Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Tackle-It Tuesday: The Swimmin' Box

YIKES! This has gotten out of hand. This is the cardboard copy paper box that we use to cram all things swimming into. It lives at the bottom of our linen closet, which is in the main bathroom. Over the years we have acquired many swimsuits and other items. It's time to clean it out. Sure, we need to keep some extras on hand for growing boys and girls, but the trunks that are too small for Sam need to go. And the suits too small for Eva need to go. I mean, if we do have one more kid, people will give us this stuff as hand-me-downs or else we can probably afford the $7 to get a new suit at Target, you know? I have to learn to let things go!

Anyway, this situation gets as out of control as our Winter Situation (boots, hats, scarves, gloves, etc.), which we will tackle on another Tuesday!

Here is the finished product!
Do you like how it's by the toilet brush and plunger? I have to be breaking some sanitary laws or something. I think a nice Target basket it in order for the swimsuits!

Here's the giveaway bag:

These were hard to give away. Michael and Joel had twin trunks, so I only saved one pair for Sam.

Also hard to give away because I got these for tiny Sam.

Also hard to give away. A teeny little hippie bikini my girls wore.

Okay, are ya'll happy now? I'm cleaning this mess up! I know my husband will be thrilled. Let's hope not TOO thrilled or you'll be seeing the I'M PREGNANT post in a few weeks .. haha!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Freaking Friday: Fifteen Minutes of Work, Then Play!

Thanks to my friend with the 5 kids (you hafta visit her blog now since I installed her Sitemeter so she can see that she's getting traffic from me), I have another blog post for you on Freaking Friday. I was doing her dishes and saying I felt guilty for sitting around her kitchen table entering giveaways online right before doing the dishes. She asked why did I feel guilty? She said work for 15 minutes (dishes), play/break for 15 minutes.

You could also do 5 minutes at a time.

My thing is I get overwhelmed by bigger tasks like helping a kid tackle their bedroom. But if we set a timer for 15 minutes and then know we'll go get some water and a snack after the timer goes off, it makes life a little easier. Then 5 or 15 minutes later you get back to the task til it's done.

My kids always gripe about cleaning up spaces, especially since most of the damage is done by the Littles (2-year-old Sam and 4-year-old Eva). I set the timer for 5 minutes and tell them to do as much as they can in those 5 minutes then they are done. I'll pick up the rest since they are my spawn lovely precious children.


PLEASIE ENTER MY GIVEAWAY of the Copy Kids DVD to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies AND the Littlest Pet Shop 8-pack for your next birthday party! It's over on the 31st and I need lots of entries. I'll probably be not seeing you this weekend because my husband is coming home on Friday and we'll be busy all weekend, so just keep coming back and reading the vintage (4 years old) posts from back when I ONLY had 4 kids :-)

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Thankful Thursday: Delivery.com Dinner!!!!



So I got home last night from a 4-hour playdate that was also a meeting about homeschool field trips and the potential of another homeschool group co-op. I took 6 kids and when we got home it was dinnertime. Kids get hungry, I was hungry because I was too busy yakking with my friends to eat lunch. Did I mention my husband has been out of town for almost 3 weeks? Then I remembered that I had a $40 Delivery.com gift card to try out and review. PERFECT TIMING!


How easy could it be, though, right? If I want delivery, I usually have to dig out old menus and then tally up how much it will be and try to figure out a tip and all that. I am telling you Delivery.com saved my night! It was so easy, too! I  just went to Delivery.com, entered my address, and immediately two of the best Chinese restaurants popped up. I'm in Kansas City, so we don't have a lot of delivery options, but I'm sure in bigger cities you'd have more choices for restaurants.

So I clicked on one of the restaurants and a menu popped up! And all I had to do was click on each item to order it and it added it to my cart and to my total. I also had the option of inputting special instructions, such as "no onion" or "no MSG." This also gave me the option of ordering a larger container of egg drop soup and a larger container of fried rice.

