Back in the game...

the grocery game, that is. After a 3 month hiatus from shopping with coupons I'm back in the game! I subscribe to this phenomenal list that gives me weekly updates of what to buy where at all the area grocery stores. (www.grocerygame.com) Unfortunately I have not been getting the Sunday paper which leaves me completely couponless. No coupons...this makes coupon shopping very difficult. Tracy to the rescue! Tracy and I have been friends since the summer after 3rd grade. We've done plenty of crazy things together - mostly during our teens - like the time we dressed her up like a 30 year old and sent her into the liquor store to buy beer. Unfortunately we didn't figure out what year a 30 year old should have been born in and she accidentally told the attendant she was 12. Oh well...we just went home and sipped Dr. Pepper. Anyway, this time it was her idea, I swear it! She recently discovered a wealth of coupons available in the paper recycling bin at our kids' school. So yes, we did the unthinkable Monday night...with a lone flashlight in hand, we did some dumpster diving for coupons. My biggest fear was getting caught by the principal. Can you imagine?! Two respectable PTA moms caught in the dumpster sifting through people's old papers for coupons? We were found out by the janitor but oddly enough, she didn't seem phased.

The end result was great - tons of coupons from Jan & Feb and I saved over $70 dollars tonight at Tom Thumb! Thanks Tracy!!

At least we're not in Baghdad

When I was a little girl, my mom used to tell me she was going to send me to Terrell. This was her way of saying that I needed to go to the funny farm. You see, the state mental hospital was located in Terrell, TX…it’s not there anymore but she still says it. Sometimes I think it would have been a good thing to have been institutionalized years ago.

I have a saying of my own. When Nolen is complaining because he has to do homework or crying because I’m not buying him that $50 Star Wars X Wing fighter, I just tell him “At least you’re not in Baghdad”. This is how I teach him to put his life in perspective…it can always be worse. And when you think it can’t get any worse, God comes along to remind you of who’s really in control.

My life feels like chaos in slow motion. It doesn’t make sense right now. But this is when I have to sit back and just live. And know that whatever happens, at least I’m not in Baghdad. I’m in the good ol’ U.S. of A. where it would be hard to starve even if I tried.

Thanks to Kate and her wealth of American Airline upgrade points, we traveled to and from Jacksonville in first class. Wow. What fun! I have a perplexing question…what exactly is the deal with the warm towel? It’s just weird if you ask me. Do you wipe your face and then your hands? Just your hands? Your hands, then face? Gross. I just don’t get it. I do however fully and completely grasp the free alcohol.

On another completely different note, look at the super cool find in the Target dollar spot! They have all these great big letter magnets. I found every letter I needed to spell SMITH on my refrigerator. I just love it!

Another Date Night

Nolen was very jealous when I took Ella out last Friday night. I didn't dare pass on the chance for a few hours alone with him so we had our own date night last night. I took him to see 8 Below and go to 1/2 Price Books. The movie was sweet...he LOVED it! It always shocks me how much food is at the theatre. 2 hot dogs, 1 drink, 1 very small popcorn and some Reeses Pieces - over $20! I seriously contemplated smuggling food in but didn't think it I would be setting the best example. One time my dad smuggled microwave popcorn into the theatre. I'm so sure that no one noticed the popcorn smell or steam coming from the inside of his winter jacket...so embarrassing...so I coughed up the money so my son wouldn't feel like we were cheating or anything. He was already so stressed that I was taking pictures of us in the seats before the moving started b/c one of the screens they show before the previews said no video or still cameras allowed during the movie. One thing about Nolen, he's very unlikely to be a hell-raiser in his teenage years. He's so much like my husband...by the book. He freaks out if we start pulling out of a parking lot before he has his seatbelt on because he's afraid he'll get in trouble with the law. At 1/2 Price, he found just the book he was looking for - a huge DK book about animals. He has been enthralled since the moment he opened it.

I have so much to do this weekend. I have a load of PTA work, regular work stuff to do and I'm off to Jacksonville on Tuesday, so I guess I need to unpack from Vegas. I desperately need to take Nolen to get his hair cut today. This is the first time in his life he doesn't have super short hair and I really don't know what to do with it. It's just sticking out everywhere!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are the Valentine cards Nolen and I made together.

