Bippity Boppity Boutique

Yesterday, my 2 oldest went on a field trip with one of they classes they attend on Mondays. They went to the Bippity Boppity Boutique. Here they were transformed into princesses. They had a great time and will never forget it! Here are some pictures of the new princesses.

Waiting and Watching

Make-up!!The Wand of Glitter (oh, I mean pixie dust)Princess MorganMy dainty little AveryNo fighting on THIS trip!

Could they be more beautiful?!

Okay, Here's What Makes Him Cute...

After doggin' my little 3 year old, I feel compelled to tell you some of the things that just make me smile, laugh and squeeze and kiss him. I know I am a little subjective in my perspective, but bare with me.

1) He refers to anything that happened a couple days ago or longer in the past as "a long day ago". So, you will hear him often saying things like, "Remember when we went to see that movie with the bad guy and the silly girl? It was a long day ago." I'm sure it is way cuter to hear him say it in person, but you get the point.

2) He loves the phrase, "OH, Snap!" and he uses it correctly. So, if he asks to do something and you say no or if something happens that is very cool, he will let out a very loud and emphatic, "OH, Snap!". People who have never heard him say this before usually turn and look and giggle. It just sounds funny coming out of the mouth of a 3 year old. BTW, he has discovered how cute he is when he says it, so now I hear this phrase approximately 100 times a day.

3) He will wake up in the middle of the night asking for a hug and kiss if one of us forgets to do that before we go to bed. I don't know how he remembers something like that in the middle of the night, but he does.

4) He wakes up from a deep sleep with a smile on his face. He is the only one of my kids that I can wake up and before his eyes are open, he will show me the sweetest grin ever. I think he just may end up being a morning person.

5) He LOVES his mommy!! He really is a daddy's boy, but he has no problem loving on mommy and me loving on him. He went through a short phase where he didn't want any women (including me) to hug or kiss him. After a "mommy can hug and kiss you all she wants" talk, we got back on track. He really is a snuggling and loving kind of kid. I soak up every minute of it! I know there will come a day when I won't be able to convince him of the mommy can hug and kiss all she wants rule anymore. Until then, I'll take it!

The OCD 3 Year Old!

I have never met another boy like him. He has to be on the of the most particular, perfectionist, anal, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) children I know. Let me give some true examples to help build my case:

1) No matter how hard you try, you never can make his food right. Either he wanted the bread for his sandwich toasted or didn't want the jelly, or he wanted it cut in 2 pieces not 4 or he wanted more sauce or less. It doesn't matter, it's not right! Also, if he cannot get the food to sit properly on the fork/spoon in order to get him the bite he wants, everyone in the room knows about it.

2) Coloring is an art and very precise, not just scribbling. He gets extremely frustrated if he cannot make what is in his head translate to paper. You will often see him throwing a paper/pencil to the floor out of frustration. If he is told, "it looks great! You did a great job!". He will tell you how wrong you are and why the picture is not correct.

3) When playing with a ball outside, it is always your fault when he doesn't catch or hit the ball. You should be standing a different way or throwing higher or lower or you are supposed to do some specific type of move before you throw.

4) He can ask the same question every day, receive the same response every day and yet ask again the next.

5)When playing with toys, there are very detailed rules on how to play. Of course, blocks should be built symmetrically and dinosaurs should stand at attention in a line. He has a very difficult time when he has spent 30 minutes building his masterpiece and another 3 year old comes by and knocks it all down!

Well, in case you haven't figured out who I am talking about, this would be my one and only son. I should probably list a few disclaimers about my parenting as well (so as to avoid the parenting advice I'm sure will be coming in the comments).
I am not a parent who will cater to my children's every little whim.
If he doesn't like the way I made his food, I DO NOT fix it. If he complains, he leaves the table.
If he complains about the way I am playing with or reading to him, I stop.
I teach him that the best part about building something is getting to knock it down.