Then there was the total. All I had to do was enter the gift card code and it took $40 off the total. Then I also had the option to tip 10%, 15% or 20% and it calculated it for me and added it to my total. I got a ton of food for 7 of us and only paid $10 plus tip. Oh, and I paid it all online with a debit card so I didn't have to scramble to write a check. When the food came, we just took it and ate it!

A Delivery.com gift card would be perfect for someone who is homebound or just had a baby or who has a baby in the NICU and the last thing they want to do is cook. This is a great gift for a bachelor or bachelorette who doesn't love to cook (that was me once!).

My husband is out of town often and when he comes home he does not want to eat out. Delivery.com is going to be perfect for those times when I am too whooped to think about feeding a nutritious dinner to my kids. We all love Chinese food, so it is great. Can I suggest Jimmy John's sign on with Delivery.com, please? And all the pizza restaurants, like Pizza Hut, need to also take Delivery.com cards as payment.
HAPPY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!

My dinner!
I give Delivery.com 5 kids out of 5, my highest rating.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Washing Hair in the Sink


This is my precious Callie. I had just washed her hair in the kitchen sink, laying down on a towel. Then she washed her doll Laura's hair the same way in the bathroom. My mom's mom used to wash my hair this way because they did not have a shower. It is a good memory. I love that I'm passing it down! Callie loves having her hair washed with the sprayer in the kitchen sink!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tackle-It Tuesday: FINALLY My Closet?!

Before we begin, I'd like to remind the class that I am in a rockin' giveaway hop that runs through July 31. You can check out my offerings here and enter to win my prize package! Now, on to my closet ...

I love to organize. I could come to your house and see a problem and fix it immediately. I recently helped my friend find a home for her Kitchen Aid mixer. Her husband  had told her to take it out of the kitchen; it was too big and there was no spot for it. I was like HUH? Where would you put it? You use it all the time! So I checked around and in her pantry I asked if I could move some things around to make a home for the mixer in the bottom of the pantry. I enjoyed moving things around and combining things to make room and it fit perfectly!

Alas, it's like those therapists who fix everyone else but their life is a freaking mess (equals over half of the therapists I've known in my life; no, I have not been to lots of therapy and when I've gone I've been told I don't need it. I used to work at a place with therapist and even dated a psychologist ... who was dating me, half his age ... see what I mean?). Anyway ...

So here is the post where the BEFORE pictures were. And here are the AFTER shots. My husband can send the swag to this chick right  here because she kicked my butt YESTERDAY and I knew I had to get on it. I mean, she's a professional organizer!

Voila!

Note how all the crap hanging on the door is gone?

Yes, this is like all the shirts and skirts I have, including maternity! And this seems like a lot of clothing to me, much of it I never wear.

I maybe have like 10 pair of shoes. Note the black color scheme. And how often do I wear those stripper heels?  Well, like 3 times last year. But they are so pretty and were bought by my man (and Jordan)!

Yep, here is what I took out of the closet to make it look clean. To make room for my shoes I took out the scrapbooking/memorabilia tub and put it on the cedar chest. Then stuff that was hanging on the door goes on top of the tub, right? Look, Aron is coming home Friday and maybe for a long time. I will have more time to work on this THEN. For now my head is barely above water with this house and if I can keep laundry done and dishes done and keep my kids healthy and happy and fed and clean and all that while doing it all by myself, then I'm doing a good job. I'm sure scrapbooking will be another post someday ... I do it very simply but have so much stuff to scrap and I save everything my kids have ever touched!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Monday Mommy Monday

Well, ya'll peoples, I can't find the cord thingie that goes from the computer to the camera, so I can't do what I wanted to do today. Instead, I'll just give you a little glimpse into my life on this Monday ...

We all slept in late. I wake up first, and this morning just lay in bed reading the third 50 Shades book. It's alright. Summer rocks when you don't have a "real" job!