Today is going to be fun! Ben and I are the room parent's for Nolen's 3rd grade class so that means we're in charge of the class party. We've got a great game planned. We're taping a blank piece of paper of each child's back. All of the kids are to anonymously write something they like about their classmates on the paper... whatever... I like your laugh... I like your shoes... I like how smart you are... Then I'm going to have the kids go around the room and share what the other kids wrote. I think that will be the perfect Valentine's Day game. I hope they all go home feeling great about themselves.

Having a case of the Mondays...

I'm totally suffering from a "case of the Mondays" today. Do I really have to get up out of bed?? Unfortunately, the answer is yes...and after my 4th cup of coffee I'm sure it will be easier to get going. One down, three to go.

I had such a pleasant weekend at home. Nolen and I worked on his classmates' Valentines. This is something I look forward to every year. We had a really good time working on them and this year he actually helped:)

Sunday night we had one of my oldest and dearest friends over to visit along with her husband and daughter. Jen and I became friends FOREVER ago...I remember walking over to her house during the summer of '87 to watch the Iran-Contra hearings because...this is so embarrassing...we had a crush on Ollie North. Her family moved to a different school district but we remained friends all through high school, listening to New Order & Erasure, hanging out at Denny's, nearly getting into some serious trouble...I'll spare you the details. So last night we just hung out as 30+ year olds while the kids played. Jen and John are a totally cool couple. She's working on her Doctorate in Psychology and he's a local actor. Their daughter Kaleigh is a precious little girl. I can't believe I forgot to snap a picture of me and Jen! Where was my head? We've promised to not lose touch again so I'll have to get a pic the next time we get together.

Okay, must get serious about today. Big week ahead.

Date night with Ella

Tonight was our first ever "Girls' night out"...Curious George and a trip to 1/2 Price Books. We had a fantastic time! Ella was hilarious. She laughed out loud at the funny parts and insisted that I take her socks and shoes off half way through the movie. She ate the entire time - popcorn and a $4 bag of plain M & M's. After the movie, we went to 1/2 Price Books, one of my FAVORITE places. Unfortunately I didn't get to look at anything - it was all about Ella tonight. She walked away with Curious George Visits the City, two Franklin books and a tummy ache she acquired during the movie. She hates having her pictures taken as you can see. Doesn't she know how paparazzi-like I am? Of course she does - that's why she hides her face. I'm scared of what age 16 will bring me...Right now Ella is singing from the top of her lungs in the bed. She's totally wired from her soda and candy.

The movie was much more enjoyable than I expected. Lots of music from Jack Johnson which was nice. Big weekend ahead - lots of work to do, Nolen's Valentine cards to work on, clothes shopping for the kids, grocery shopping, Olympics watching...

Home at last!

Well, the show was great! A ton of incredibly smart retailers picked up our new Route 99 line. So many people also took notice of all the other things we'd been up to for the last year. The company has been through so many changes and our booth took a lot of people by surprise. Vegas was a healing time for me - rekindling old friendships...visiting with old customers...it was cool.

Coming home was really awesome. Kate and I caught the red-eye home so I got home at 5 am instead of 10 am. I surprised Ben and the kids with my early arrival. Ben is a total superman! I came home to a spotless house, a fridge full of leftovers like pork loin, pesto pasta, chili and homemade banana pudding, and some happy & healthy kids. He's so incredible!

This trip was really good for me and my son's relationship. {absence makes the heart grow fonder} I wrote a note for him to read everyday I was gone. According to Ben, he really loved the notes and looked forward to reading them every day. Every time I called home he was super chatty. He talked more than anytime I can remember. He's really growing up. I'm looking forward to watching him continue to mature. We're able to have such fun conversations these days. He's also very creative. I love to ask him what he thinks of a design that I've created. His feedback is priceless.

It's so wonderful to be home. A quiet Friday night that consists of giving the girls a bath and watching Shark Boy and Lava Girl with Nolen beats a night watching Frankie Moreno at the Las Vegas Hilton any old night...but that was a blast, too:) I'd post a pic of us crazy girls with Frankie but the picture was erased. I'm so bummed!