Crazy Coupon Lady

Do you ever get in line behind someone that has so many coupons that people glare and it holds up the line. Sorry, that's me! I once had a checker tell me not to get in line behind people that use the WIC vouchers because they take a lot of time, hey my coupons hold up the line too - whatever!

I am actually very proud of my coupon skills. For Christmas this past year Dave bought me a really cool coupon organizer that allows me to separate my coupons by category. (I know OCD) But, hey proud to say that I save somewhere between $25.00 and $50.00 dollars a month using my coupons, maybe more. Last week alone, I saved $12.30 at the grocery store, $12.45 at Walmart, $10.00 at JC Penny, $6.00 at Costco, and only $.75 at Target. That's $41.60. Holy cow that is a lot of money. This doesn't even count what I saved from items that were on sale!

We get the newspaper for Merced and Modesto so on the weekends I go through the coupon ads and clip only coupons for products that I would buy on a regular basis. I file them away in my cute little organizer and go through them when I make my shopping lists. I get so mad when I let one expire without using it! I do try to shop when the store is not going to be very busy so I don't hold up lines too bad. I always have so many coupons at the grocery store that they have to call a manager to approve my transaction!

Glare at me all you want people behind me - I'm saving money!

And Butterflies...

Last week one by one the chrysalides turned into butterflies! Garrett was so excited everyday to see how many butterflies were in the "garden". We thought it would be fun for Garrett to take his butterflies to school to share with his friends for a day and release them the next day as a class, so that is what we did. The kids were so excited to see the butterflies and very excited to watch them fly away. Okay not really, they wanted to grab them, but still so cute!

Garrett getting ready to feed the first butterfly

Not a great picture, but you can see the butterfly

So excited to share with his class

Smile for the camera - BIG!

Hospital Tour

Merced's new hospital had tours today and lots of activities on site so we took the boys to check it out. What a beautiful hospital! I'm sad we aren't having any more babies, because the maternity ward was awesome. Dave was sure to get me out of there before I got any ideas!

Medi-flight was on site allowing the kids to check out the helicopter. I hope this is the only time our boys will sit in one of these. Unless of course they are flying it or one of the staff members in the future.

Ready for a ride

We Have Bugs!

Aunt Shannon brought the boys a live butterfly garden kit on her last visit. So a few weeks later I got on the computer and placed our order for the caterpillars and their food. I know, I ordered bugs, amazing! A few days later they were delivered.

I read the directions and we were set to grow our bugs. Because there isn't much change (to Garrett) this has become my little project. It has been fun to watch them grow and change. Garrett will be excited when the butterflies hatch.

April 3rd - lots of little caterpillars (larval stage)
April 18th - 5 chrysalides (pupal stage)

Moved to their Garden to hatch.

Potty Update

After a LONG week last week I would say we are successfully pee pee potty trained. Yes, poop is still a challenge, but we'll get there! We do still do a diaper at night also and that will go away in the near future also. Garrett went to school all week with his big boy underwear on and did quiet well. He did have accidents after nap often or they would put a diaper on him. Waiting for the toilet with 10-12 other kids that need it would be a challenge even for me! So the potty is now out of the living room, stickers are now an after, and he no longer take 2 hours to potty! He willingly picks his underwear everyday, tells us when he needs to potty, and hasn't had one accident with us. Not even when we are out and about. I am still fully prepared for an accident when we are on the go, we are back to carrying a change of clothes for Garrett. He has used the potty at his gym class and even the one at Daddy's work. The toilet at Daddy's work is automatic flushing and that did make him jump, I guess it caught him off guard a little!

He reminds us constantly that he is a Big Boy! We are very proud of our little potty boy.

Potty Training

Holy Mollie is all I can say!

We tried potty training about a month ago for a couple of days and ended with a screaming fight for a diaper. I decided we would wait a few weeks and try again. Well this week we tried again. I thought having Dave home would make it easier to focus on Garrett and the toilet since last time every time we went to the potty Gannon was crawling all over the bathroom and poor Garrett. We did a little more research on training a stubborn 3 year old and so far it's working. We have had a few accidents, but 90% of the business is in the toilet, so progress. We at least know he knows exactly when he needs to go and will sit on the potty for a while before he really goes. At this point I really hope there's no turning back! We'll have him home through the weekend to add progress and then he will use the big boy chair at school.

I did take a picture of the first poo in the toilet, but Dave said I really shouldn't post that! I guess I'll spare you the poo ball!!!

Good job Garrett!

Water Baby

The weather is finally getting warm enough to release the monkeys to the backyard. Garrett saw his water table in the garage a month or so ago and really wanted to take it into the backyard, so we did, without water. Gannon had no clue what it was for so he never messed with it. Garrett was so excited today when I cleaned it up and added water. WOW look out he comes Gannon. He LOVES water! Garrett loves to fill his cups from the spout and transfer from one to the other, he never tries to drink the water. Gannon on the other hand started first think trying to get water in his mouth. You would swear he is dehydrated or something by the way he was trying every maneuver to get a drink.

SERIOUS adult supervision with this toy!

Playing nice

Step 1: I just put water on my hand and hit my mouth

Step 2: Maybe if I dunk my head in the water I'll get more

Trying so hard to get a mouth full

Step 3: The water spout.

Garrett you better move your cup you're brother is crazy