On My Birthday:

On my Birthday, I did not:
1. make my bed
2. Clean the kitchen.
3. Cook
4. Shave my legs (just thought I'd throw that one in)
5. Do Laundry


On My Birthday, I did:
1. Feed my kids. (Yes, without cooking)
2. Go out alone with my husband for an hour.
3. Get food poisoning.


You read it right, I think that's what I had.

Now I'm better and this is what I got for my birthday.

My very own Bubble Gum Machine. Unfortunately, the glass globe was broken and we have it taped so we can use it. They are sending me a new one.

And my new Christian version of Pink, Francesca Battistelli. This is a great CD.

Thank you, Jim for the great presents! I love you!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today is my birthday. I am 39 years old. Only one year from 40. It seems like yesterday that I was 16 and I always thought people who were 30 were old. Well, guess what? I'm getting old.
Anyway, this morning, Maci Clare and I decided to do a little freebie shopping. And I think we did pretty good.
First we hit CVS. I had to get a prescription filled anyway. (BTW, the prescription was only $3.21, which I could not believe.) So here's what we got:

2 boxes of Glucerna Cereal
1 20 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper
1 box of Carnation Instant Breakfast
1 pkg. Super Sticky Post-its
1 small, compact Tape Dispenser with tape
1 Pentak Pen
1 pkg. of Romance Lotto Cards
Total=$21.10 OOP=$7.85 (really nothing because I used a gift card that was given to me by CVS for a new prescription.) I got $4.99 ECBs back.

Next, we went to Walgreen's. Here's how we did:2 boxes of Fiber One Granola Bars
2 boxes of Starbuck's Chocolate
1 box of envelopes
6 bars of Dove soap
1 bottle of Vaseline Intensive Care Rescue Lotion

TOTAL=$26.12 OOP=$10.55 I got $6 back in RR to use on my next order.
I am going to go back tonight and try to buy some more Starbuck's chocolates, soap, and lotion and maybe granola bars.

Yes, it did finally snow here but we only got about 1 inch. This was a very little amount compared to some places around here (right down the road from here was 3 inches or more.) So there was no school Monday. We didn't play in the snow. The kids didn't seem interested believe it or not and I didn't push it because it would have been really wet and nasty. We did, however, collect snow for my favorite winter treat. SNOW CREAM!

Maci Clare ended up with hers in a cup because she kept trying to tip the bowl up and drink out of it.

Gabe poured tons of chocolate syrup in his (and ruined it in my opinion).Jack is just being goofy!
Zane was too!
This is what it looked like outside so you see I wasn't exaggerating when I said we really didn't get that much snow. I think the kids just enjoyed the peace and rest. We also lost power for quite a while so we had lots of rest time.

I have not forgotten about the giveaway just having a hard time trying to make time to get to it. But I promise it is coming. Jim and I are going to Atlanta on Saturday afternoon and spend the night (another trip to IKEA, YAY!) So I will try to post the giveaway before I leave.

Finally Friday

It is finally Friday and we are heading into another busy, busy weekend. We have Pinewood Derby races tomorrow and Home Group on Saturday night. We are watching "Fireproof" at HG so I am looking forward to that.
I didn't get to all my goals yesterday and here is the reason. I started working, yes, "working" my way through The House That Cleans Itself (HTCI). I really like it but I am not putting everything into practice. I am using this book as a Reference book and making lots of notes in it and highlighting all kinds of things. I already have some systems at work (even though they are fairly new they are working) and I'm not willing to change that. However, there are other areas (so many other areas) that need work.
So I learned that yesterday my Home Base Zone is my kitchen. The kitchen's cleaniliness is not only important to me in my home, it is also important to me in other people's home. Especially if I am eating what you cook in your kitchen. If your kitchen is nasty, I'm not going to eat what you cook. So I decided to tackle that and yes, it is shiny and clean. The Home Base Zone or HBZ is the place in your home that when it is dirty you feel irritation and stress and when it is clean and organized you feel satisfaction. That for me is more than one area but the one that I feel the most strongly about is my kitchen. So because of this I had already organized and cleaned out everything. So it only took me about 30 minutes to deep clean and re-organize a little bit. The pics I took are fuzzy but you get the idea. (The wooden thing on the stove is a recipe holder that Zane made.) And the books that you see in the corner are library books (cookbooks) that are actually going back soon.Hopefully soon, we can get the phone off the counter too and hang it on the wall somewhere.
This is definitely are trouble spot. The island is a clutter catcher. One day we hope to install a stove with a grill so maybe that will eliminate this problem a little bit.

