store once a week or once every two weeks for the primary grocery shopping including meal planning and such.  Of course we run out of milk or wine some other staple and have to make a trip during the week.  That's okay.  

So this week was a bit of a challenge getting started.  By the end of the week the cupboards were really bare and I found Luke one day eating stale marshmallows for a snack.  He didn't seem to care.  I am trying to deplete our inventory before having to purchase more.  It makes sense to me.  And there have been a few creative meals this week due to this new thought process.

It's a lesson we are all slowly learning and in the end it makes me feel good about the decisions and choices I am making for our family.  We are using our money wisely.

Yesterday was grocery shopping day and when I got out of Aldi, I literally measured my receipt because I had never seen one so long in all my shopping days.  It was 22 inches - that's almost two feet long and included nearly 100 items.  All for under $200!  

Now Luke can eat some fresh marshmallows and mommy can buy that extra bottle of wine.

Watch your mouth!

Carson wanted to make a video so I thought, what the heck.  (Excuse the awful music in the background - not my choice.)

At the very end I swear (no pun intended) it sounded like he was saying a very naughty "f-er" word which is why I reacted the way I did, but in reality he was saying, "I'm a fat guy, I'm a fat guy, I'm a fat guy."  Not that saying that particular phrase is appropriate either, but at least it wasn't what I thought it was.  

Ugh!

It's bad enough that the other day he came home and told me a boy on his bus (kindergarten, mind you) taught him a new word, b with an itch.  Not cool.  Kids these days!  I had a nice long talk with Carson about the use of particular words.  Let's hope his vocabulary doesn't get any more colorful than the actual colors of the rainbow.    

The aftermath

How was your April Fools Day?  Mine wasn't too bad considering I'm still here to talk about it.  There were no extreme tricks thankfully.  I always wonder though what my boys could be capable of.  

In the morning I came down to the kitchen where I noticed Taylor played a trick on me.  He had every single cabinet and drawer pulled open.  Not bad for an 11 year old.  

My first attempt was aimed at hubby.  Before he got in his van to leave for work I turned the wipers on high.  I really wanted to turn the vents on high speed and crank the radio up, but all his settings reset back to the original way when the vehicle is turned off.  Technology!  So the wipers were the best I could do.  He didn't look the least bit surprised when he turned on the van.  

Strike one.

My next attempt was towards Carson and Luke.  While they were sitting and eating lunch I pretended to see a fly buzzing around the kitchen.  I grabbed the fly swatter making swings in the air and had them convinced there was a fly in our house.  Carson was getting nervous because he is not a fan of bugs that fly.  Luckily I hit and killed the "bug."  In my hand I had a raisin that I secretly tossed on the floor.  I went up to the (raisin) bug, picked it up and ate it.  The look on the boys faces was priceless.  They were all smiles and from the looks of it they thought their mom just did the coolest thing ever by eating a bug.  I had to assure them it was just a joke and not to try this for real.  Eew!

Next on the list it was my chance to get Taylor.  When he came home from school I had it all ready to go.  I put a bunch of ripped up pieces of paper in a soft plastic bowl and placed it on top of the front door that was cracked open.  The idea was that when he opened the door that the bowl would fall towards him spilling confetti down on him.  Here's where it went wrong.  He came in through the garage instead of the front door.  Aah!  

Strike two.

For dinner I decided to make the meatloaf and potatoes cake that I saw circulating the Internet.  Mine looked more like a disgusting glob of mush, but I had the kids totally falling for it, or at least the younger two.  They were even fighting over who would get to lick the "frosting" that was left over in the pan - which was really mashed potatoes.  Hilarious!   Carson took a bite and almost puked.  Luke took a bite and said it was the best cake ever - and he totally meant it - that boy is something else - power of suggestion.  And Taylor wouldn't fall for it, but said "thanks for the meatloaf Mom."  

To wrap up the evening I had one more trick up my sleeve for Taylor called the short sheet trick.  Here's how it works.    Take the top sheet off the bed and tuck the bottom end under the top end of the mattress. Pull it down then fold it back up so that the top end is where it would be if the bed was made normally. Finish making up the bed like it was before. When the victim tries to climb into bed they'll be surprised when they can't slide their feet all the way to the bottom.  It worked perfectly.  He climbed in bed and pushed his feet a few times.  He had the most confused look on his face, then he looked at me and I couldn't contain myself anymore and almost peed my pants laughing so hard.  He didn't think it was so funny and actually got upset which made me feel bad.  But in the end he was mostly upset because he wasn't able to pull off any really cool tricks on anyone.  

Oh, but next year I can see the paybacks coming in full force.  I may just have to plan a vacation around that time - sans kids!

Here are a few other tricks I found while browsing the Internet that I thought were funny but didn't get a chance to use (maybe next year!):

• Sneeze trick: Fill a spray bottle with warm water.  Go up behind someone or as someone turns away from you pretend to sneeze and spray the back of their neck.

• Bloody finger trick: Poke a hole with your finger in the bottom of a Styrofoam cup or use a paper cup (or small box) cutting a small hole that your finger can fit through. Pour ketchup on it and show it to your kids.

• Ripped pants: Find a small scrap of fabric that can be ripped easily (or even a piece of Velcro). Place a dollar bill on the floor or your cell phone or anything that someone would reach down and pick it up.  When they bend over, rip the cloth and instinctively they will reach back to feel if they ripped their pants.

• The unexpected: Gather all the cereal boxes and switch the bags so they are all in the wrong box.  

• Who said that?: Hide the speaker of a baby monitor in a room where everyone is sitting.  Make random sounds every few minutes.  This would be funny with a fart machine too.  I am easily amused, can't you tell?

• Rise & Shine: After your victim has gone to bed and is sound asleep, hide their alarm clock (making sure to reset it!) somewhere else in the room.

• Toilet bubbles: Pour a capful of dish soap in the toilet. When your victim flushes they will be surprised with a bowl full of bubbles.

It really was a fun and memorable day that I am sure the kids won't soon forget and isn't that really what it's all about?  

Wordless Wednesday - Wine Glass

Do you suppose one night the creators of photo booth were sitting around drinking wine and came up with the warped picture idea because of this?

For more Wordless Wednesday participants click here.

Happy April Fools Day!  Are you playing any tricks today?

Come back later on to find out what tricks were played on my family today.