My Jackie O costume came to review from Anytime Costumes. I haven't tried it on yet, but I know the skirt won't fit. So as we head off for what my friend Wendy calls liquid cancer (sodas at Sonic's Happy Hour) I am knowing I have to forego my usual 500-ounce vanilla coke. I believe it is time to get healthy and fit into my old summer clothes, folks. I'll let you know how that goes, since I'm hearing on the radio that after 40 it is practically IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight on your own.

This prompted the kids to drag out my carefully packed Halloween tub and dress up and do crafts while I paid bills.

They hung out in the new pool trio on the patio while I made lunch and did dishes and laundry.

Oh, the life of a kid!

I actually got in a shower, now am preparing to get a bike helmet for Joel on the way to his fencing lesson. Where is my other flippin' flip flop?

Later I'll take Joel to Scouts, come home, put away laundry, write a piece about making the teaching of manners fun and harp on the kids to clean out the van so their dad doesn't have to do it when he gets home (the harping). As a mom, I don't feel like I harp enough and I need to work on it.

Part of our lawn is dead and part is growing high. I would weed whack it if I knew how.

Yes, Aron is still gone. No, I don't know when he's coming home from Wyoming.

Don't worry, Moshi Monster fans! I'll be back next Monday with Perler Bead Moshi Monster creations! And we still have to discuss the game! Leave me any suggestions in the comments!

Hey, wanna win something? Go here to check out my prizes for the 12 Days of Christmas in July giveaway hop I joined.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Romantic Sunday

I'm missing my husband like crazy lately, so all the love songs I hear make me think of him. Here are a few of my recent favorites. If you get my posts via email, you may not be able to see the song to click on it to watch it on YouTube (if you even want to!) .... so just click on the name of the blog in the email and it should come where you want it. If not, please just scroll down to the post you want.

Jason Mraz "I Won't Give Up" (you're welcome, Andrea)


Train "If It's Love"


I hafta plug the giveaway hop I'm in now. You can enter to win my stuff or tons of other prizes!



Friday, July 20, 2012

Sleigh All Day and Kerrie On: How do You Set Goals?

Yes, that's me over on the left on the morning of Christmas 2020 (super-fun top from Old Navy). I'm standing in front of a family tradition my kids instituted: the present wall that their dad has to get through after waking. My husband is always the last one up on Christmas Day—what's it like at your house?

But now Christmas has come and gone, and it's time to start thinking about how you're going to slay this year in all areas of your life.

I'm obsessed with planning, productivity and goal-setting. So tell me, how do you go about setting goals for work, marriage, family, mind, body, soul, household, finances?

One way I succeed in reaching some of my goals is to keep binders for pretty much everything. I've got a post coming up on that one because my binders keep me sane and come in varieties such as: Homeschooling, Household Reference, Christmas, Self-Ker, Business Finances, then separate binders for specific classes I teach at the homeschool co-op (Grammar/Comp and Modern World History one year; Literature and Personal Finance another year), as well as a general co-op binder since I'm on the committee and have many things to keep straight.

Freaking Friday: Falling in Love

I know Aron is going to be like, "What are you doing posting THREE things on the blog? Are the kids tied up somewhere so you can write?"

NO, silly. Not today, anyway. It's just that I had a FREEBIE to post, then I had to break the news about FLORIDA the new pet and today is our anniversary of meeting so it's when we FELL in love! I HAD to post all this! (The kids are watching a movie and I am nursing Sam, if you must know).

So 17 years ago tonight I met Aron McLoughlin. I had just gotten off work from a collections place on a Thursday night. I sucked at it because I gave everyone a break because I had my own debt issues from my first marriage. My girlfriend Anita and I went to her boyfriend's (Dave) apartment. I had business to attend to before my date arrived. I had people to return calls to who could be potential roommates for me. So I'm on the phone on a long conversation with this Guy #1, who sounded so smart and wonderful but who I told I could not have as a roommate because my dad would kick my butt and I wouldn't be comfortable with it anyway. Then when I got done, Guy #2 is laying on the couch like he freaking owns the place. Then Guy #3 (my date) shows up to hang for a bit before we went out (he had a Mustang; I was shallow).

