hmmm

Well, I'm sure no one reads this blog anymore because I've neglected it for so long. But if you do, here is a link to my current blog. Yes, I've kept it up somewhat.

http://bragadociousness.blogspot.com/

man and wife

OK, so about 2 or so years ago, I got a phone call from my brother J.

He was calling about the family website over on myfamily.com . Its a great place to post pics, recipes, files, polls, and most importantly comments. I'm the administrator over it and can basically delete/change anything. Or add or delete people.

His wife had posted a political opinion that he didn't agree with and thought was a bit racey for the family website.

I have to admit that I'm a pleaser. when he asked for it to be removed, I agreed with him and removed it. I didn't care all that much. But again, I'm a pleaser. Usually I just let things go on the website. If someone needs to be added or Mom and Dad have lost their password, I'm there. I can fix it.

So I deleted it. Well soon thereafter there was a very rude comment posted on the family website by my brothers wife accusing me of being power hungry for deleting her post. Again this happened quite a while ago. I remember there being quite a stinging post, but don't remember anything other than the power hungry bit.

I responded to her post and told her that her hubby had requested it to be deleted. I also requested that she remove her very mean and rude post because IT was not appropriate for the family website and would create negative feelings.

I also seem to remember calling my brother and asking him to please explain it to his wife.

At that point I thought it was all over. I mean, I was just the person stuck in the middle.

And I've since spoken to his wife each time we get together as a family.

This wife has a blog for their family. Its a private blog that you have to be invited to read. Guess who has never been invited. Guess who despite mentioning it several times has never ever been invited.

Its crazy the grudges people hold. I'm innocent!!

Since this incident My policy is that if you want something deleted, you delete it yourself. If its a spouse (most especially) talk to them.

oh the memories

I have fond memories of Marty Robbins. This song in particular.

We always joked that the iron must have been awfully big and heavy to lug around. Someone suggested that maybe it was a travel iron.

Is it already December?

I can't believe that Christmas is in a few short days.

I've finished up all my projects and am now in the process of enjoying the season.

Hubby is home all week except for Wednesday when he has to work. He didn't have to take any time off, we just lucked out on how his schedule worked this week.

I'm no longer working in scouts. I was released last week. I haven't heard about a new calling yet. that always makes me nervous. But I've pledged to enjoy the time off. No scouts no scouts NO SCOUTS!

Hubby is now teaching the 17 year old sunday school class and enjoys it very much. He's had a light few months since all of his class has gone to college, left on missions or is preparing for a mission. He has been the permanent substitute. At least for 1 more week!

C loves first grade. Her teacher is Mrs. Hanson. She really is a great teacher and she has the kids reading really well.

A is still loving preschool. Its a good thing she didn't start school this year because her attention span is still short and she is just starting to form letters for writing.

She is working on saying her L's. She says w instead of l. But not at the beginnings of words. Its cute to hear, but isnt' good when thinking about school next year.

Speaking of A, she's really on one right now. It all started with her finding the gingerbread house kit that we do each christmas. She opened it up and ate all the candy from it. It kept going from there and yesterday at church she attacked a hymn book with a crayon. I'm not sure if its a phase or what but it has got to STOP! I'm hoping an entire week home with me and hubby will help. I've also got some good ideas up my sleeve. (I think its an attention thing, and needing more limits. we're working on it)

We got 2 cats. Yes. We have 2 more animals. But we did sell all the baby turkeys for thanksgiving. So we don't have as many animals as we did have.

We got a momma cat and her baby. The mom is a mouser which we need since we have mice in the woodshed, chicken coops and garden. Yesterday I was filling up the water for the chicks and found 2 dead mice. Yep. Isn't it fun!

The only problem is the dang cat has been pooping in the yard! I've never had a cat poop in a yard. The outside cat I had growing up always pooped elsewhere. So now we have had to buy a litter box for the outside cat! I'm not sure what to do about this. The cat saw it, pottied in it, and then went out and pooped in the yard. I don't know if the cat knows how close it is to finding a new home. Its kitten on the other hand has been pooping in a flowerpot full of rosemary. So I have high hopes that it will transfer that to the litter box and do great with it.

This is why I don't think we'll have a dog. Dogs poop in the yard. I hate stinky dog poop on my shoes.

Anyway, enough about animals.

How about sleeping wierd? I woke up this morning with a kink in my neck. must have slept on it wrong last night.

There were doublers from Albertsons in the paper last night. With some help from www.discountqueens.blogspot.com who I ran into at the store, I was able to get some great deals!

Hubbies birthday is today. We've had pizza for lunch, by request. I also picked up some redbox movies for free using the "dvdonme" code . you can use it as many times as you have credit cards. (once for each card).

I've also got a few more free codes so I'm sure we'll enjoy other movies this week.

Is it wrong that now I've finished my christmas projects, I'm thinking about what project I want to take on next? yeah, I guess I'm wierd.

I can't stand it

My husband and I both come from large families.

He has a cousin whom I have known since C was a little baby.

This cousin is extremely nice. Seemed caring, comes from a super nice family. I met the couple at a family reunion. The cousin and his wife extended an open invitation for anyone coming through the area they lived to come and stay.

We had an opportunity to do so. We were able to visit them for a couple of days.

We enjoyed seeing them cope with homeschooling, school activities, cleaning their home(so organized!) and I visited with the cousins wife about crafts. And their kids were great and their living situation was great. It all seemed like a wonderful situation. The wife was even a nurse who worked the occasional saturday. Wow.

Well. What do you do when it all comes apart?

5 years later. we are at a funeral and we hear that 2 couples in the family are considering divorce. And one of them is this cousin. the other couple, by the way, decided against divorce and pulled it together.

Anyway, back to this cousin.

Its been about 18 month since the divorce.

I pulled facebook up to login and my hubby was still logged in. This cousin had posted something on there. So I visited his page. It was full of videos and pictures of his kids. He seemed to be living an active life and doing his best to be a father.

I don't know anything about what she's up to because their cousins, and we usually only see the family at reunions.

But here's my point.

My heart ached for that family as I saw the pictures. I can only imagine the children of a once happy home, now being shuttled from house to house. spending holidays here and weekends there. The couple - once part of a happy marriage. Now dealing with custody, child support, dating, and dealing with kids who I can only guess are struggling with the whole situation.

And why does my heart ache so much for this couple and not for my hubby's brother R? He and his wife are aiming for divorce, but just can't afford it right now.

