Sunday, April 29, 2012

New bike helmets

After a near huge TBI, I decided to refit the boy's helmets. I found put that Kenner fits into the 14 tearing and older heads... New he had a big head, but didn't realize it was that big. Did you know your helmet needs to be as low on your forehead to only allow 2 fingers to lay above your eyebrows. This is the reason for the bump on patton's head. Kenner got a new helmet tonight and seeing if patton's fits into kenner's old one. Reality check tonight that I was super lucky that Patton only had a bump and not a bigger problem.

Couponing: the life or death of me

Have I lived the coupon life of cvs and walgreens walking away with a lot of items for nearly nothing? Have I scoured the weekly grocery ads to only purchase the must buy items and plan my meals around them? Have I done freezer cooking and not cared what the prices were only to get it done and to have an easy meal for my family to eat or else fast food? Have I gotten frustrated with all the time involved with couponing, raising 3 kids, working full time, selling pampered chef, and having a loving military husband who is gone more than half the year and thrown everything frugal I knew out the door? Yes yes and yes. This past year since the birth of my youngest I have lived in a life of price and frugal torture. I lived the frugal life for a year and did quite well (if I do say so myself). Then my lovely Ike came around and out went the time. I have also relied on chicks dig deals to tell me the greatest deals only to find that when you don't find them yourself you lose the "game" part of it. If anyone of you know me, being competitive assists in all areas of my life to keep me on track. I have truly desired to be the frugal
Mom again but the world hasn't developed an 8 day week yet. It wasn't until my sister's challenge that I have found the desire to not only put myself first but to also put my role as a mom and housekeeper first before all the other millions hats i wear. I must say not having a full time job has also helped in this area (although I have worked more last week than I did the past month. I think PRN status gives me freedom to not be connected to a facility instead I clock in and out and not stick my head in all the other areas( ok another post for this one).

With putting my family first I have found room and a desire to coupon again. Below you will see 2 methods ibhave attempted in the past. The first and best option for me is my coupon binder....yes I take this into the stores with me. The option I tried was to staple the coupons together to follow chicks dig deals and cut them
Out when I needed them. The second option didn't work for me as again there isn't any ownership in stapling. You aren't familiar with the coupons instead relying on someone else to hold your hand and tell me what rondo. I am making a revision to the coupon binder that I had during my frugal times. I am only cutting coupons for things that we use. This way I am not able to be lured into all the other fabulous cvs and walgreens deals that we don't need and are a good deal. Yes yes I did donate tons of new things I got for free, but that takes time and space. I would rather give in other ways. I am excited to use this method again. Tonight is the night I decided to clean the ole binder out and put the new in. What is your most frugal part of your day?

This is the way we layout our clothes

When reading the title you must sing it. Haha

Call me a dork but I have been wanting to post the organization to getting ready in the morning with implementing independence but also having your child use all their clothes in their closet and look decent without wasting hours. I start by organizing the closet with the boys' clothes organized by sleeve length. I also put the clean clothes in the back of their particular section ( this is how I get them to rotate their clothes.) Every saturday (preferably) morning, I put together 5 outfits for the week. I also pick out church clothes including shoes to wear for sunday morning. I pick out of the front end of the clothes to keep clothes and pants rotated. I put them in a drawer in their room that only has these outfits in them. This way there isn't confusion nor a mess of picking out THE outfit for the day. Saturdays are a pick your own clothes day. Therefore I have answered your question of "who dressed them" if you see us on a Saturday.

This has been a saving grace to getting everyone and myself ready for work each morning. If I find an outfit that is too little, I have a constant box for once upon a child/city mission/next size down depending on if they are kenner's clothes, patton's or ike's.

Enough of the boring details.... Thought I'd share.

Wonder why

Wonder why I haven't posted any pics lately? Well this is why.... 3 boys always doing 3 different things. We have had fun at home the past couple weeks without dad around but are so so so looking forward to having dad around again!!!! I have set some big goals with my sister since my Boise trip. 1) drink 8 glasses of water a day 2) do something active for 30 minutes each day 3) only have firsts, not seconds or thirds or fourths ( not that I ever had fourths..... But really I gotta stop eating like I am pregnant that ended over a year ago. ) weightloss is a behavior modification plan. If you embrace it, life is good. If you go through it with a poor me attitude it stinks. Therefore this week has given me an extra half hour of my day that I didn't think I had. It is also amazing that if you put yourself as the priority how everything just comes with you. Here's a journey to a 5 k and feeling better with the way I look. Note: I didn't say losing an amount of weight....just want to feel better in my clothes however that might be.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Back on

In attempt to get some normalcy in life, I am going to try to blog. Why you ask put one more thing on my plate. If I blog, I take pictures. I take pictures, I write down fun memories. The purpose of the blog in the first place. Hopeful
That I can keep this. Also keeping my sister Annie accountable to work out 30 mon a day until I see her again. She is doing the same for me. We can do it!!!