It's like an episode of The Dating Game, right? I had OPTIONS back then, people. Which is not always a good thing, let me tell you. I had too many Mr. Wrong options, actually, so it was hard to discern who was Mr. Right.

Well, he was on the couch, lounging, shoeless. Hadn't even talked to him. Didn't know what he drove. Something was weird and instant, though. I wondered, "Who IS this guy?"

I had seen too many episodes of Seinfeld and when I saw him double dip a chip, I mentioned that fact, trying to be funny. He just looked at me like I was nuts. Ooookay, whatever. Soon after I took off with my date, excited to be meeting Guy #1 the next day. Turns out Aron was staying the night at Dave's because his truck was in the shop and he needed a ride to work and school the next day.

Guy #1 did not work out ... no chemistry, which I happen to think is very important for longevity. Guy #3 was a bust at the end of Thursday night, too. A self-absorbed jerk. Aron was going to be going out Friday night for Dave's birthday, and I had been invited by Anita.

Saturday night we celebrated my dad's birthday ... he was 45!!! Then I drove to Westport (party central in Kansas City), parked my car and walked alone to Kelly's, where everyone was waiting to party. Aron and I tried to pretend like we were ignoring each other, but we were checking each other out. Unfortunately, we ended up in different groups when our friends split up. He ended up in the group that went dancing (I love dancing!!!!) and I somehow ended up in the group that sat at a bar TALKING while I got hit on by a married friend of theirs (blech). I just kept thinking about when we were going to meet them at the dance place, but we never did :-(

When it came time to meet the limo they had rented to take them to a hotel in Overland Park to party more and stay the night (it sounds bad, doesn't it, Dad?), I went with my crew to meet up with the other crew.

It was like a movie scene in the middle of the street. Aron was toasted and yelling from the end of the street by the limo about why did we not come dancing? He seemed mad. I got invited to ride in the limo and thought, "Why not? I can find a ride home."

The limo ride was fun ... I thought Aron was with another girl there but he wasn't. We flirted a little. At the hotel we hung out more and talked and got to know each other. I knew how to spell his last name and he was impressed. He told me he was going to DeVry for electronics engineering and was almost done. I was impressed that he maybe had a brain.

Later a "friend" of his told me he was going out with a girl who was there at the hotel with us. Turns out his "friend" was mackin' on me and what he said was not true. We slept a few hours on the floor using rolled-up towels as pillows and in the morning we somehow ended up back at my car alone in Westport and I offered to give him a ride back to his place so he could shower before work. When I dropped him off at work, he gave me his number and the rest is ... well, it was not an easy road, friends! There is a lot more to come, and I have to save that for the Aron + Kerrie = Love Untitled Love Story I started working on months ago.

This stuff is hard to write from memory and try to make it interesting, and I don't have the brain power to drag out all my old journal pages from the basement. Plus I have to edit certain things to clean it up, of course! But soon I will so we have a nice record of our love for us and for our children.

All I have for now is a picture of our wedding day, which was about 3 years after we met. We don't have a scanner so when I start working on our love story again for the blog I'll take pictures of old pictures and put them on here!
If any moron wants to ask "who is she?" I will beat your butt. Just ask the last person who did it. I was 27 years old then. I am 41 now and have had 5 children and a normal marriage, which means some stressful times. I don't WANT to look to like that again. I want to look like ME, now. I love the way Aron looks NOW and I will still think he's adorable when he is 90 years old.
This is why I gripe about him being out of town. Because I actually LIKE him and enjoy his company, even when he is grumpy about the unclean house or what the kids eat or how much time I spend writing. I love him more everyday, and I never thought something like was possible, but it so is. Everything I went through before I met him was worth it, and I would do it all again.

Edited to add: I found my old journals!!! I sat on the phone with my man tonight reading him my first impressions of him, to be saved for future posts! He recalls the night we met and that he told me I have nice legs. I don't remember hearing him say that, but he swears he said it.