After seeming to conquer a drug habit, he is back into it. He has a seasonal job in the housing industry, which is struggling along anyway. So he has plenty of time on his hands.

He is currently living on his mothers couch. Literally. He seems content. We visited yesterday and he had plastered pictures of his new girlfriends all over the living room of this trailer house. You couldn't look anywhere without seeing her picture. I thought she looked like she was struggling herself with possible self esteem issues (she settled for a boyfriend living on his mothers couch and struggling with a drug habit, and lots and lots of makeup) but my hubby pointed out that she looked high in a couple of the pics. I personally have never seen someone high, but hubby grew up with his brother and saw the brother both drunk and high. So I guess he would be familiar with it.

The brother has 3 beautiful children with his (still) wife and had also plastered pictures of them everywhere. Nothing wrong with that. He just went so overboard though, that it made me wonder what he was trying to prove. Why did he need 2 picture frames that said 'father' with his pic, and at least 10 pics of the girlfriend? Why did he need another 6 or so pictures of his kids? I understand the kids, but why the girlfriend? It was just wierd. All I can hope is that this is some sort of assignment from rehab. Otherwise, is he trying to impress his girlfriend?

I'm just guessing now.

But the 2 situations are different and similar.

I'm to tired of typing on this laptop to go into it more tonight.

Ho hum

Still not pregnant.

We've been trying for over a year now. I sometimes wonder if its meant to be. I had a dream last night where I had a baby.

Its hard not to think about having a baby when everyone around me is either pregnant or has a baby.

I'm fine. I'm just having to try really REALLY hard not to obsess about it.

The newest baby lives just next door to me though!

so I've not updated this blog for a while. I think its mostly because I've been hanging out on Facebook.

I don't know if thats good or bad. I'm leaning towards bad.

We've been super busy canning and harvesting fruits and veggies from the garden. I'm also in the process of gathering eggs for the incubator again.

I've got 11 turkeys from the group the turkey hen hatched in early July. I may or may not have already said that. If I repeat, I'm sorry!

I'm trying to figure out how to fix a pear mistake.

I read that pears have to be cooled down before they can ripen. I heard you can put them in the freezer.

What I got was a defrosted soggy feeling pear.

I thought I would try to salvage them anyway. so I peeled some, got the middle out, chopped them and put them in the food mill. I want to have some texture besides mush in my pear butter.

Well the durn things are still to firm to go through the food mill! So I've put them in the microwave with a lid on the container to steam them.

Now, this may seem idiotic to most of you. But I'm just playing around with them. Trying to find what will work best.

I don't want to make them mush, just soften them. I just really don't want mush. They will cook further when I do the water bath. so I'm trying not to cook them to much.

Luckily I only peeled and chopped about 12-15 pears. so at this point, I'm not at risk for ruining the whole harvest.

Well on to other stuff.

A started preschool this week. She was soooooo happy. She is there right now! I am at home alone !

I never thought I would have this opportunity until I was at least 39 or so.

We had a movie under the stars thanks to my sister L and her projection thingey. Thanks to her and also to sister AR for hosting us.

It was a lot of fun!!

I heard a rumor we might do it again this Friday. I sure hope so!

Well, I probably should get back to the pears. I can only avoid the situation for so long :)

Long time no post

So I've been thinking lately about how I haven't posted in a while.

Life has been a little crazy lately.

the kids have been in swimming lessons for the entire month of July. Their last day is Friday. They've enjoyed it very much and are doing well. they are having fun. I won't know if they pass for a few days though.

Our turkey hatched out 11 turkeys. They now free range all over the place. I keep finding them in the front yard which isn't good. We don't have a problem (so far) with varmits down our little lane, but they do have a problem down the street. I just worry about them. Once they get a little bigger I will be putting them in a coop.

The silkie who hatched out some eggs a few months back is now chick-less. 3 of them turned out to be roosters (given away now) and the 4th mysteriously died a week ago. Don't know how or why.

The splash cochin is still going strong with what looks like 4 hens (crossing fingers)

C starts 1st grade in less than a month. I can't believe that she will be starting to go to school ALL day. I'm not ready for this!

A will be attending preschool again due to missing the deadline for kindergarten. I'm glad because she isn't ready for it yet. she still is working on her coordination with writing.

I'm working on a new church bag. This one is green, blue and orange. I think its pretty cute. But we'll see.

I've just got the handles left. But I've knit the whole thing. Which is to say I used the knit stitch on the whole thing, and I've knit the whole thing. Myself. I'm rather proud about that.

I also attempted Nie Nie's chocolate cake from Conversations with a cupcake. http://conversationswithacupcake.blogspot.com/search/label/Beloved%20Nie

Its pretty intense. I let the kids watch 4 episodes of the transformers while I slaved away for 2 hours. That's only the making time. It probably took another 2 hours for me to put all the parts together and finish the frosting and then do a little decorating on it (Its for my sister's baby shower). All I can say is that it better be worth it. We eat it tonight.

We've had to much baby talk lately. My sister AE had a baby 2 months ago and my sister next door AR has been watching her a lot. AR is also 37 weeks into her pregnancy today. She is READY.

So between the 2 of them, another sis in law who is pregnant, a sister in the ward who is also, and I'm really trying HARD not to obsess over our lack of a baby at our house.

I never thought it would take a year and counting to get pregnant.

But, I just have to take the attitude of, if its meant to be, it will be. If not. Then I have 2 beautiful girls who are sweet and kind. I have more than some people. And I have to be ok with it. I can't obsess.

So I won't.

Anyway, the garden and fruit trees are working overtime. So far this year we have had golden raspberries, black berries, marion berries, blue berries, pie cherries, apricots, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, potatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, and broccoli. Quite the harvest!

ala Pioneer Woman

So I was looking outside and realized once again how much I love our home, trees, animals, and just so much about our property.

So I decided to take some pictures of it!

I wandered out to the backyard and saw this.



Our 3 scaredy sheep. Doing what they do all day. Eat grass. Except when they take a break and eat weeds instead.

Here is Charlie.



He led the escape yesterday that led to one of my baby apple trees (planted last year) being stripped of its leaves almost all the way to the top.

You see, Charlie has realized 2 things. Once he was sheared he can fit through a gap in the fence. Of course we fixed it, but sometimes I don't latch the gate right. which leads to the 2nd realization. The grass outside the pasture is much better than the grass inside the pasture. Well, that and my apple tree and garden.