It's a good thing he is so darn cute!! He also is the biggest love bug and his dimple makes me smile every time. I mean, really, look at the picture... don't you just want to give him the biggest kiss ever?!!

We Arrived 10 Minutes Early!!

We actually got out the door on time and the drive went very smoothly and we pulled into the parking lot 10 minutes early! Woo-hoo!!

The day went very well. It was good to see first-hand how the program worked and exactly the routine they use. After all is said and done, I think I would really enjoy teaching in this position. I think the most challenging part for me will be having my own child in my classroom.

Sydney will be in 1st grade next year and I would be teaching the K-1st graders. Ya know how some children do better if their parents are around keeping an eye on them, Sydney does worse. She feeds off me and is my strongest willed child. If I do take this position, I would need a couple heart to heart conversations with my little strong one. I probably will have to have conversations every week on the way there and every week on the way back.

Anyway, it looks like if the current teacher decides not to come back next year, I am hired. Also, my sister-in-law has applied for the same position and we would probably be team teachers for the class if the position is open.

I should know by the week of April 7. I'll be sure to keep you updated.

Checking out the Teaching Program

I am going to be spending all day tomorrow at the school program that I interviewed for last week. She asked me to come and check out how things are run and to bring my kids and let them sit in.
So, I am trying to find a good outfit to wear, prepare lunches for the 4 of us, pick out what the kids will wear and plan the morning to be able to get out the door by 8:00 a.m.! I'm sure leaving the house by 8 with 3 kids is something many of you are used to. It just doesn't happen around here.
Wish me good luck!

Winn-Dixie Deal for the Week (3/26-4/1)

I have not been all that impressed with the Winn-Dixie sales the last couple of weeks. Although this week still doesn't give much to write home about, I did want to mention 1 deal that I think is worth the trip.
They have certain GM cereals, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Curves Granola Bars, GM Milk and Cereal Bars, and Fruit Snacks on sale for 4/$10. Then, when you buy 4, you get an extra $4 taken off at the register. This makes them 4/$6. You should have multiple coupons for many of these items. If not, be sure to check out www.coupons.com for free printable ones.
In the end, you come out with a pretty sweet deal. I got 20 boxes of cereal/granola bars and used coupons on all 20.
My total $50 - $20 checkout bonus - $12 in coupons = $18 paid out of pocket! That means each box was less than $1!
The timing was perfect for me because we were down to about 3 boxes of cereal and granola bars each.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 2

The results for week 2 are in! We both hit our goal this week with a loss of 3 pounds each!!
The official weights are now:
Jessica - 155 (total of 5 pounds lost!)
Me - 162 (total of 7 pounds lost!)

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser; Blogger Style, check out my other posts, here and here.

This week has been a more difficult week to truly stick to the diet and exercise. I spent most of the week preparing for Easter (and our church egg hunt), worrying about Morgan's 3 days of testing, taking Morgan to said tests, and going on an interview. It also didn't help that there was so much chocolate from these Easter egg hunts and a wonderful Easter lunch!
So, this week was mostly about portion control. I also tried really hard to squeeze in exercise whenever I could. I did "start" to lift weights this week. I use the word "start" very loosely because I only did it 1 day :)
I do have a plan though. Today I did aerobic exercise (DDR) and tomorrow I am going to lift weights. I will alternate daily.

Looking forward to another week of salads, veggies, fruit and yogurt (see below).
BTW, Even though we tied for the week, I am still winning :) I know, you thought I was actually going to leave that little tid bit out. I just can't help it.

My Publix Trip!!

I got all this for $46 (btw, the tuna itself is worth $70. So, I guess my secret is out... I really like tuna and pickles)!!
This includes
1o 4 pk of BB Tuna (that's 40 cans for you math buffs!)
32 Dannon Yogurt (I used the $1/4pk coupon instead of the $1/10 coupon)
Fresh fruit
Milk and more...
To see how I did it, check out my post below.

