Hilary Weeks: To Do List

I love this. Hilary Weeks is great. Every mother can relate to this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewmy_8AKkZw

Sorry about needing to cut and paste. I don't know how to have a direct link to click on that will take you to the site. Hopefully it will work for you.
Enjoy

Time Out for Women

I am so excited to be participating in Time Out for Women this year. I have wanted to go for several years and have not been able to. There are some great guests lined up for this year. Every women needs to have her bucket filled and I don't know of a better way to do just that. Check out this video and join me for a weekend of fun and excitement. You will walk away ready to take on the challenges that are unique to today's women and ready to be a better mom, sister, daughter, and friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sKfhd4eDpc

The other men.....

After posting pictures of 3 of my 4 boys my sister called to let me know I had forgotten one. Well I actually didn't forget. I planned to get a picture of Keegan and dad later that night and post or the next day......but life is so crazy during the evening around here. Ok, life is crazy all the time! Just so you know I do have 2 other fabulous men in my life. Without any of these men my life would be empty and I am eternally grateful for them. Here is one of them. Keegan is my little guy with the heart and love of a giant!

Shopping with Channel 3 news

So after my letter the the editor came out in yesterdays Post Register I got a call from channel 3 news. Hasti wanted to interview me about coupons. She came over, I ran through my coupon info and showed her my storage room and the food storage we have been able to build through using coupons. This morning was test time. Could I produce the savings I had been talking about. I told them that on Monday I did my shopping at Smith's and saved 93%. I only spent $9.56. I was way excited about that one. We went to Smith's; I bought 38 items and spent $30.96. Not too bad. I think, I hope, I made believers out of Hasti and Tommy. Hasti will let me know when her piece will air and I will pass it on. It was kind of fun and totally unexpected. I had been thinking someone needed to do a story on PYP and the free resource that it is- I just didn't think I would be in on the story. I think it will be great and excited to see how everything turns out. Hopefully some people can take the information and benefit from it. It has been great for my family to have our grocery bill go down and benefit from other non-food bargains as well!

Bed of Roses

I think I have the greatest husband ever! He had earned a rightful spot in the doghouse and did double duty to get out of it. I was rocking our sick baby and after hearing the doorbell my son informs me that "mommy someone's here with bwowers". A beautiful bouquet of 1/2 dozen roses. The card says "I". Hmmm. About an hour later, to my surprise another comes with a card, "love"; and another, "you". Now I think that is the last one and he is home free. Of course I can't stay mad after flower deliverieS! Then lo and behold a fourth, "dearly". Now this is a man who knows how to work the system. Gotta love him!

Huggies deal

We found some Huggies at the Pocatello Walgreens. Here is how it turned out for me: 6 packs for $14 out of pocket. Then I got $20 in R.R. back.

1st transaction:
3 packs x $10=$30
-$5 off coupons x3=15
-$15 from gift card for February rebates
+$10 RR back

2nd transaction
3 packs x$10=$30
-$5 off coupons x3=$15
used the rest of my gift card, a couple of $$
then paid $14
+$10 RR back

Not too bad. They only had size 6 left but I can exchange them later for 3's. At this price I was thrilled!

Easter Decor

Josh had a character parade at school. He has fallen in love with Calvin and Hobbs. I got to play with my new camera while he showed off his character. Robin went out late the night before to find Hobbs. He couldn't let his little boy only have half is costume.

Ty gets to play video games all too much. He loves to play with the kids and has a hard time when school is in. He goes down the list of neighbor kids hoping to find someone home. Won't he be glad when school is out. I try to get him to play legos or something but they are just not fun when baby brother tries to eat them. What does a mother do. I have housework too. Thankfully he can help me with some projects, has play dates and goes to preschool. Spring fever is setting in. He would love to go ride his bike......
Then there's Matthew. He spoils his mom rotten. He is such a good baby. Just plays and jabbers. Keep his belly full and pants dry and you've not a worry in the world! Between all the boys we have lots of fun. 20 things happening all at once and (hopefully) a smile on everyones face.
I will have to catch dad and Keegan in action and update on them next time.

I used to decorate a lot for Easter but the last several years Easter has come before I got them up. Plus last year I was pregnant and didn't feel like decorating. This year the decorations are up. I was in Fred Meyer and they have some really pretty decorations. I was really tempted to get a couple different table runners but I will have to wait until they go on sale. So I came home and improvised. I found a spring like piece of fabric that fit the piano and set to putting the decorations out. I hadn't planned on rearranging but the urge hit. I think I like how it turned out. I usually rearrange a couple times a year but I haven't for about 2 years because of the furniture set up. Here is the before. I liked this set up because of the matching bookshelves.
Now the after.....

I made the garland with ribbon, beads and eggs. It only cost $1 for the ribbon. I think I will make some more. What do you think?

Now I am on to other projects. I have invites for an educational retreat at work to make, plus goody bags. I am working on Keegan's name in 5x7 frames- it's almost done. Christmas presents for next year. They will be home made and take lots of time. I ran seriously low on time this last year so I want to start sooner. Those will have to be a surprise till Christmas... no peaking. I also want to explore facebook which I have heard lots about. I need to get some more pages scrapbooked, I am loving the digital scrapbooking. I have some more done and will have to post those as well. Plus I am still teaching couponing classes. I may have to learn to say no!

Gardening is just around the corner and I am way excited for that. Tomarrow I will be buying my seeds and starting to plan. I usually spend $100 just on flowers for my front bed but I want to get some annuals, is that right? The ones that come back each year. I loved the hydrangeas we saw in Oregon. I hope I can find some that will grow here. I also read about huckleberry plants to buy. I would love some of these around my deck. We will still go picking though. Half the fun of huckleberries is being in the woods. I will let you know what I find out.......

Spring cleaning has begun and it feels sooo good. So far I have 2 rooms done. I cleaned the tops of the cabinets in the kitchen including all the decor. I took the light covers down and cleaned them, dusted the fan, washed walls, and mopped the floor. The weather turned bad so I didn't do the windows yet but they are on my list. It doesn't take me long with my squeegee and brush from Don Asletts Cleaning Center. The hardest part of cleaning windows is taking out the screens. I even managed to add a little greenery to my kitchen, which it was in desperate need of. Since my kitchen is red apple themed I threw a little red into it. I really like how it turned out but hope it doesn't look to much like Christmas. I got the foliage for 40% off at Michaels this week. Not too bad for less than $10.

I also got the living room done but those pictures will have to wait. Matthew thinks it is naptime and since I have to work tonight that means naptime for mom too.