Luckily this time we got them back in before they made it over to Aunt Alyson's garden.

speaking of the garden.



Doesn't it look beautiful? Just don't go to close or you'll see some weeds and the rotting grass clippings we put between the grow boxes. They don't smell that nice.

Here is Turkey Lurkey.


I haven't decided if that will be his official name or if I'll go for something more creative like Tom.

Anyway, when a turkey isn't all puffed out like this



He doesn't look so regal. And frankly, he's kind of ugly. All those wart looking thingeys on his neck.

Everytime I go into the pasture he runs over because he thinks its dinner time. Well, most of the time its not. But he still comes over because it might be. And then he follows me around the pasture like a lost puppy chirping and making all sorts of noises I never knew turkeys made, in the hopes that I'll drop some food.

Oh what a handsome fellow that Charlie is!



I'll have to remind him that handsome is as handsome does and handsome doesn't let other sheep out and then eat my apple tree!!!

Here is a picture of some of our motley crew of chickens.


Here's a picture of the turkeys mate

She is busy trying to get some eggs to hatch in a quiet corner of the pasture. I'm really excited and hope they do hatch. We'll see!! It should take her until early to mid July.



Can you spot the rooster giving me the evil eye?

Actually its all show. He's isn't evil. He's only bothered me a few times and that was nipped in the bud by chasing him around the coop for a few minutes. But I can't let the kids in there with him. He bit my 4 year old on the leg (through pants) a few months ago. Once she gets older, I'll let her chase him around the coop. I took care of it for her that time.

Here is a picture of our splash cochin


She is busy sitting on 7 eggs. She can barely cover them all but is valiantly trying. She is so cute when she pushes an egg under her. She stands as tall as she can and uses her beak to push each egg aaaallllllll the way back under her.

She should have babies by Sunday. Monday at the latest.

Here is a picture of the beautiful rose type bushes that cover the back of our property.


The are beautiful, but it was easier when we had goats and they could eat them back a ways. But I have to admit, they were never this beautiful when the goats were eating on them.

Here's the other proud mama around here.


She's the one who lost a chick to the water bucket. I hope never to have that problem again.

Here's that Tom Turkey again.


Yes, I'm sure I don't have any food! :)

I'll admit it

the fact that the people who organized the family reunion this year have decided to change venue with $%&*@#$&*(%@#$*()*() less than 2 weeks until the reunion is driving me crazy.

I don't need this drama. I don't want this drama.

Hubby said it was up to me. I told him we were staying home.

If I tell anyone in my family this I will become the focus of everyone from my parents to my nieces and nephews.

Now we're expected to be grateful that instead of sleeping in my nice soft bed and airconditioned home I can either pay for a hotel room or stay on an air mattress in a home in the midst of construction.

I officially withdraw from this family. Its just too hard.

2 weeks and I'm expected to turn my life upside down.

I'm expected to pay for car repairs that I had hoped to put off a few weeks.

I'm expected to find and pay for someone I trust to care for my animals (over a MAJOR holiday weekend!)

We have chicks and will have more by next Sunday.

I'm just so frustrated.

I welcome some numbness. I feel it coming on.

boring

I've been reviewing old posts and have come to realize that numbers aren't very amusing.

So how about a story or two?

today I went out to check on the chicks and was horrified that one made its way into the water bucket and drowned. I couldn't get it to balance on a stick so I had to touch its cold dead leg and pick it up and throw it into the bushes. I'm surprised at how I'm getting used to this.

I sure hope it doesn't happen again.

We have another hen on a clutch of 7 eggs.

Our turkey hen has laid a clutch of eggs, but insists on only sitting on it for about 1/2 the day. I'm pretty sure that this will lead to no turkeys, but I'm not that worried about it.

I'll give her until about mid july and then toss them.

At that point I'll collect her eggs for the Silkie or one of the Cochins to sit on. I'm determined to have baby turkeys this year.

So, the other day I was playing ring around the chickens and moving chickens from one coop to another.

I had to wait until it was dark for the chickens to go to sleep. Once they are asleep, you can do almost anything to them.

This night, I was trying to single out the Rhode Island Red hens who were not laying.
I also had chicks coming to the small coop so I decided to move any uneccessary hens out of there.

The first bit of excitement came when I put a younger RIR hen in a new coop. She hadn't been moved before and was a little disoriented. I put her in and shut the door.

Well, I grabbed the next chicken and when I opened the door to put her in the coop, the other chicken darted out!

So yay! (just a little sarcasm) I got to have a chicken chase in the dark. My most favorite of pastimes! At least I had a flashlight.

So, I chased her around the coop a few times and then pinned her with the coop door. I managed to put her in the coop and finish moving everyone around.

Well, as I was moving hens around, the turkey (who likes to perch on the coop roof to sleep) had been moving around nervously. When the chicken darted out and I had to chase her around the turkey decided she'd had enough and flew from one coop roof to another coop roof. All the while the Tom Turkey was watching. Awake, but not seeming to be nervous.

When I moved the very last hen, the turkey decided she'd had enough and flew the coop. she flew clear out of the pasture and into the yard.

So yay!(again with the sarcasm) I had another chase on my hands. This time a turkey chase.

I herded her back towards the pasture, but she wouldn't hop the fence. I chased her around for a good 20 minutes.

I finally got her into a corner and she hopped onto one of the gates into the pasture. I touched her tail hoping she would hop into the pasture. Instead she flew into the pasture, UP INTO A TREE NEXT TO THE PASTURE!!! And then proceeded to fall through many branches and finally to the ground.

It was just a little funny. But then I was worried and had to go and make sure she was ok. Which she was. As soon as I got near her she hopped up and ran.

so it all turned out ok.

The funniest part of the whole thing was my Mother in law.

She was staying the night so that I could drive her to the airport the next morning.

Before I go move chickens, I always tell hubby to check on me after 10 or so minutes to make sure I haven't been attacked by the boogey man or anything like that.

He is a good husband and will open the back door and yell to ask me if I'm ok.

So, since hubby had to work the next day, and my MIL was still up, I asked her to check on me if I didn't come back after 10 - 15 min.

Well, this night I had been out there a good 20-30 min. When I went inside, expecting my MIL to be worried about me, or at least wonder if I was ok, I found that she had GONE TO BED! the only thing she said to me (she came out of her room when I came in) was "You didn't show me how to work the TV"

Hubby and I had a good laugh about it.