Total Before Savings/Coupons = $151.38
Total Coupons = $45.15 (including $5/50 from entertainment book)
Total Store Savings = $65.41
Total After Savings = $46.80

Publix Deals for 3/24 - 4/2 (Thru NEXT Thursday!)

Check out the Grocery Gathering for more great deals at your favorite stores!!

Here are the best deals I see for the week. Let me know if you see anything I missed. Happy shopping on another long Publix sale week!

Dannon Yogurt (on sale for 10/$6)
Use $1/10 coupon from ss 1/6
Makes them $.50 each

Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Dough (on sale for 2/$5)
Use 2 of THIS $1/1 coupon or $1/2 from ss 1/6
Makes them $1.50 each

Kashi All Natural Entree (bogo)
Makes them 2/$3.59

Pillsbury Toaster Strudel (bogo)
Use 2 of THIS $1/1 coupon
Makes them $.28 each!!

Bumble Bee Prime Fillet (bogo) - Yes, I am going to stock up again!!
Use 2 $1/1 coupons from ss 2/3
Makes them $.67 a can

Chef Boyardee (bogo)
Use 2 $.35/3 coupon from ss 3/9
Makes them $.56 a can when you buy 6

Dole Fruit, Gel, or Parfait Bowls (bogo)
Use 2 $.75/1 coupons from ss 1/6
Makes them $.60 a 4-pack

Minute Maid All Natural Coolers (bogo)
No coupons
Makes them $1.33 for 10

Pace Specialty Salsa (bogo)
Use $1/1 coupon from ss 1/27
Makes them $1 each

Pompeian Olive Oil (bogo)
Use THIS $1/1 coupon
Makes them $2.25 each

Post Cereal (bogo - selects 13 to 16-oz box, Raisin Bran, 20-oz box, Grape-Nuts, 17 or 24-oz box, Grape-Nuts Flakes, 18-oz box, or LiveActive, 13-oz box)
Use $1/2 from ss 3/2
Makes them $1.50 a box

Florida Strawberry's (on sale for 3/$5 - good deal and in season!)

Thanks to Southern Doll for this tip:

"My Publix handed $1 off 1 pound of produce coupons this week for the month of March, and their squash is priced at $0.99/lb. Free fresh squash!"

I haven't seen this at my Publix, but I will certainly keep my eyes open!

Interview Went Well!

Well, I had my interview with the founder of Circle Christian School today. I think it went very well.
I am looking for a position teaching at one of their 1 day (6 hour) programs. If I was hired in this position, I would be paid enough to pay the tuition for all 3 of my girls to attend. It would be such a blessing.
There are still some details that are up in the air that will determine whether or not they need to hire a new teacher for the upcoming year. Once those details are worked out (hopefully in the next week or so), she will let me know what positions are available.
The positive side is that the job seems like something I would genuinely enjoy and be good at. It also seems that they are open to hiring me if there is an opening.
It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
The coolest thing to me is that at the end of our job interview, she prayed with me. She prayed that God would provide clear direction for both her and me. She also committed this teaching position and program to Him.
What other job interview would end with prayer? Too cool.

Testing - Day 2

Yesterday, Morgan took her very first ever classroom test!! She took the Otis Lennon test. I liked this being her first test because it was only 1 1/2 hours long. She left feeling confident.
Today was the first of 2 days of SAT testing. Today, she had to be there an hour earlier (8:30 a.m.) and stay until 12:45! She is doing the same thing tomorrow.
What I was the most concerned about was the fact that they were not allowed to have any snack or lunch break!! Now, I know my child can survive 4 1/2 hours without food. She's done it many times. At home, we don't have snacks everyday. The concern I have is that by about 11:30, they are going to have a classroom full of hungry kids. It seems to me like this could heavily affect their testing abilities. I know once my child feels the first pang of hunger, her mind cannot think of anything else (she's just like her mama).
The best I could do was make sure she had a heavy breakfast (Sonic Toaster Sandwich on the way there) and bring her lunch in the car when I picked her up.
I asked her how she did and she replied with a very low key, "o.k.". She didn't offer a lot of information (she rarely does to mommy), but she did say that she was done with each section before the time was up and she read an entire chapter of her book while she was waiting.
I am so curious to see the results!! I have no idea how long I have to wait, but I'm sure it's too long!