I also finished my laundry room. In our old house we had a huge laundry room at the back of the house where we piled tons of junk. In this house, we have a tiny laundry room (especially with our HE dryer and washer) that is right in the door we use all the time. I decided some time ago that I would make this the Laundry room/Mud room. I have always wanted a mud room.
So I had Jim build this little bench (which is really a shelf). Underneath are places for laundry baskets that will hold dirty (and sometimes clean) clothes. On top, each child has a basket for shoes. Each basket is labeled with name and picture of child (pictures for the littles that don't know how to read yet.) I am heading to IKEA in a couple of weeks and already have metal hooks picked out for hanging above the baskets for book bags and diaper bags and things like that. In the middle compartment underneath, I have two red buckets with gloves, mittens, and hats. I labeled these with removable labels so they can be re-labeled in the spring and summer to be used for something else. We hung a low rack with pegs to be used for coats so that everyone can grab their own coat when we are headed out the door.
I still have a small bench (the yellow thing next to the washer) so they can sit and put on shoes. The shelf behind it used to be filled to the top with papers and junk that I need to sort through. It now holds my laundry supplies. The cabinet that hangs on the wall is a medicine cabinet in one side and the other two parts hold extra cleaning supplies. On top of this shelf is extra laundry baskets and the cleaning supplies that I use to clean now.
I love it now. It is so much more usable than it has been and the kids are actually using it too. So if they can remember to use it then I have accomplished what I set out to do. I will post more of the things we are working on later.

My Goals

I have 2 sick kids at home today. Maci Clare is still battling the ear infections plus the antibiotic has caused stomach issues and really bad diaper rash (if it can even be called that). Jack has the stomach thing (or did last night) and unlike most parents if my kid throws up then I keep them home.
So being stuck at home has caused me to create some goals for myself.

1. Clear out the laundry room (that means no clothes and all clothes put away.)
2. Go through all the papers that are lying around and file them/throw them away/put in scrapbooks.
3. Sew for a few minutes.
4. Make a couple pieces of jewelry.

In reality I'm not sure how much I will get to but we will see and I will post pictures of the ones I complete.

Shopping Trips

Yesterday when Jim got home from work, I immediately left for a quick trip to Publix. It wasn't a great week at Publix and my coupon savings amounted to only about $15. (I guess every little bit helps.) They were out of several things I went for so I thought I would try again today.
While I was in Easley, I decided since it K-Mart was having a spectacular double coupon even (double coupons up to $2), I would check in and see what they had. It turned out to be a great trip.

18 Qt. Rubbermaid Box
Lever 2000 6 pack
Red Turtleneck (for MC)
3 tubes of Colgate Kids Toothpaste
1 Kids Colgate Dora Toothbrush
2 Bags of Ricola Cough Drops
2 Bottles of Gilette Shampoo
2 bottles of Sunsilk Shampoo
2 bottles of Sunsilk Conditioner
2 boxes of Ziploc Sandwich Bags
1 Jumbo Pull ups

Total = $60.96 OOP= $30.12

Then this morning, my 2nd trip to Publix was pretty good.
1 box of NY Garlic Breadsticks
2 bottles of Crisco EVOO
5 cans of Pillsbury Crescents
6 cans of Pillsbury Pizza Crusts
Total= $26..83 OOP = $15.11 Plus, I will send in my receipt for a $10 Publix Gift Card

To make my trip extra special, IHOP is right beside Publix and Maci Clare and I stopped in for free pancakes. YUMMY! And it was to benefit a great cause (Children's Miracle Network).

Parents Just Don't Understand

Remember the old Fresh Prince song, "Parents Just Don't Understand". This one line has taken on a new meaning for me. Just in the last few months, I have found parents who don't have multiple children have no clue what it is like to be in our shoes. Even if you ask and we try to explain, you laugh it off and say, "Oh, I couldn't do that." or "I don't know how you do that." But then you do not hesitate to tell us what we are doing wrong when we won't do what you think is best for your organization or the activity or cause that you think is most important. Parents of one or two children don't understand that we as parents of more than 2 have to draw the line somewhere. If we don't, we are sacrificing precious time. My view of precious time is time spent with my family, friends and husband. Time on other things is important but not as important as my relationships. So all that being said, I hope you understand when we say "NO" to Cub Scouts every week. And "NO" to more time spent on instruments and band practices. And "NO" to sports that you think my child should be playing because "he is so good". And "NO" to Poker nights with the guys or girls night out when I haven't seen my family all week. So be mad if you want. Say whatever you want about Jim and I. You can even whisper behind my back if you want but we will not sacrifice our marriage and our family because you think these things are best. So next time you feel you need to judge me because I said "NO", try to put yourself in my shoes and then maybe you will be a little more understanding about the word "NO".

My 1 year Bloggiversary-Better Late Than Never

We just got home after a long day of Scout stuff and errands and all kinds of other things and I forgot that today is my 1 year Bloggiversary.

"Happy Bloggiversary to me, Happy Bloggiversary to me,
Happy Bloggiversary Dear Muddlin'Thru Motherhood.
Happy Bloggiversary to me."

I do have a giveaway coming soon. Just something to get you in the mood for Spring (even though it is supposed to snow tonight). So check back next week and see what it is. (Nothing to do with the Bloggiversary but a giveaway none the less.) I will try to post a few pics in the next few days too. Right now, I am going to relax. It is 10:40pm and it is about that time.