Awesome deals found today

Today I bought 11 Secret Platinum deodorants, 4 Cover Girl Mascara, and 1 CoverGirl foundation thingey.

All for $1.20. that is .07 per item.

I was told about a cart of clearanced deodorants over at Albertsons. The one farther from my house on 12th and 7th. FREE.

So after doing 2 circuits of the store I spotted the cart pushed behind another clearance cart.

I got a cashier to pull it out for me and was in heaven.

I found all of the deodorants and bought what I wanted. Then I called Alyson and asked her if she wanted any free deodorant.

Anyway, after all was said and done, here were my transactions.

#1
3 secret deodorant $1.99 each
3 secret deodorant $.99 each.

Used 6 coupons for $1 off 1
Doubled 3 coupons

paid .60.


#2
1 secret deodorant $1.99 each
2 secret deodorant $.99 each

used 3 $1 off 1 coupons
doubled one coupon

paid .18

#3
1 covergirl trublend $1.99
1 secret deodorant $1.99
1 Loreal makeup $1.99

Used 3 $1 off 1 coupons
doubled 3 coupons

paid .30

#4
2 lash exact $1.99
1 Loreal Makeup $1.99

Used 3 $1 off 1 coupons
doubled 3 coupons

If you want to learn how to do this, call me. I'd love to coupon with you.

the chicks

Hey, who you looking at?


OK guys, I think the coast is clear.



Yum Yum! I think that lady spread some chocolate in the dirt here.



And have I shown you a picture of our tom turkey? I don't think I did.



Behind him you can kind of see the hen turkey.

Chicks!

The chicks started hatching on Friday and finished by Saturday afternoon.

All 5 eggs hatched. 4 RIR and 1 probably male sexlink or ?? barred rock. I'll have to research some more to figure it out.

What I did this morning.

Spent $31 on this :



Here is how it broke down.

1st & 2nd transaction:
3 boxes trix cereal
4 bottles all small and mighty
1 betty crocker frosting.

paid 11.41
Used 2 - $1/2 and a doubler
used 1 - $1/3 and a doubler
used 1 .50/1 no doubler
used $10 coupon from the sale going on (buy $25 of certain items, get a $10 coupon for your next transaction)

I did this twice.

As I look at this I realized that the checker (on BOTH transactions) didnt' scan my .50 coupon. I hate it when I get home and realize things like this. That would have saved me $1 total.

3rd transaction:
4 boxes of Fruit roll ups
3 big boxes of Cheerios
2 bottles Bertolli pasta sauce

paid $8.76

used
$10 coupon from the sale
Got a $1.50 off (buy 3 large boxes Cheerios, get instant $1.50 off)
.75/1 coupon, doubled.
$1/1 coupon, doubled.

All in all, not a bad day. Not a stupendous day, but not a bad day.

Why not?

Since no one reads this blog, I feel safe saying what I would never say out loud.

There are times when I'm worried about my relationship with my husband. Especially lately I feel like we have grown apart. Our physical relationship is at an all time high, but I feel like our interactions in real life are at an all time low.

Is one taking away from the other? I don't know.

We are in the middle of a tiff that has us both crying and upset. I won't rehash it here, but needless to say, I'm a bit depressed.

Another thing that has me down is my family.

With my parents on their mission, my sister AR is living at their home (next door) with her husband, 2 kids, and another on the way.

This property is a lot of work. There is a lot of weed eating, hedge trimming, etc to do. It is hard for my parent to do.

AR and her husband are having a mighty hard time keeping it up.

I invited the family over for a family work part this weekend and the response was, sorry, we can't make it.

I feel like crap about it and am very unhappy that they won't do their part to support their parents on their mission.

There is so much work to do and they all come over here and enjoy the area. They just don't want to do the work to keep it up.

I just got through talking to AR and I've realized that I'm spending a lot of energy on being mad. I'm just not going to worry over something I can't control.

What I can control is my attitude.

Thanks AR. I think you pulled me out of my funk.

Confession time

I had a chicken go broody last week.... I put 5 eggs under her.

I never thought that having kids was going to make me such a cry baby.

It used to take quite a lot to get me to cry. I just wasn't ever very emotional.

Well then I had kids. And I was pretty normal for the most part. But get me feeling proud and the tears just come out. Primary program. Kindergarten music program. give a prayer, give a talk, do anything in church.

When did I become such a crybaby? And why am I so affected by seeing my child in a program?

I wonder if its because she's growing up? I have to admit since we've been trying to get pregnant since last August, without success, it does make each and ever moment of these kids childhood that much more precious.

I just love my girls so much.

What is going on?

Well, you probably have been noticing the lack of posts here lately. I've been trying to maintain 2 blogs. 1 a journal for me, the other a blog for my family to read. The 2 blogs tried to coexist for a time, but it just wasn't happening.

So I split them and put edited versions on the family blog. I got behind on keeping this blog up, but now I've updated the posts on this one and changed a few things that should hopefully help me keep them both up.

We'll see!!

In the meantime, let me tell you about my week.

I have spent about 9 hours this past week at Albertsons. It seemed like each day would start with a trip there to spend doublers and get free stuff. the free stuff was great. The time spent there was tiring.

But I find it so hard to turn my back on coupon doublers. The doublers are good through Tuesday so I could potentially go back for more savings.

yay. (said in a weak voice).

5/11/09

Coupon insanity
I was at Albertsons this morning from about 8:30 until I just got home around 11:30.

Thats right folks. I was couponing for 3 hours. My dogs are barking. Ha Ha

Here is the result.

I spent approx 43.64 (I say approx because my brain is mush at this point.

Here is what I got.

Bandaids - 8
Mac N cheese - 6 boxes
Miracle whip - 1
capri sun (box) - 1
Cool Whip lite - 2
Halls cough drops - 1
Colgate Total - 3
zesty italian dressing - 2
Breyers Ice Cream - 6
Triscuit - 2
Ritz Bits - 2
Smartfoods snack - 2
Mr. Clean magic Eraser - 8
Ritz Crackers - 2
Graham crackers - 2
Wheat Thins - 1
Scotts bath tissue (4 regular rolls) - 2
Apple juice - 4

You may be wondering, what is she going to do with all of that stuff?

The first rule of couponing is basic. Stock up when its a good deal. Especially when its an awesome deal.

For instance, the bandaids were .50 per box and the Breyers was $1 per carton. The bandaids will last for a few years and don't expire. The ice cream could last the year, but we are coming up on summer, so we'll have to see.

Anyway, YOU can do this too!