Lifehouse's Everything

I have never seen this skit until today. It is very powerful and well done. What a great reminder of all the things that keep us from our relationship with Jesus.

Wordless Wednesday - Not Sydney's Best Look

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check here or here.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 1

Well, the results from week 1 are in. Here are the numbers:
Cassie - 165 (lost 4 lbs.!)
Jessica - 158 (lost 2 lbs.!)

So, I am the winner for week 1!!! :) I tried not to rub it in too bad. I did have the advantage of starting last week while I was on my period (ya know that extra bloating).

The biggest changes for me this last week were:
1) Portion Control - I tend to eat more (way more) than I need. So, this week, I made a good effort to eat only 1 helping (as opposed to the 2-4 I normally do).
2) Eating Healthy - I ate A LOT of salad. I am not a big fan of salad, but I did find a dressing that I really like that is extremely low in fat and calories.
3) Eating 6 small meals - I didn't do this everyday, but I tried. I know that if I eat 6 small, healthy meals a day, I will speed up my metabolism. This also helps with my portion control because I am not famished by the next meal.
4) Excercise - This was the hardest to accomplish. 2 of the days, I played DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution for you newbies). That is some great excercise. 1 day, I played 2 games of volleyball. I would like to start adding weight lifting this week and I need to do aerobic excercise at least 4 times.
5) Drinking Water - I have cut all soda and most juices. I have been drinking mainly water and lots of it.

If you have no idea what this post is about, check out the first "weigh in" here.

My Publix Trip!! (Deals are good thru 3/22)

I went to Publix today and truly stocked up!! I was so excited about the sale this week and I went slightly over my budget. Instead of my $50 for the week, I spent $70. The deals were just too good to pass and I will just get go under budget next week. So, here is everything I got -
Total Before Store Savings and Coupons = $241.59
Total Store Savings = $108.69
Total Coupons = $61.64
Bringing my new total = $70.28
In case you can not tell from the picture,this includes:
18 jars of Mt. Olive Pickles
14 bags of Dove chocolate (no, these are NOT for me! I think I may give them to Jessica as a weigh-in gift)
14 bags of Bird's Eye Frozen Veggies
7 Land O Lakes Butter
4 boxes of cake/brownies
4 boxes of granoal bars and more....

To see how I did it, check out my post on Publix deals for this week here.

My CVS trip this week!!

It is a good week for CVS! The first 2 transactions are mostly part of the 2 day sale (ending today). It was great to get my Easter shopping done and spend no money! So, here we go:

transaction #1
2 Pots of Gold assorted chocolates ($4.99 each and each gives you $4.99 back - FREE! Limit 2)
2 9 oz bags of jelly beans ($.99 each and each gives you $.99 back - FREE! Limit 2)
2 Mennen deodorant ($1.99 each and each gives you $1 back - weekly deal)
1 Viva pack of paper towels ($6.49 and gives you $1 back - weekly deal)
Used these coupons:
$5/15 CVS
2 $1/1 mennen coupons
Paid $15 with ECB's, got $14 back

transaction #2
2 bags of plastic easter eggs ($.99 each and each gives you $.99 back - FREE! Limit 2)
2 8-pk Mars candy ($1.29 each and you get $1 back when you buy 2 - weekly deal- Limit 1)
1 Maybeline lip gloss ($8.99 and gives you $8.99 back - FREE! - weekly deal - Limit 1)
Used these coupons:
$5/15
$1/2 Mars Candy (printable here)
$2/1 Maybeline lip products
Paid $8 with ECB's, got $12 back

transaction #3 - all weekly deals
2 Wisp Flameless Candles ($7.99 each and each gives you $2 back. Limit 5)
Used these coupons:
$5/15
2 $5/1 Candle
Paid $2, got $4 back

transaction #4 - all weekly deals
4 Dove 12 oz shampoo/conditioners ($4.99 bogo and when you buy $15 in Dove products, you get $5 back)
2 Dove body wash ($4.99 each)
Used these coupons:
$5/15
2 $2/1 Printable
1 $3/2 from 3/16 insert
1 $3/1 from 3/16 insert

