I am the proud mommy to an 8 Year old!! January 26, 2009

Jack turned 8 today!!! We had a surprise party yesterday at my mom & dad’s house. He had no clue!  We told him daddy had to work out there, (they live about an hour away) He was so busy playing game boy, we went through the guard gate and pulled into the driveway without him even noticing.  We told him he needed to get out to help dad get some things, and he did (still not looking up)  FINALLY, he looks up and says “this looks alot like grandma & grandpa’s neighborhood”.  hahahah. I told him “well we decided to stop by and say “hi” since we were in the area.  And, he bought it.   Walked in to “Happy Birthday” and he turned 3 shades of red.  awww. my shy boy!  We had a great time with family. Aunt Karen made it, as well as Uncle Jeff & Aunt Maureen, Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Kathy & Uncle Alan, Cousins Nathan & Isaac, Aunt Trish, cousins Ashley & John, (hope I didn’t miss anyone)  We missed everyone that couldn’t make it!!!! Wednesday we are going to dinner with Grandpa Edwards and maybe uncle Wes & Carter!

I will post pics from the party later….gotta get ready for our cub PACK MEETING. Jack is earning lots of belt loops & patches. wahoo!

OH OH – BOTH kids made A honor roll! AND, Hannah started her first day of Gifted today.  I’m one proud mama!!!

Chilly Day January 21, 2009

It was another chilly day here in Florida.  It was 29 here in Debary when we left for the bus stop. There was actually ice on our windshield. (don’t laugh all you northerners!!)   Jack went out and started the truck about 10min before we left to be sure it was toasty warm.  We actually had to wear hats & gloves-which we only have 1 pair of each and they collect dust usually!  Thankfully it has warmed up to the mid-fifties for the day. We’re in for one more cold night (meaning below 32) then it will warm back up  !!

Camping in Igloos…. January 21, 2009

Ok not really-but it felt like it this weekend (per Jack & jack!)

They had a great time though! He forgot to take pics so the only ones we got are pics I took when Hannah, brendan, Clara & I visited them!  This was his first campout with cubscouts.  I am really really happy that he enjoyed it and even more excited that Jack(dad) liked it !! (meaning I won’t have to go to them all–I like my bed!!!)

Brendan saves the day! January 19, 2009

Today I was playing with Clara and her sock came off…Brendan was sitting on the floor next to us (we were on the couch) and he looked up and pointed under her foot and said “aww Clara boo-boo”.  He patted her leg and said “its ok Clara”.  I didn’t remember her getting a “boo boo” on her foot so I looked a little closer and could not believe what I saw!!! What from a distance looks like fat little baby toes with lots of creases, was actually hair wrapped around her 3 middle toes so tightly that there was blood on the underside of her toes.   So I lifted her toes to look closer and I could tell she was in pain. She started wiggling away and then crying.  The hair was wrapped so tight that it had cut right through the skin.  The color was fine, plenty of blood flow to the ends of her toes-capillary refill was fine.  As I got a little closer I noticed signs of infection in the little creases underneath.   I was able to get some of the hair unwound and off, but the indentions from where the har had been was so deep that I was really afraid there was more stuck in there that I could not see.  I put some triple antibiotic on it and called Jack to come home so I could go to Centra Care.  I waited a little while, then checked again and her toes had swelled up pretty bad!  And the infection was getting worse(won’t get into the details) so I headed to the E.R.    Apparently, this is very common and even has  a medical term of “hair tourniquet” . The doc & nurses said it happends quite often to fingers and toes.  There have even been cases where they had to remove them     Thank goodness Brendan noticed!!  I have no idea how long it had been there.  The last time I really inspected her toes were 2 days ago when I clipped a toenail for her and washed her feet really well.   When we got to the ER they took us right back. No wait at all!  Saw the nurse, then the doctor. He used a magnifying glass and was pretty sure the hair was out.  He ordered an XRay to make sure the bones weren’t affected at all.  They came back fine.  She received a (very painful) shot of Rocephin before we left and then some Rx to take home.        Whew what a night!

so swollen!

ouchy

so swollen!ouchy

Yay Yay!!! SOOO Proud of Hannah!! January 13, 2009

I got the official letter today (finally).  I have a IEP meeting with her teacher, the school psychologist, the Gifted teacher (which is also jacks teacher) and one other staff member. yay!! She was tested for Gifted before Christmas break..so I’ve been waiting for the results.  I knew she would do great    Alright, just had to do some bragging.

I just finished…I mean Jack just finished making a project for his class.  He had to create a working wind chime with items around the house.  He chose lincoln logs.  Actually he chose long blocks, but after he tried and the string wouldn’t stay in place,  we suggested lincoln logs since they have the little spaces in them where the string won’t slide off.  He tied the string around each one, then around a hanger.  Turned out great!!  Wonder if the teacher will hang all 16 outside her classroom window? hahaha.