Albertsons sent out an ad in yesterday's paper with Doublers in it. This happened in Idaho and Utah and Oregon from what I've read. I know at my store you can ask for these at the customer service desk. They will probably only give you 1, but at my store, they also slipped a few in with the ads at the front of the store. You know the place that as you walk in, you can grab the current weeks ad.

The doublers are only for yesterday through Tuesday, so you need to shop soon to take advantage. Also when the customer service desk is out, they are gone.

Now, you also may wonder where you can get your coupons. Well, if you have a printer and internet access I would suggest coupons.com. there are a ton of great Kraft coupons that go along with the current Kraft promotion. Buy $10 worth of marked Kraft products and get an instant $3 savings at the register.

So there you have it. go forth and prosper!!!

5/10/09

Insanity
I heard somewhere once that the definition of insanity was doing something over and over the same way and expecting different results.

Tonight some much anticipated coupons from Kraft were published. These coupons were limited in quantity and were great. $1 off for the most part.

Our printer has been acting up and is pretty much a very large scanner at this point. But I was crossing my fingers that it would pull through for me tonight. And you know what? It did. For the first 9 pages of my 14 page print, it was a pro. The colors were messed up, but I attribute that to hubby refilling the color ink cartridge rather than to the printer.

Anyway, I spent the next 20 minutes or so reloading paper into the printer. It would shoot a piece through, and then jam on the next piece. Its a strange error, but after reading up on it on the net, a regular problem.

So I was reloading and reloading and finally it decided to print again. I nursed it through the next few pages and finished the document.

Well, since the deals were so good, I had to go back and print more of the coupons we use the most.

So here I am again, reloading and reloading paper hoping that the result will change and I'll print some more coupons.

Am I insane?

4/12/09

so I live next to my photographically gifted sister. she is always coming up with great ideas and taking a bunch of cute pictures of her kids!

So the other day she said, i've got a sort of studio set up. Ya wanna use it?

So I did.

And she even took a bunch of pictures too.

And then she edited them so cute.

And then I had to CHOOSE!!!

What!!

So I've got 5 frames to fill. I would like to choose 2 pictures of each girl and then one of them together.

Here are the pictures I took.















And here are some that my sister AR took and then edited. Now, remember we were taking a lot of the same pictures, just from different angles. So her poses will be similar and her camera is a lot better than mine.













So, what do you think?

I've just realized that I've left pictures I like off of this post. There are just so many pictures to look through that I've forgotten to post some.

Oh well.

Oh, and my sister said that I could use her editing software so any that I took could be gussied up.

4/12/09

I've been taking this yucky stuff



Adding a little soap and water and the result was this



Then a I did this



and the result was this



and this



The next step is this



Once I'm done with that step, I'll post more pictures!

4/2/09

For my sister
http://krazycouponlady.blogspot.com/2009/03/cash-n-carry-chicken.html

But someone commented that the chicken was tough? Maybe not high quality?

and

http://www.kraftbrands.com/trailmixcrunch/

But the coupon isn't there anymore?

Ugh. I hate it when I tell someone about a good deal and it falls apart before my eyes.

3/29/09

Cross your fingers!
The fever that C started, ended about halfway through the night.

She is bouncing around today, no congestion or anything.

A has congestion, but it doesn't look like more than a basic cold.

We may get away from this thing without further victims!!

In other news Hubby made my day by doing a weeks worth of dishes on Saturday. And when i say dishes, I don't mean he just loaded the dishwasher. He loaded it twice! Wiped off the cupboards, swept the floor!

And when I told him how sorry I was that it was such a mess and how I'd help him after running a quick errand into Meridian, he said that it was ok, he understood that I'd been sick and he was willing to do it.

I don't think I can tell him enough how much I love him. He is awesome!

I'm going couponing again tomorrow. Albertsons is having a big kids post cereal sale tomorrow. The cereal is $1.67 per box and when you buy 5 boxes a $5 catalina will print, good towards your next sales order. And if you use it to buy 5 more boxes of cereal it will be something like .60 per box AND another $5 catalina will print.

I will most likely go tomorrow morning and then hubby will be gone most the rest of the day picking up a cord of free firewood from another brother in laws brother home that he is getting ready to sell.

Not going to say no to free firewood!

With hubby gone tomorrow I will most likely wash some of the wool waiting for me.

After that I've had a request to clean the bathrooms. :) Most of washing wool is hurry up and wait. So I'll clean the bathrooms while waiting. Not my favorite chore, but neither is washing wool. So I'll turn the radio on and sing and dance around for entertainment.

I'm excited to get my spinning wheel out. I have to wash and dye wool as well as comb it before I can even consider spinning it. But I'm looking forward to it anyway.

I have some new powdered dye that I found in a locally owned hobby shop that I can't wait to use. I've heard powdered dye is stronger stuff. We'll see.

3/28/09

I'm alive, I'm ALIVE!!!

I finally feel like a human being again! I slept pretty well last night. My coughing is still an issue and my lungs still crackle, but I feel so much better!

BUT

Now the kids are starting to go downhill. As we speak C is in bed with a fever. A is starting to cough, but it is still TBD as to whether it is a real cough, or a "I want to be sick too" fake cough.

So, another week of church missed and I predict that I'll make it 3 for 3 next Sunday when I predict that A will be down with this nastiness.

Oh well. I can deal with it much better since I'm feeling better.

I'm just not certain how it will affect C and if she will go to school next week. I guess we can just be happy that there is no school on Monday.

In the meantime, most everyone has picket up their milk. So yay!

Now I just need to get the powdered eggs, cheese and butter delivered. Hopefully this week!

3/26/09

Hope your spring break is better than mine
I've been sick with the flu. Not the throw up kind. Just the kind where coughing makes you want to die, fevers and strange dreams are how you spend your nights, and you remember how bad cough syrup is.

I've been sick since Monday night.

I just want to feel better again!!

Oh, and the kids are tearing up the house and the dishes need to be done.

Double double toil and trouble

So. I started responding to the question about coupons below, and my response got really long, so I decided to write a post about it.

I started off the morning by dropping by my newspaper guy. I got 6 papers and could have received more, but thought I should leave it for their other lady. I usually get the Press Tribune, and she gets all the statesmans. But there were only statesmans left. But there were so many left that the nice newspaper man split the pile and let me have 6 of hers and offered me 2 more if I wanted them! I like my newspaper man.