For more great deals at CVS this week, check out Be Thrifty Like Us and Money Saving Mom

3rd Grade Test Prep - Do you know the answers?

So, we are preparing for Morgan's SAT test next week. So far, I have been very pleased with her reading and math. This week we started going over Science and Social Studies. I knew these were going to be the weakest subjects, but I was still surprised by some of the questions. I didn't even know the answers to some of them. I guess I wouldn't do too well on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?". So, here a few of the particular questions that I was shocked my little 3rd grader was supposed to know. See if you know the answers (without any research, no cheating).

1. Who is Sally Ride?
a. first U.S. woman physician
b. first U.S. woman to win three gold medals
c. first U.S. woman astronaut
d. first U.S. woman in Congress

2. What language is spoken by most people throughout the world?
a. Chinese
b. English
c. Spanish
d. Russian

3. Scientists use scientific methods to
a. find answers to their questions.
b. find questions to their answers.
c. solve the many problems they have.
d. prove they are scientists.

4. Scientists state their guesses as
a. a theory
b. a hypothesis
c. a conclusion
d. a guess

These are just a couple of the questions that seemed a little difficult for my little 8 year old. Even though I knew the answer to most of them (I'm not telling which ones I didn't), it seemed a bit harder than I was expecting for her age.

Sitting on a Toilet for 2 Years!!

I didn't really believe this story until I researched a little and found a couple newspaper articles that explain the event in detail.
Apparently, a woman sat on the toilet for up to 2 years! They said they are confident that she sat there for at least 1 month straight. Her skin adhered to the toilet seat and her legs had atrophied.
Her boyfriend that lived there brought her food, water and clean clothes every day. He said that he attempted to coax her out of the bathroom but she refused to leave.
He finally called the police and they had to disassemble the toilet seat in order to remove the woman.
The boyfriend stated that they "had a normal relationship, it just all happened in the bathroom"! What does that mean? Sex on a toilet with a woman who can't move her legs? What the? is all I can say.
Let's just clarify some of the obvious points to this story:
1. She didn't take a shower for 2 years!!
2. She slept ON the toilet!
3. The smell from the woman and and the waste she produced was overwhelming!

This has to be one of the strangest TRUE stories I have ever seen! To read an article on the subject, click here.

Publix Deals 3/13-3/22

This is the 1st week I am posting my deals with the Grocery Gathering! Check it out for more great deals at other grocery stores.
I am very pleased to see a good bit of bogo deals this week. Many of these deals have coupons to go with them and make for a sweet deal. Here are the best I found:

Dove Chocolate 8.5 or 9.5 oz bag (bogo)
Use bogo printable or from 2/10 rp insert
Get 2 bags free!!

Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice (bogo)
Use 2 $.75/1 coupons from 3/9 rp
Makes them $.17 a box!!

Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Cake Mix 17.52 to 18.5 oz box (bogo)
Use 2 $.75/1 coupons from 3/9 ss insert
Makes them $.17 a box!!