Freaking Friday: Flo-rida the Gecko?

So this blog post is mostly for my husband because he doesn't know about this yet.

Um, sweetie, we have something to tell you. We have added another tiny little family member. Her/his name is Flo-rida because he/she came from Florida. Well, you see, honey, you know how my mom works at a florist? Well, the other day she called and said that they got some plants in from Florida and there was a teensy little lizard or something or other on one of the plants.

It's not like they can ship it back there you know, the poor wittle orphan. So I'm sure you know what's coming and this is the part where I butter you up and tell you how handsome you are and how in love with you I am and how happy I am to have made 5 spawn sweet sweet children with you.

So yes, we have adopted a new baby. I thought Freaking Friday would be the perfect place to announce the arrival of Florida the gecko/lizard/chameleon. Joel has already been researching how to care for it, so that counts as homeschool science, right? And I have made it a little sling so we can carry it around.

Just kidding on that last part. Trying to make you laugh. And I probably won't breastfeed it.

So here is a picture of the little sweetie. She/he is very happy in the small terrarium downstairs so far. Thanks for being so cool and understanding. Small pets are good, right? Now, about that dog we're thinking about getting in the fall. We're thinking of downgrading to a cat, maybe a little easier to care for? Can't wait to see you when you get home, whenever they LET YOU COME HOME to us and then hopefully  you will be home for weeks!

Florida, born maybe in early July 2012. About an inch long not counting the tail. Might be a gecko that changes color.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Cut Your Kids' Hair at Home and Save Big!

Step one: Get a willing participant. Michael HATED having his hair cut. Sam LOVES it. No, he is not drugged here.

Start a'cutting.

Admire your fantastic work and the fact that your kid's nickname will no longer be Jethro or Hippie Boy.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tackle-it Tuesday: My Closet at the Grant Street House in Overland Park, KS and Vintage Barbies

Let's see what my closet used to look like:
What a mess! Kids' stuff always ends up in my space! And clothes fall  off the hangers onto the ground and intermingle with my sparse collection of shoes ...

I need to find a new spot for hiding their toys that are in time-out. See that pink stool? We call that The Death Stool because Aron made it and Callie kept falling off of it. He balanced it out and the kids were STILL getting messed up on this stool. So I have it temporarily hidden until I can learn to administer stitches all by myself. (Just kidding, honey ... you build amazing furniture and I love you so much!)

I worked on it QUICKLY this past weekend so I would have something to post for you. See the effect you have on me?! You are forcing me to clean my house. My husband should send each and every one of you a bag of swag or something.

Well, never mind. I actually did not finish it. I did SOME of it, but then Monday kicked my butt so I will now distract you from that fact with some cool pictures of my vintage Barbies and my favorite piece of her clothing. My mom has given these to me/my girls and I keep them put up because they are a big deal and my kids would trash them. They are original dolls from the 1960s and their clothes are, as well. Some of their clothes were made by my Great Aunt Eva. Enjoy! And maybe I'll clean that closet for you by next week!


I could just die when I see that black and white suit with the hat on that vintage doll, and I don't usually give a crap about clothing. But when you get those 1950s and 1960s clothes in front of me I'm in heaven!



The original cases!


Monday, July 16, 2012

Encouraging Your Kids to Try New Things

So this is a picture I took of me stalking my son. PLEASE allow me to explain!

So my kid is the one with the green backpack because his dad is out of town and could not make it home for the bike ride tonight like he really wanted to and if his dad had been home he could have gotten his crap together and made sure he had a water bottle holder mounted on his old gearless bike. I'm sure I could figure out how to ride a bike but don't have my own and also have other little ones to take care of so I did the drop-off thing and let the dads take over. You know this is hard for me because I'm one of those overbearing overprotective moms!