And I'm glad I didn't get any more than 6. I was really struggling with what to spend my Albertsons doubles on.

So after the newspaper guy, I went to Kmart. I went immediately to the cleaning isle because that was where the hot deals were. Cleaning products for 50 cents with coupon!! they were out of most everything, but I grabbed some lysol disenfectant 2/$9 and used my $2 off coupon on them (50cents!) and some lysol kitchen cleaner.

Btw, I will list coupons if I remember them. kmart doesn't put coupon details on the receipt.

Oh, and I don't want to forget, but the best way to determine if you should bother to stop by at all is to call ahead. Find out when the next truck will be coming and when the shelves will be restocked. If you are looking for specific items, ask about them.

Anyway, I stopped by the body care area and restocked on bandaids (paid a little over $1 per box) and found some great deals on deoderant and body wash, and other stuff.

Went and got some cereal where I discovered that they were running a General Mills promo. Buy $5, get $1 back, there was some other number and you got $3 back and finally, buy $20 and get $5 back.

I ran up to the front and confirmed that my store was taking internet printables and would double them. I would suggest confirming this before you fill your cart because sometimes a store will not follow corporate policy.

Here are my totals.

I ran my cereal first because the money back comes in the form of a coupon that prints after you pay (for use on your next sales order).

I spent $14.46 on 11 boxes of cereal and got a $5 coupon. so it was like spending 9.46 and less than $1 per box. Now these are the small boxes and if your kids eat a box in one sitting, it probably wouldn't be worth it to buy cereal.

Here is what else I bought - Remember, from memory, so I might get some things wrong (band aids, thought I paid more? can't remember the coupons...) because kmart doesnt have coupon specifics on their receipt, but I'll do my best.

olay body wash on clearance 2 @ 1/$2.99 (paid .99 ea)
Gillette combo shampoo/body wash for men - 2@ 1/$4.49 (paid .49 ea)
ponds face wash - 2 @ 1/$3.14 (I paid $1.14 ea)this was a splurge item for me.
Secret Deoderant - 3 @ 1/2.49 (paid .49 ea)
Gillette shampoo - 4 @ 1/$4.99 (paid .99 ea)
Degree deoderant - 3 @ 1/ $2.59 (paid .59 ea)
Suave shampoo & conditioner - 3 @ 1.79 (paid .62 ea) hmm cheaper at Freddies. whoops
Band aids - 2 @ 1/$2.79 (I think I paid .79)
flex band aids - 2 @ 1/$3.29 (I paid 1.29) they were Barbie :)
band aids - 1 @ 1/$2.59 (I paid .59)
band aids - 1 @ 1/$2.79 (I paid .79)
Lysol w/ bleach 4/1 kitchen cleaner - 3 @ 2/$5 (paid .50)
Lysol disinfectant spray - 3 @ 2/$9 (paid .50)

Paid $25.32. I challenge you to add this up and tell me if I remembered what I paid :)

Just don't forget that I have to pay tax on the whole amount before coupons.

Next I ran over to the Albertsons on 12th.
they made me run each 4 items as seperate transactions. Annoying, yes, but they could have stuck to the 4 coupon doublers per household per day rule and I would have had to sneak in several times to use up all 24 of my coupon doublers.

Here is what I got -

Finish powerball dish detergent. 3 @ $3 (paid $1.49ea)
Treetop 100% juice - 2 @ $1.99 ea (paid $1ea)

total was $ 7.10

next receipt
scotts bath tissue 1@ $2.15 (paid .15) was a 4 regular roll pack
Breyers ice cream 6 @ 2.50 ea (paid $1.50 ea)

total was $9.94

next receipt

Darigold chocolate milk 2 @ 1.25 (paid .50 ea)

total was $ .59

Next I ran over to the Albertsons over at Greenhurst. I could have stayed at the other store, but wanted to sit for a little (Tired by this time) and a change of scenery and get a bit closer to home since it was around 11am by this time.

this store was limiting you to 8 coupon doublers, and this cashier was making you run them seperately.

Here is what I got.

4 boxes playtex tampons 4 @ $3.50 (paid $1.50 ea)

total was 6.60

next receipt

Pringles - 2 @ 1.09 (paid .09 ea)
Kelloggs frosted flakes - 2 @ $ 2.50 ea (paid $1.50 ea)
playtex tampons - 2 @ $3.50 ea (paid $.50 ea)

total was $6.79

At this point I was tired and went home and cut my coupons out of the newspapers.

I was on a roll though, and wanted to get all my doublers done.

So I went back to the store with my last 7 doublers.

This time I got a cashier with an override key who let me run it all 7 as one transaction. YES!

Here's what I got -

Ritz bits - 2 @ $2.50 (paid $1.50ea)
Bliss easter eggs - 4 @ $3ea (paid $1 ea)
playtex tampons - 2 @ 3.50 ea (paid $1.50 ea)

total was $ 11.02

Then I went home and folded laundry for a few hours :)

My total spent today was $ 81.82

Considering that most days I spend nearly that much on groceries for a week, I think I did ok. I tried to stick with what we use, and only strayed to the dark side a couple of times (pringles and bliss candy). The things I spent a little more on like the ritz bits were for snacks at kindergarten, I felt ok about value for money.

$140.75 was the total I saved. So I should have spent roughly 222. I spend $81.72

Not a bad couponing day.

btw I'm tired of typing and reading and the kids are hungry so I'm not proofreading this. sorry :)

the worm

So tonight I went and dropped off some eggs at my sister AR's house. I also made arrangements with her to go to the KMART super coupon day tomorrow!!!

I'm just hoping there will still be stuff on the shelves.

Anyway, on the way home I saw a turtle sandbox that has been open all winter collecting snow that became water that became yucky yucky water (that I think is what made A sick BTW).

Anyway, I went and poured all the water out of it and leaned it against the pasture fence as a reminder that I need to disinfect it.

Well, underneath it was a big fat juicy worm. I couldn't just leave that chicken ambrosia there.

So I picked it up.

Worms are so slimy!! I dropped it 2-3 times and then finally cupped it in my hands. It was also very squirmy. It nearly squirmed out of my hands when I had to use a hand to undo the pasture fence.

Anyway it was so gross and slimy that I ran over to the chicken coup and dropped it in. Those chickens thought I had brought dessert. They fought over that thing like it was gold.

Pretty funny to watch. Almost worth the nearly throwing up that I experienced when handling the darn thing.

spring break

Is it wrong that the reason I'm looking forward to spring break is that I won't have to rush anyone off to the bus or go to preschool or anything!!! We're free!!