Duncan Hines Brownie Mix 16.76 to 18 oz box (bogo)
Use $.75/2 from 2/3 ss insert
Makes them $.87 a box

Wrigley's Eclipse Gum 3-pk (bogo)
Use b3g1 coupon from tearpad - you would pay for 1 and get 3 free.
Makes them $.55 a 3-pk

Lay's Potato Chips (bogo)
Use $1/2 coupon from 3/2 ss insert
Makes them $1.25 a bag

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter 2-ct., 7.5 or 15 oz tub, 8 or 10 oz bot or spray
Use 2 $.75/1 printable
Makes them $.43/1

Bird's Eye Frozen Veggies 10 to 16 oz (50% off)
Use 2 $1/2 coupons from 3/9 ss insert
Not sure of original price but should make for a great deal on veggies.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (bogo)
Use $1/2 coupon from 11/11 ss
Makes them $.90 a bag

Land O Lakes Butter 4-sticks (2/$4)
Use 2 $.30/1 coupons from 3/25 ss insert or 2 $.55/1 printable
Makes them $1.70 or $1.45 each box ($.40 or $.33 a stick)

Mt. Olive Pickles 16 to 46 oz (bogo - excluding petite kosher dills 46 oz)
Use 2 $.50/1 printable
$.84/1

Kraft or Seven Seas Dressing 16 oz (bogo)
Use $.75/2 from 3/2 ss
Makes them $1.14 a bottle

Quaker Chew Granola Bars (bogo)
Use $1/2 coupon from 2/24 ss
Makes them $1.15 a box

Ocean Spray Juice (bogo)
Use 2 $1/1 coupons from 1/20 vlassis insert
Makes them $1.60 a jug

Kellogg's Cereal (bogo - inlcudes Special K, Smart Start, Raisin Bran, Raisin Bran Crunch, Select All-Bran)
Use 2 $.70/1 from 2/24 rp
Makes them $1.30 a box

Here are some more bogo deals that do not have coupons but are still great deals if you are in need.
Mott's Apple Sauce 46 or 48 oz (bogo)
$2.47/2

Kraft Mayo 32 oz jar (bogo)
$3.69/2

Del Monte Canned Veggies 11 to 15.25 oz (bogo)
$1.13/2

Lipton Family Size Tea Bags (bogo)
$2.33/2

One more thing I would like to make note of...
Publix carries Simply Smart milk. It is always 2half-gallons/$6. Right now there are dispensers for $1/1 half-gallon. This would make this milk 2/$4 which is the same price as regular milk and it tastes so much better and it is organic!
I stocked up on these coupons because they don't expire until December!

My Favorite Pic of Morgan

Losing Weight To Win!!

I am competing against my good friend Jessica to lose all that unwanted weight! I have needed to lose those extra baby pounds (can I still blame it on them when they are 8,7,6 and 3?) for a while now. Every morning that I look at myself in the mirror, I wonder what happened. See, I actually used to be cute and skinny (didn't we all?). You don't believe me? Ok, here is the best proof I can come up with. The only other "skinny" pictures I have are from high school and that was 12 years ago. I know I'm never gonna look like that again! So, this is the best "goal" picture I could find. Look how naive and cute I am...
10 years later....
And here's Jess (check her page for the goal pic)...
Here is the deal...
We will weigh in together every Monday night (on the same scale to avoid cheating - she's like that:)
We will post the update every Tuesday.
Right now the official weight is 169 for me and 160 for Jess. I cannot believe this is in print on the internet. Hopefully that will be the motivation for me to get off my butt!
I do not have a "diet" plan. My plan is to eat better and less and excercise more(crazy new concept I came up with).
The contest ends on May 31st. So, the final weigh in will be June 2nd where we will announce the winner (it's SO gonna be ME!).

Free Sports Bra!

A friend e-mailed me this link for a free sports bra. I don't know about you, but a free bra is definitely worth the 10 seconds it took me to fill out my info.

Grocery Gathering - Monday Edition

Don't forget to check out the Grocery Gathering today!! The Monday edition features stores like CVS, Aldi, Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid.
I will be posting on the Thursday edition for Publix.

I Don't Like a Mess!