Today he also had his first Fencing class. Sometimes when new things come up he is reluctant to try them. I may have been guilty in the past of letting him stop doing things when he wanted to. I sucked at ballet/tap and I sucked at softball and so many other things. My parents made me at least TRY to do some different things but I never cared about them and didn't last long. I honestly believe some kids just are not cut out for uber-activity-world. Plus we live on the outskirts of Affluent Land where kids are always in activities. (sidenote: turns out I am EXCELLENT at carrying babies and giving birth with minimal painkillers ... my mom used to think I was such a wus, and now I feel like I can do anything physical ... I was perhaps a late bloomer!)

Anyway, lately I am trying to change my ways. I don't want to PUSH him to do things he HATES, but if he is merely reluctant, I am trying to jazz him up about things. Like fencing. Of course it would have been easier to stay home and play. But I got everyone around and we made it to Fencing. And he had a good time. He only has 5 more times and then can decide if he ever wants to do it again or if he wants to try something new. But all I ask is that he finish those other 5 sessions.

Tonight he didn't feel up to the 5-mile bike ride for Boy Scouts. I told him it would not take long and it would be so much fun to hang out with boys he is getting to know. Plus you get exercise. Plus you work on your Cycling badge. How great that will feel to accomplish that. That is not something I could probably even accomplish at my advanced age! (I have probably not worked out since ... well, hmmm ... let me thing ... oh, I know .... it was the 5K Aron and I walked when I was like 2 weeks PREGNANT with JOEL!). I'm sure we'll have the same discussion soon when the 10-mile ride comes up, and I will give him the pep talk of his life.

As we drove away, his little friend we have with us said, "They can't go on Antioch [busy street]; he won't survive!" I'm like, "Don't say that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" So I came right home and pulled up the email that had the route they would be taking and for a mom like me, that was like HEAVEN to have. I know where my baby is! I think when my kids are in their 40s I will be the same. My poor children.

So this picture is of me parked on the road waiting to see where the Troop was headed so I could get a shot of his bike ride. Thought he might like to see it someday, even if it is just from behind! It is also a good reminder for me that my kids are always riding away from me, every second of every day. It makes it that much more urgent for me to raise them well and to raise them to want to try new things.

Moshi Monster Monday: Draw Your Heart Out!

The last weekend Aron was home he had the kids quietly sitting at the dining room table drawing Moshi Monsters pictures (using their Moshi Monsters guides for help). He has some crazy Child Whisperer gift or something. What is it about dads that kids seem to listen to more than moms? Is it that kids are generally with their mom more? So do stay-at-home dads have the same problem as stay-at-home moms? Like does the mom come home from her full-time job and Get. Things. Handled? What if both parents work full-time? Does it just make a difference on who the biggest pushover is (me)? Questions to ponder later or in the comments section. Here is the artwork:
Rooby by Joel

Roxy by Michael

Oddie by Michael

Cleo by Joel for Callie


Sunday, July 15, 2012

Pools and Drive-In Movies with a Bunch O' Kids

First of all, I want to apologize if you get my bloggy via email because some of you are getting it a day late. Yes, that can make you a dollar short, if you got the Friday Freebie email a day late, for instance. Sorry about that, and I will use all my technical expertise to check into the situation. Seeing as how that ain't much, the problem might be fixed in early 2015. So just come to the blog if you think about it. Which I know you do. Like every single minute of your day.

Second of all, my Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up show is slacking hard. Here's the wrap-up of last week: We had a ton of fun. Aron was out of town and we missed him tons like always.

Moving on.

Yesterday we went to the Lifetime Fitness outdoor pool for 4 hours with a friend who is a member. We got in for free and got FREE lunch for all dozen of us. We saved like $70. It's for sure freebie weekend for us! My friend is a good influence on me in that she encouraged me to go to Chik-fil-A. I am a good influence on her in that I encourage her to go to the pool! Michael lost a tooth in the pool, but the Tooth Fairy came anyway last night even without a tooth to take.

Later Joel was like, "Can we PLEASE go to the drive-in?????" And I was like, "There is no way I can do that with no Daddy to help." Aren't I negative? The thing about me, though, is that I might say there is no way, and then I go ahead and do it anyway, thinking the entire time, "It will be fine." Damn Geminis.

