Some old forgotten "should have posted's"

Yes, I am on my computer A LOT recently.  And came across a bunch of photos whose stories I haven't told.  So I better do it, I thought, before they're all forgotten.

 

The above picture is a little gross, I know, but I promise it's a clean toilet.  On a usual morning in January, I replaced the roll of toilet paper in this hall bath. Maddie wanted to blow her nose and so I gave her some and went on my merry way,  A few minutes later Maddie came to me and says "I can't do it, Mom.  It's not working."  Uh-oh.  She usually likes to flush the toilet after she "blows her nose" so I knew something was up since I hadn't heard the toilet flush.  I followed her to the bathroom and there it was.  The whole new roll of toilet paper in the toilet.  Yep, I had to use my hands (wrapped in plastic of course) to fish out all this wet toilet paper before I could flush it.  Luckily like I said the toilet was pretty clean or I'd like to think it was.

This is Allie's pet fish Squirt which she got back in January. Today she reminded me that I still haven't posted a photo of him on her blog or mine, and when she saw the photo I took when he was brand-new, she told me she's thinking of renaming him. He's a red betta and Allie paid $13 and some change for him and all that he needs to live from Petco.  She had researched all the possible pets she could have, and this one was one she could afford - I wish I took a photo of the paper she took with her to the store. It was a print-out with the item name, picture and in her handwriting, the cost of each item plus tax.

Kevin tried to talk Allie in getting some cheaper gold fish but the lady told Allie she would probably need to get a filter if she wanted them to live long.  That was out of her budget, so she went back to her original plan of getting a betta and the bowl kit she had found online.  

The first betta she found was a really nice looking crown betta, but that rang up $6.99 (it was not marked when she picked it out).  The guy at the register was nice to let her "hold" the rest of the items while she and I went back to choose one that was $3.99 or under.  She was so excited to finally be able to buy the fish she had been talking about getting for so long! Squirt's been around our house for over a month now (lived way past Kevin's estimate of when it was going to die) and Allie's been taking pretty good care of him, including maybe even giving him a new name.

This was the day I took them to Desert Schools to open up their savings accounts.  As you can see from their faces, they were feeling pretty important that day.

This was girls' night out with some of my good friends from our ward.  I am one of those who feels a little weird to be away from home.  I'm definitely a home body, you know? Since I started doing preschool daily, and well, on top of other stuff I find myself doing, there never really is a good time for me to go out with friends.  I mean, did I really have time to do this?  Not really...but I was glad I went because it made me relax when relaxation looked like it was not an option.  We carpooled and went out to eat at BJ's  (Alisyn and I split a big ol' calzone) and watched Dear John.  It was a fun night, thanks to some good friends who got me to go out and Kevin who was so good and told me I could stay out as long as I needed to. :)

Same week as above - my most recent shopping trip that cost me $69 -  for 73 items - which included 15 or so bags of cheese (Sargento/Kraft), 10 boxes of Toaster Strudel, 13 Boxes of Nabisco Crackers (big boxes of Ritz, goldfish, etc), 4 10-packs of Capri Sun, 5 or 6 bags of frozen vegetables, a big pack of Brawny, boxes of granola bars, 2 packs of garlic bread (that I paid $10 for a pack of 3 at Costco the week before), Lunchables (the big packs), chips, margarine, mustard, hot sauce, water, chips, plates, cups, toothpaste, and Nutripals.  70% savings, I used $50 worth of clipped coupons. I love paper money!  And the rush of getting a bunch of stuff for practically free.  In fact Kevin called me the other day and asked me if he should get more Toaster Strudels at Walmart for $1.99 (on sale) - and I told him that was not that great of a price because I had just paid around 50 cents a box recently.

Collin is so funny with my couponing.  He gets excited and wants to see how long my receipt is whenever I go coupon-shopping.  He asked to take this picture just to see how tall he is compared to the receipt.

Collin - preparing his Valentines.  He insisted on writing them out because he "knows how to spell all of them".  He was so cute about giving valentines out to the "mom helpers".   He addressed one to "Lily's Mom".  Lily's Mom is a "mom helper" who helps regularly.  She was floored that Collin thought of her and gave her a valentine. Unexpectedly sweet.

 Collin giving "Lily's Mom" a valentine (Lily to the right)

Allie "remodeling" her Valentine robot.  I was glad she was going to reuse the same box, but she wanted to make it better.  It took us a while to get her all done up the way she wanted.  Miss Crafty at work.

This was the same week (before Valentine's)- party week. Literally.  I had 2 preschool parties to carry out, and then Friday was of course the kids' V-day parties at school.  I helped in Collin's class, which I wish I could do more often, because Collin just loves when I come.  Well, before we left to go home I dropped off cookies for Allie's party, so while I was there she asked if I could come to hers too. So I did. They really didn't need too much of my help, but I ended up meeting a parent that just moved from Utah, and Allie was glad to have me around until it was time to go home. 

Maddie came with me and was not much trouble.  She wanted to decorate her own cookie too, and they had extras, so they let her have her own.

Collin's kindergarten class

Allie with her newly spruced up Valentine robot.