Oh, and Kmart is doing double coupons again and so is Albertsons!

Could this week get any better?

Oh yeah! No scouts!

I'm free!

We'll probably go to the library and maybe the park if the weather cooperates.

Hubby is home off on Monday so I'll probably do my couponing then. I won't have to take the kids and they won't get bored at the store. Besides, I can concentrate more when I don't have to placate them.

A couple of good coupon blogs I read.

athriftymom.com

krazycouponlady.blogspot.com

I'm still learning about coupons, so these blogs help me quite a bit.

I'm still not comfortable in Walgreens, and we don't have a Rite Aid anywhere near us, But you've got to start somewhere.

Charlie and the girls are doing well. Charlie has finally stopped the relentless scratching. At least, it seems like it since the bare spots where he rubbed his wool off on his back are growing back again, and no new ones have appeared. Crossing my fingers. I'm aiming for a late April, early May shearing.

I finally went through those last 2 fleeces. I haven't had any training in skirting the wool, so my attempts were poor. When going through the wool, I pull it apart so that when it is washed the water easily gets to everything. You see, a sheep's wool has lots and lots of greasy lanolin in it that has to be washed. Sometimes this lanolin is concentrated on the tips of the wool. It takes a lot of time to dissolve like that. So by pulling it apart and also getting rid of the worst bits of it, I'm able to wash it without going crazy and wanting to pull my hair out.

So now I have grocery bags full of stinky wool that needs washing. I guess I should do that this week as well....we'll see.

A was feeling yucky last night. She had a fever and a bad headache. I'm hoping that she'll feel better this morning. We've all had colds this past week, our fourth this winter. C and I take turns bringing them home from kindergarten and preschool.

Please!!!! Please!!!! teach your child to sneeze/cough/whatever into his elbow before they go to preschool and kindergarten. I've gotten 2 colds from kindergarten boys coughing in my face. You can only back so far away from them(The first was the Skylar cold, the 2nd was the Ernesto cold) and A has gotten 1 from Anderson in Kindergarten. I don't know where she picked up this last one.

Maybe we should go the Michael Jackson route and start wearing those face masks. :)

Speaking of Kindergarten, C is reading so well!!! I'm so impressed. Of course it helps that her preschool teacher had her reading. Starting out at the top of the class has really given her an advantage. And her teacher has been so helpful by continuing to challenge her.

Please! make sure your kids are solid on their letters and sounds before they start kindergarten. It will help them out so much!!! There are a surprising number of kids in C's class who are really struggling with identifying letters. I feel really bad for them because they are smart, but have had to start behind all the other kids.

The school is really good at working with them though. They have several teachers that give them one on one help. One in particular is specifically assigned the kindergarten.

I'm excited by this year's garden. Hubby has started to clear it out and we've started seeds inside. Now if only they would grow!! I don't think they are getting watered enough. But I don't want to water them to much.

The ward helped us get Mom and Dad's trees pruned. I'm so excited by the prospect of fresh fruit!!! Nothing makes me happier than a tree ripened peach or nectarine.

YUMMY!!!

And no goats to get out and eat the garden this year!!!!! YAY

Here we go again

so I haven't felt like posting lately due to the feeling of having way to many blogs to maintain.

One post for the personal blog, another post for the family blog. I was just feeling overwhelmed and not motivated.

So I am going to try for the easy solution. I'll post to the personal blog and then I'll edit it for the family blog.

I was going to make the family blog all sappy sweet and braggy. But I just can't do that. I'll figure it out. We'll see.

Well, I'm pretty sure that Charlie doesn't have scrapie. He is still alive and well and this has been bugging him for at least2 months. He is showing no other signs of scrapie.

So I'm thinking its a burrowing mite or something. But I can't treat it very well due to not being able to get the medicine through his wool onto his skin. Its called synergistic delice. Just had to say that. Synergistic.

Anyway, with all the warm weather, I'm considering having him sheared early just so I can save part of his fleece and treat him.

In the meantime I've got to to worm all the sheep and they all need a hoof trim. I'm just not sure how I'm going to get hold of half wild sheep. Charlie won't be a problem. I picked him up by his front hooves just the other day. It was kind of funny. He was taller than I would have supposed. I've just got to figure out how to get him on his tush.

I gave away 4 of my older chickens to a couple who just like chickens. They wanted them to raise chicks and play with their rooster. Seemed like nice people. Easier to give them away then kill them for the stewpot.

The cows are getting nice and fat. One more than the other. Though both are steer, one has horns and the other doesn't. I think it has to do with when they were fixed.

With the weather getting so warm, it has me thinking about yard work, pruning fruit trees, planting new trees, and lots of stuff like that.

I've asked the high priest group for help with pruning mom and dad's orchard. I'm glad they are willing. It will take a lot of weight off of the family. I'm going to have a hard time getting them out here to help with rearranging the sheds and cleaning them although they are all helping to mess them up and take things out without replacing it.

I feel a little like the little red hen. If you can't help take care of it, you can't have any. Is that bad?

I'm doing another powdered milk order. This time its much less stressful. The price is better and people who ordered before either didn't order enough, or liked it so much they told all of their friends and family about it, and they are ordering too.

So, after years of thinking about it, we finally broke down and purchased a flat screen tv. Hubby wanted a 42 inch, I said, maybe a 38 inch and after comparing prices and shopping around, we ended up getting a 32 inch from Costco.

We had to renew our Costco membership but for the warranty, we thought it was worth it. and it will be fun to have the membership for another year.

Hubby was thrilled and has proceeded to hook it up to the computer and now we can watch tv online. Its pretty cool.

I'm working on my 3rd pair of knitted socks. My first pair was a little short. They are ok to wear, but I would like a pair that fit well. So after making a pair for hubby (as requested) I'm now working on another pair for myself.

I've still got 2 fleece to clean from last year. I've got to get them at least processed before its time for this years shearing. I don't want to get to far behind. Also, I've heard that with time, lanolin hardens and is harder to clean from a fleece. Don't want to deal with that. Plus it kind of smells. :)

I knit socks!!!

thank you Bevs Country Cottage.

First you helped me make super awesome easy baby booties and now you have nursed this beginning knitter through socks!

I no longer have sock envy because I have a great pattern I can play with and have fun with.

How do they look?

Another one

We lost another chick. I'm starting to feel rather cursed.

This time it was not the weather or anything like that.