Tomorrow is cub scouts.  I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do at our meeting.  There is a park about 1/4 mi from my house with a huge jet monument.  I’ve actually never been (there is no playground and no bathrooms, so it’s not toddler friendly and I’ve had a toddler for as long as i can remember!).  Today I checked it out.  A friend gave me an idea to use a pencil and do a rub of the plaque.  Well, the plaque is huge, so that won’t work.  I think we will just look around at the plane, take turns reading the plaque, then each make a card/letter for a soldier. Then, if they don’t kick us out (it closes at 6 and we are meeting at about 530/545) we will play a few quick games to get the wiggles out.  It will be a short meeting for sure. Reminds me I need to charge my camera so I can get a few pics while were there.

Are you smarter than a second grader? January 13, 2009

I was reading through Jacks work from class today and realized I didn’t know 1/2 the answers.  Thought I’d share and see if Im the only one that would flunk 2nd grade gifted .

Which clouds are the highest and mean “curl” in Latin??

answer: Cirrus

 

Lightnig is created when ______ and _______ charges build up in a cloud?

answer: Positive and negative

Which statement about atolls is not true?    (I didnt even know what an atoll was???!!!)

Block mountains are formed by:  a) uplifting  b)plates colliding c) plates separating d) volcanoes

answer: a

What land formation is created when waves erode a shoreline?

answer: Bay

Tonight- after dinner, Hannah asked me if she could go to bed a little late so that Jack could keep “homeschooling” her.  Once she left I searched for my video camera, and very quietly, caught them!!! I couldn’t believe my eyes, without any prompting, Jack was teaching Hannah addition w/ carrying.  It was the sweetest thing I’d seen in awhile. Can’t wait to show that one to Jack when he gets home.  

A few cutie Clara pics:

A Lazy Saturday… January 11, 2009

This morning started out as ususal- kids up about 7am, but they hang in their room til about 730 when Clara has had enough of barbies or whatever it is that Hannah is playing with her   After breakfast, I decided to head to the Farmer’s Market.  I packed up Clara & Hannah and we headed to Lake Mary.  It’s been awhile since we have been to that Farmer’s Market.  Its a little small, but it always has some really great stuff!  I will add some pictures later – Hannah brought a long her camera, I haven’t looked at the pictures yet, so I’m curious to see what she took pics of We really had a great “girls morning out” as we called it.  We were at the market for about an hour.  Clara didn’t move the whole time, she just sat in her stroller, taking in the fresh air and watching all of the people.  She is such a good, happy baby!  Hannah helped me pick out a few things.  It was very random, what we bought.  I didn’t really need anything-so we just had fun sampling things and if we really really liked something, we bought it.  She sampled so much, she wasn’t even hungry for lunch.  She is my little health nut.  She LOVES her veggies & fruits.  her favorite food— cherry tomato!!! She would eat a pint at one sitting if I let her.  She was trying all sorts of things, more than I did.  We left with a bag of dried apples, a stick of pepperoni, olives stuffed with Feta cheese(Hannahs fave of the day), an onion, green pepper, small bag of spicy beef jerky, and honey.  See, very random!  I made sure to avoid the Gourmet Cheese booth ($7 per block, and they were VERY small blocks), and the “gourmet desserts” oh and the chocolate covered everything booth…..I did let hannah go over and take a pic of one of the chocolate covered apples though.  

Got home at lunchtime and Jack was packing for a fishing trip on the boat…a last minute idea of his.  He took both the older kids.  I’m sure they had a great time!  Last I spoke with them, Hannah had caught 1 fish (not a keeper). 

Tomorrow is church, Sunday school, and then Jack & Hannah are heading to Downtown Disney to meet up with Jacks best friend and his daughter (Hannahs best friend) .  They are exchanging their Christmas gifts and then having lunch.  Then we have a 2hr baseball clinic.  Still have not decided if we are going to do Spring Baseball…….deadline is the 17th.

Hannah & Brendan- isms January 8, 2009

Last night was cub scouts.  I knew one boy was not coming, so I asked Hannah if she wanted to come so they could play 2 on 2 b-ball.  Well, one of the boys sister is there.  I hear Hannah say “Hi, Im Hannah, do you remember me from school?”.   Such a sweet girl    So, they play.  Hannah comes up to me a few minutes and whispers “Mom, that is my VERY best friend from school, her name is….” she hesitates… “wait, I have to ask her what her name is”   So much for best friends.  hehe.  Sooo cute!