Ok, this is something I have been teased about a lot, but it's true. I can not stand to be dirty or messy, especially with food! I never let my babies feed themselves something that would end up all over them. If it was cheerios, crackers or something like that, I let them use their fingers. Other than that, I fed them.
When they got older and were eating foods that needed a spoon or fork, the same rule applied. If I believed that they could eat it without it being a mess, it was o.k. Otherwise, I did it.
Now, because I had my first 3 children in 2 1/2 years, this made meal time very interesting. My oldest was easy because she is just like me. I could trust her to eat neatly. But, you would often finding me feeding myself plus 2 more children at a meal. Don't get me wrong, my husband is a great help with the kids! But, if he wasn't there, I just couldn't let them feed themselves.
I know there are other moms like me (Jackie). But, most moms I know put whatever the meal is in front of their baby/toddler and just let them go at it. This is something that is hard for me to even watch. It just grosses me out! Even the picture above is hard for me to look at (no, that is not any of MY children!)
This used to carry over big time with letting them all get dirty outside. I was definitely "that mom" that you would hear saying, "don't touch that, we don't want to get dirty" or "we just took a bath, so we are going to stay inside today". In this area, I have actually changed quite a bit. I still don't like to see my kids filthy and sweaty. But, on days when I know they can immediately come inside and take a shower, I actually let them play in the sandbox!
This is why they have the father that they do. He lets them play and have a great time and get as dirty as they want. He would do this when they were real little and I would have to just walk away. I couldn't stand to watch.
So, where does this all stem from, you ask? I think I was truly born this way. I was the type of kid who hated to get dirty. On my first birthday, I did NOT want to touch that cake with my hands.
You might think that this means my house is always spit spot and clean. That would be a logical conclusion. However, not true. I like a clean house. I really do. Maybe it's the 4 kids. Maybe it's laziness. Maybe it's the time I spend on this stupid computer!! Whatever the reason, keeping this house clean is not something I do well or naturally. I have to work really hard at it. It usually takes me looking around and wanting to hide in my room before I really kick into high gear.

Homeschooling Ruled Illegal In California!

Here is a comment from a reader that I feel is important and could impact homeschooling throughout our country. Please read and sign the petition.

"I wanted to ask you to sign a petition to help support homeschooling in California which has been threatened by a recent court decision, and possibly mention it on your blog or in an email to your friends/family to help spread the word? There's more information here.

Thanks!"

I looked this up myself because I had not heard about this ruling. Here is one article from a California newspaper that I found very informative on the matter.

Applying to be a Teacher

Well, we have been trying to figure out what we are going to do next year for Morgan and Avery. They both LOVE the 1 day school they have been going to this year. The same school offers a different program that also meets 1 day a week that we would rather them attend next year. This program is a little more expensive and we are trying hard to be as frugal as possible.
So, I decided to check into the perks of being a teacher with this 1 day program. If I was hired as a teacher, I would actually be able to cover the cost of sending all 3 of my girls there. This is a very exciting opportunity for me and.... a little nerve wrecking.
I haven't "applied" for a job in over 11 years! I don't have much to put on a resume. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew either.
On the other hand, this is a "homeschool" school so I would think that having "formal" training would not be a requirement.
I have already sent in my resume (or lack there of) and have filled out an application. Now, I just wait for a possible interview and cross my fingers.

Morgan is a songwriter!!

Here are the lyrics from her very first song. Now, please keep in mind that she made this up all by herself and has taught it to all her siblings and friends. Each line is the exact same tune. It will forever be etched in my memory :) O.k., here we go...

I believe I can fly
I got shot by the FBI
I had to go to the hospital
All they gave me was a popsicle
I had to have surgery
I had to call my mommy
And that's the end of the story
THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY!! (Last line is sang with great emphasis!)

I'm not exactly sure why she got shot by the FBI. All the kids love this song and singing it about 100 times a day.

Wordless Wednesday - This won't be cute in 5 years!