So here are a few pix from the drive-in. In Kansas City we go to the I-70 because they have 4 screens.

We like to grab Aldi food on the way ... like M&Ms and chips and juice pouches and other culinary nastiness. They were closed when we got there, though, so we hit Mickey D's (sockless in the car!) and got some frozen lemonades, Coke, food and cookies.

We had a great time! I felt all super-prepared with everything we needed and we even parked backwards like the cool kids do. Sam sat some, meandered around in front of the van some, sat on my lap, got sleepy but didn't go to sleep until we drove over to the 2nd movie for a few minutes.

The only decent photo I could grab since it was dark. This is from the previews.
I have fond memories of the drive-in from when I was a kid. We would go all the time and my dad had a rockin' 1970s van so I could fall asleep in the bed in back when I wanted to. So of course we take our kids as often as we can. Last year we didn't go at all so we were dying to go now. It was sad to go without Aron, but we had fun seeing Ice Age #27. Snow White and the Huntsman was not for us, so we drove over to the end of Spiderman then went home.

We got to talk to Aron on the way home. He had worked another long day. Turns out he will not be home Monday after all and will be gone longer. I cried on the phone because I miss him. Don't feel sorry for me, though, Readers, because crying just means I am still in love head over heels and that we like each other. He said he was proud that I took the kids to the drive-in and that he prayed for us!

All but Joel fell asleep on the way home, so basically getting all the sleepers in the house is my biggest challenge. I had the 3 oldest kids inside and in bed when Michael asked, "Did you put the Littles away yet?"

Total cost $8 for the drive-in movie for 6 of us because my kids are all under the age of 12.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Aftermath: Friday the 13th Freebie Crawl #ChikFilA #CowAppreciationDay

You will probably not believe this, but I took my crazy butt to every offer I posted yesterday. First we hit the Starbuck's for the refreshers. The kids did not like them, so more for me. These cost $2.99 after tax so we got $17.94 for free. The chick at the drive-through was like, "Um, you know these have caffeine in them, right?" Like I was giving them crack or something. I'm like, "Yeah, I know it's not juice. All my kids have ADHD so caffeine CALMS them ... just kidding." Truthfully, folks, I don't notice my kids acting any less or more nuts when they have caffeine or sugar so why change things now? My parenting style is 1960's Old School without the spankin's.

Click here to see what my friend Heather thinks of the Refreshers.

Then we hit the Krispy Kreme, where they had made a donut cake for their 75th birthday (thanks for the heads-up, Angela and Elizabeth)!

Joel wanted to go inside and since we had not been inside in forever, I surprised him with a YES. He likes to watch the PROCESS.

Michael gives his baby brother a boost.

The booty. Buy one dozen get the other for $0.75. Total saved = $6.24.

Sam digs in. This is why my mommyvan looks like crap most of the time!

Later my friend came over with her 5 kids and somehow convinced me that we could handle the Chik-fil-A promotion thing and dress like cows. I was apprehensive, but she and kids dove right in and I found myself a nice black outfit and taped white dots on it.

A quick nursing session is about to happen with my little calf. Here comes that udder ...

This is Karate Kow, Eva. We are udderly crazy.

Crap, why didn't this picture turn for me? This is surly Sam donning ballet shoes to go with the black shoe theme.

My friend with an employee of Chik-fil-A and a couple of the ELEVEN kids we took in there!

Don't freak out. Yes, we took up THREE tables. We had a ton of fun. The kids were well behaved. Just my crew saved $41.37.

Afterward I was feeling udderly brave, so we went to Burger King for their 50-cent ice cream cones and to play in the playroom and have some mommy conversation. Saved about another $7. See below for the totals ...

TOTAL SPENT (because my husband will want to know): $16.56 (because I sprung for the ice cream cones for all of us)

TOTAL SAVED for got for free: $72.55. Not bad for a day's work as a stay-at-home mom.