Hannah decided on Monday that she had a belly ache….she let the teacher know, and was sent to the clinic.  I get the call and we decide since there is no fever, and nothing else wrong, and she SEEMS just fine, she will lie down for 15min and go back to class.    She gets home that day and is fine.     Tuesday morning comes along and on the way to school she says “Mom, I really don’t like P.E., they make you run too much and it’s boring and sweaty”  so, we talk about why it’s important to run & stay active etc….  Tuesday 945am, I get a call from the nurse that Hannah is there again, seems fine, no fever, but complains of a belly ache.  so i think for a minute, then ask “what time is P.E?”  Her answer as I suspected, 950am.  hmm it all makes sense now.  So, Hannah gets home and I ask how her tummy is. “its just fine!” Well, to be safe, since she has had this “belly ache” for 2 days in  a row, she better rest and stick with toast, and water for the night.   This did not go over well.  Especially at snack time when Jack was eating his applesauce and a cookie. and then for dessert after dinner, when the other 2 kids had frozen yogurt.  Her breaking point came when Jack wanted to play hopscotch with me and I advised her she needed to rest inside.   “Mom, I don’t think I was really sick”   Needless to say, there have been no phonecalls from the nurse since then  

Apparently, Brendan heard someone say the following two phrases and I can NOT get him to stop repeating them…over and over and over:

“I don’t care”, “mom, I really dont’ care”

AND,

“Oh my God” “Hey, MOMMMY Oh My God”

We don’t say Oh my God at my house,  it’s not allowed.  We do say Oh my gosh, oh my goodness.  So, Im on the phone with my MOM (Sorry mom)  and I am telling her, I can’t believe Brendan is saying OMG over & over, it comes out in the cutest voice, so it’s so hard not to reprimand him, but I have no clue where he picked it up…..before I could even continue, without her even realizing, my mom says, “Oh my God Mary, that’s terrible”  and I reply “I KNOW ugh”  Then we both  go silent and we both start laughing.  So, no more visits to Grandma’s house (kidding mom)

~Living Simply~ deals for the week January 5, 2009

Publix:

Pop Tarts 2.19 or 2.09 BOGO, most of them have $1 off coupons attached, so you get 2 pop tart boxes for .09 or .19!

Taco Bell Dinner Kits $2.79 BOGO, found $1 off coups at Walgreens, use 2, pay .69 for 2 Kits

Bags of salad are .99 and Bread is .89 this week

Totino pizza rolls 40ct are 3.99 BOGO, use (2) Target coups(competitor) and (2) Printables = 2 FREE bags! Depending on how many computers you can print from, you can get 2 coupons per computer.

I got way too many pop tarts, they’re not the best breakfast for the kids, but we use them for snacks sometimes, especially when were out & about, their easy to put into the diaper bags (and I got the whole wheat ones too to try and be a little healthier). I was able to get 6 taco kits and 4 free 40ct pizza rolls  

Walgreens has Ben & Jerry’s 2/$6  and there were $3 off printables on their website (not sure if it’s still available) I was able to print 4 (2 per computer) and my sister print 2 for me.  We actually don’t eat much ice cream here, so I will get 2 today  and maybe 2 on the last day of the sale-put that in the deep freezer.  Im giving my other 2 coups away.  Reynolds Tin Foil is Free again (with in store coupon and $1 off newspaper coupon) and Garnier Fructis is Free with in store $2 coupon and this sundays $1 off coupon. so you pay tax. 

Last week I got a ton of the garnier fructis gels, and other hair products for free + overage(made money) because they were on closeout for 1.79. I was making (after tax) .88 per bottle.  So, I got all of the following for 1.41 (this was broken up into different orders b/c most were different stores:

1 pack mega count diapers

3 gallons milk and 1 single serve choc milk

4 loaves of Sara Lee bread (went straight to my freezer)

(1) boxValentines for Hannah’s class

(1) diet Dr. pepper

(1) Red Baron Pizza (my fave) 

3pks sugarfree gum

and Id rather not say how many garnier fructis hair stylers I have! lol.

Living Simply Moved January 5, 2009

Im going to combine my two blogs. I can barely keep up with one, two is outrageous.  I will still post my Living Simply ideas,  couponing, free items etc on this blog though.  I will have “Living Simply” in the title.

I will go ahead and shut down the other one soon. So, First post of the year:

I started the Declutter/Living Simpler Calendar. I hope to follow it all year!! Last year, I started mid-year.  This week is all about the kitchen.  Today: Visualize a Streamlined, working kitchen!  So, what I’m doing today is writing down where everything should go.  Right now, my pots/pans and large bowls are not in order.  And some of my small kitchen appliances are scattered…some in the kitchen, some in the laundry storage area, some even up high in the hall closet (hidden) haha.  So, I am mapping out the new plan.  Today is easy, tomorrow will start the difficult task of putting my plan into motion.  The calendar tomorrow says “Clean and declutter the counters on the left side of the kitchen”  I don’t have anything except our coffee maker on the counters, so I will go ahead and declutter the cabinets on the left side and start rearranging them.