"Grocery Gathering" - Coming Soon

I just wanted to let you all know about a very cool site, BeCentsAble They are starting to put together a great resource called the Grocery Gathering. Every Monday and Thursday, they will have a "gathering" where you can see the best deals at all the grocery/drug stores in the U.S. They will have a different host for each store.
This site will be featuring blogs like, Thrifty Floriday Mama for Winn-Dixie and Be Thrify Like Us for CVS and (drum-roll please), Me for Publix.
I am very excited about this new venue for the blogosphere. Be sure to check this site out before attempting to shop at your favorite store.
This will also have a Mr. Linky for you to share all the wonderful deals you found.
Don't forget, it all starts this coming Monday, March 10th!!

CVS Is BACK!! (edited)

Well, after a couple weeks of barely to no deals, CVS is back in full swing. Check out the transaction I have put together to get today:
***after I went today, I realized that my store is not stacking the $/$$ coupons anymore and it doesn't look like anywhere else is either. So, I've adjusted that in my deals. Also, the glade candle I had using the bogo coupon and the $5 coupon. My store wouldn't accept both because the 2nd coupon beeped at them. So, I changed that as well. If your store lets you, more power to ya!

#1
3 bags of Easter Candy @ $3.99/each (get $5 when you spend $10)
2 Crest Pro-Health Night Rinse @ $3.49 each (get $3.49 back for each one - FREE! Limit 2)
1 Lumene Body Aktiva Small Tube @ $1.99 (get $1.99 back- FREE!)
Use $1.50/3 coupon from SmartSource 3/2
Use $2/1 Lumene coupon (printable from a while back)
Use 2 $.75/1 Crest Mouthwash coupon from recent insert
Use $5/15 CVS coupon (you have to enroll to get coupon)
Fill out form and login. Then, click on "My Medical Record" at the top of the page. Then click on "Membership ID card" on the left side. Fill in your information and print your membership card.

Along with your membership card is a CVS $30 Prescription transfer coupon AND a $5/$15 coupon which expires 3/31/08!
Spend $11
Get $5 + $7 + $2 back in ECB

#2
2 Swiffer Refills @ $5.99/each (get $5 when you spend $10)
2 Oral B Cross Action Pro Toothbrush @ $4.99 each (get $4.99 back for each one - FREE! Limit 2)
Use $5/15
Use 1 $2/2 Oral B from P&G 3/2
Use $1/2 Swiffer from P&G 2/10
Pay $14
Get $5 + $10

#3
2 Febreeze Products @ $6.99 (get $5 when you spend $10)
3 LypSyl Lypmoisturizer @ $2.99 each (get $2.99 back for each one - FREE! Limit 5)
Use $5/15
Use 2 $3/1 febreze from P&G 3/2
Pay $12
Get $5 + $9

#4
5 Colgate Toothpastes @ $2.99 each (get $2.99 back for each one - FREE! Limit 5)
Use $5/15
Use 2 $1.50/1
Use 3 $1/1
Spend $4
Get $15

#5
2 Gillette Mach Razors @ $7.99 each (get $5 back each)
Use $5/15
Use 2 $3/1 from P&G 3/2
Spend $4
Get $10

#6
2 Glade Wisp Flameless Candles @ $9.99 each (get $2 back each)
Use a bogo coupon from past printables or Use 2 $5/1
Use $5/15
Pay $5
Get $4

For more great deals this week, check out Crystal and Angie's blog!

Reading Grade Level

Ok, I just have to share a proud moment. We have been working on getting Morgan ready for her very first SAT test in a couple of weeks. One of the things we have been preparing for is reading comprehension. The material I am using has you time them for 3 minutes. They read the story and answer the questions. The number of questions they get correct correlates to their reading level. We have done about 10-15 of these and she is consistently reading at an average of 6th grade (she is in 3rd)! I am so proud!
Don't worry, I'm not one of those parents who thinks my kid is smarter than every other kid in the world. This is just one of those moments that reassures me in my abilities to teach my children.