Parker's Thoughts on Pregnancy

For months now, Parker has assumed that since I have a baby in my tummy he must have one in his as well.  (We have tried to tell him that is impossible but. . .)  Here are his thoughts on pregnancy this week.

1.  Parker told me his belly was aching yesterday.  I asked him if he needed to go potty, and suggested that it might help.  He told me, "No mom,  I don't need to go potty.  It's just my baby going crazy in there."

2.  I took Parker with me to my last doctor's appointment.  You know those appointments where the check your urine, listen to the baby's heart beat, and measure how fat you are getting.  Nothing too damaging or traumatizing, right?  Well, that night as I was helping him get ready for bed I was asking all of the basic questions.

"Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yup!"

"Did you go potty?"

"Yup!  I even tested my pee."

After a short pause I asked, "Parker, did you pee in the toothbrush cup?"

"Yup, but don't worry Mom, I dumped it in the potty once I was done."

Yes, I grabbed the cup and cleaned/sanitized it MANY times.

No, I don't think Parker will be coming to anymore doctor appointments with me.

Parker "Surprise" Cookies

Just the other day I was craving cookies, so I enlisted the help of both of my children to make them.  We happened to be over at my in-laws house, so the boys put on a few of Grandma's aprons and patiently waited while I scrambled around a somewhat unfamiliar kitchen to find all of the necessary ingredients.  I thought things had gone pretty well, until I found these odd white chunks in the dough.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the chunks could possibly be.  I even tasted one to see if I could determine what it was.  Soon, I had my mother-in-law join the quest to figure out what could have possibly happened to the cookie dough.  I was about to give up and throw out the dough when Valerie (my mother-in-law) had a stroke of insight.  She asked Parker if he had put something into the mixer.

Sure enough, he had added his own personal stamp to our batch of cookies.  A stale piece of bread.  We decided that we weren't afraid of a little bread, so dug out the biggest chunks and we cooked them anyway.  Surprisingly, they didn't turn out half bad.  You couldn't even notice the extra texture although I am sure my body had to recognize the extra carbs.

However, don't worry, I think that if I ever cook for people other than my immediate family I will forego the help and cook solo for awhile.

Cookies anyone? 

Connor Quotes to Remember

Connor has had a few memorable quotes this week that I thought I would share. 

1.  Connor made me a Mother's Day card at school the other day.  It was a cute little glimpse into how he views me.  The card said something like this:

My mom's name is Lauren.

She is 30 years old.

She weighs 203 pounds.  (who knows where he came up with this information.)

My favorite thing she cooks is toast.

My least favorite thing she cooks is broccolli.  

My favorite thing she does for me is cook.

(I found this funny, because apparently he really likes the way I use the toaster.)

Etc. etc. etc.

The card was really cute.  However, the funny comment came while Jeremy and I were discussing the card.  Connor was listening as I read the card to Jeremy.  He stopped me after I read and said, "You are 30, right?" 

After telling him that I was indeed 30, and that he had gotten it just right, he paused for a minute before adding, "and Dad, your 31, right?"

After another moment of obvious thought he said, "You know what the song says Dad, 'one year older and wiser too!"

2.  The other day Connor handed me his banana and very politely asked if I could "unzip" the banana peel.  I find it funny to get a little glimpse into his mind and see his logic.  It makes me laugh.

Grocery shopping, Coupons, and Good Karma

No one likes to grocery shop.  Especially me.  I hate pushing the cart through a crowded store with at least one child following behind begging for what ever bright colored box or sugar filled treat that they have seen.  I swear I spend more money on trying to keep my children good and quiet during our weekly excursions.  However, today was one of the rare moments when grocery shopping was a heavenly event.  Not only was Parker a little angel, and quiet helpful, through our little excursion, I saved so much money at the grocery store I still can't believe it.  I made such a killing on groceries today that I came out of the store with an adrenalin rush.

For the last two months I have been working hard at re-stocking our food storage shelves.  So far, we have been doing good thanks to my friends at

www.PinchingYourPennies.com.

I take a look at there web-site to plan my shopping trips and see what the best deals are for the week.  This morning was no different.  I checked out the web-site, clipped my coupons and headed to Albertson's to stock up on a few great deals they had there.  Then, thanks to some good karma, the deals kept rolling in.  Here the list of what I bought at the store this morning.

Keep in mind that I only spent $34.00!

12 Boxes of General Mills Cereal

5 Boxes of Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix

10 Boxes of Go Gurt (my kids just love this stuff!)

4 Large Boxes of Kellogg's Pop Tarts 

   (stocking up for camping season, it's a camping favorite!)

$20.00 in Pork Spare Ribs (we have a barbeque coming up)

2 Betty Crocker Frosting

1 pint of Sour Cream

Between the General Mills sale that Albertson's is having this week, manufacturers coupons, and 3 in-store coupons I have been saving, I made a killing on stocking up my food storage.

Not to mention, while I was back choosing my meat I was informed about a $10 dollar Mail in Rebate if you spent $10 in meat today.  (This was a super good deal because the meat I bought was buy one get one free today.  Essentially, I got all of those pork spare ribs for free.  ALL $20 OF IT!)  So, if you factor in the mail in rebate that I just sent off,

I GOT ALL OF THOSE GROCERIES FOR

$24.00!!!!

When the cashier handed me my receipt we were both shocked that it said

I had saved $125.00 on this shopping order.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the great people at www.PinchingYourPennies.com for all of your hard work!  It is helping me stock my food storage shelves in record time!

Saturday morning cartoons

As a kid, I remember getting up on saturday mornings eager to watch saturday morning cartoons.  I enjoyed many of the shows, but have fond memories of watching the classic Looney Toons cartoons.  I especially loved when they played the Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons because they were my Dad's favorite.  My sisters and I would often see a commercial advertising the coyote and roadrunner and make a mad dash to tell my dad that they were coming on.  Not that any of us kids found them any more amusing than the rest of the Looney Toon Cartoons, but my Dad thinks that Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner are HILARIOUS!  I have such fond memories of observing my Dad watching Wile E. Coyote cartoons.

He would roar with laughter (to the point of tears, literally) every time that the coyote fell off of a cliff, blew himself up, or got smashed with an anvil.  It was so fun, not to mention intensely entertaining, to watch him enjoy the cartoons.  It still gives me happy, warm feelings to think about it.     
Recently,  my children have discovered the classic Tom and Jerry cartoons.  They aren't Wile E. Coyote or the Roadrunner, but watching them results in the same gut splitting laughs and the same warm feelings.  I love to listen to them laugh as they watch.  You can hear the hysteria anywhere in the house.  I find myself stopping just to listen to them laugh.  Many times I have to laugh myself.  This is the only show that has ever elicited such a response from my children.  I know there are those who would contest that the slap-stick comedy is terribly violent, but the at least the jokes are cleaner (considerably less crude) than many of the more current cartoons.  Whatever the excuse or justification, I love these old cartoons!  Oh, the simple joys classic cartoons.