No, this time it was the other chicks. He managed to get trampled when I went out to feed them.

They always rush over to the side of the pen in anticipation of when I might throw a few handfuls of feed in to distract them.

They are usually the 3rd coop to be fed, and I'm not certain when it happened...

But when I opened up the coop, I was surprised to find a twitching and dead looking chick. It spasmed when I picked it up. I thought I had killed it.

I fed the chicks and did most of the chores all the while checking on it here and there.

It only got worse.

After some contemplating over the problem, hubby offered to kill it with the pellet gun.

I left the pasture to turn on the hose and was spared the noise of the gun. Hubby was nice enough to throw it over the fence afterwards and I couldn't help but go and look just to make sure it had died.

I was so glad that it did, and that hubby was able to put it out of its misery so quickly.

It was a rooster.

I think it gets worse the bigger these birds get.

I can't believe I've lost so many birds!

The end of an era

Late last week my 91 year old Grandma passed away quite expectedley. She had suffered from organ failure for the past month and basically got progressively worse.

My grandfather (her husband) had passed away in late August. So Grandma was going to get to be with her sweetheart.

I thought it would be a happy occasion with many happy reunions.

It surprised me however when I felt the tears come.

I came to the realization that a part of my childhood had come to an end. Some of my childhood memories had ended.

The memory I'm talking about is all the memories of Grandma and Grandpa and them in their house.

The crazy rug in the basement that we played hopscotch on. Aunt Linda's wedding. All the Readers digests in the bookcase and watching movies in the TV room. The crazy things Grandma and Grandpa had on their fireplace mantle and how they rarely changed. I mean how long was that crazy sundae looking thing there for anyway?

The pictures in the hallway and using the upstairs bathroom with the sliding door and Grandma's panty hose hanging everywhere. The weird bathroom downstairs where you weren't quite sure how to lock the door but you hoped you did it right.

Sleeping on the couches in the basement and the breakfasts that Grandpa would cook for us and how he would go to the store (even in his 80's) for the ingredients before we were even up.

The path in the backyard and how when I was young it felt like a secret forest.

These are all good memories, but with someone besides Grandma and Grandpa living there, it will never be quite the same.

I posted this on my family website, but so far, people have ignored it.

Sometimes I feel so out of synch with my family.

Unexpected

Tonight I had an unexpected conversation.

I had put the girls to bed and was kissing hubby goodnight. He has to go to bed really early. And rather than going to bed like a smart person would do, I stay up and work on projects.

Tonight when I went into the family room, I found A with a blanket and pillow on the recliner. She didn't want to sleep in her room, but I told her that the recliner wasn't an option.

I tucked her into bed and she told me that she had a bad dream. She had gone to the beach and died. This brought to mind all of the times that hubby and I will be into a show and not realize that a child has wondered into the room. We've been changing our ways and if we watch a violent show like Burn Notice or Life or whatever, we try to watch in another room or on a computer where they can't see. But anyway... I digress.

She told me that she died on the beach and that Jesus had come and told her that she shouldn't go to the beach without Mommy and Daddy.

So we said a prayer and asked that she would have happy dreams and no more bad dreams tonight.

So this led to a very sweet conversation about what would happen when we die. I explained that if she died, it wasn't something to be frightened of. I told her about how our spirit goes up to heaven and then she would be able to spend time with all of her grandparents who had passed away and how nice they were. And then I started crying because I had such wonderful memories of them all and how I missed them all (especially my paternal Grandfather who passed away when I was 8). So that led to me crying and A said "don't cry Mommy" or something like that. And I told her why I was crying.

I told her how I missed all of those people and how the thought of her dying made me sad. Then I told her that she wouldn't die for a long time. I told her that her Great Grandmother who is dying from organ failure right now was something like 96. I told her how it would take her 92 years to get that old. That was a long time. And in the meantime she would get older and go school, jr. high, high school, college, and how she would get married and have babies of her own.

Then C piped up from the other bed and said "Mommy I want to be a teacher when I grow up and have lots of babies." It was so sweet.

So I kissed A goodnight and then went over to C's bed. We talked a little about the Grandma who was dying. She asked me what happened when we died.

I told her about how our spirits were separate from our bodies and how when her body died that her spirit would go to heaven.

So this led to a short explanation of how when she was a baby inside my tummy her spirit joined with the babies body. I am sure I confused her a little. But I tried to break it down for her.

Then she asked about how babies get out of mommies tummy, or something like that. So I said that the babies grow in mommies tummy and then come out here in a special place here under my tummy.

I was very vague and just pointed to the bottom of my tummy.

I told her that I would explain it better to her when she was a little older. And she said "when I'm 10?" and I said, no, maybe when you are 7 or 8. And it dawned on me that she is nearly there.

Anyway, I kissed her goodnight and tucked her in.

It's just amazing to me the kinds of conversations that happen when you are least expecting them.


What a sweet experience. I love my kids so much.

I'm learning to knit!

So, a few years ago, I decided that I might be interested in learning to knit. I saw a learn to knit kit done by lions brand yarn. It was on sale and I've been interested in learning to knit, but was a bit intimidating.

I'm a pro at crocheting. I can follow most any pattern, and am able to make stuff without a pattern.

Well, I'm a sucker for a good sale and I decided that what the heck, I'll try it!

So, I bought the kit, followed the pattern. But I didn't like the finished project. It was pretty boring. So I took it out and then found an easy pattern for a really cute scarf on some internet site.

I made it through the project, but it was a bit scary. Knitting makes me feel out of control. I'm really in a bind if I don't count, or forget where I was, or lose a stitch!!!!!!

So after that scarf I put the knitting down. I thought maybe I would pick it up at a later date.

Then I got into spinning. I got so into it that I went from a learn to spin kit purchased off of e-bay to owning 4 Cormo sheep, a spinning wheel (majacraft!!!) and a newly acquired drum carder (Christmas! It is SO much faster!).

But lately, I've been feeling limited as to what I could do with all of my wonderful homemade yard.

I felt like I couldn't make any baby blankets with it (a past passion) due to felting and the need to wash baby items frequently.

And in the meantime, every time I was at a thrift store and I saw needles, I bought them (much cheaper). And I ended up with a decent collection of sizes.

Well, just recently I thought, why not pick up the needles again?

I decided to try and knit a scarf, you know, just to remember how to knit. Then I decided to suck it up and relearn how to pearl.

Ugh.

Anyway, I'm still refreshing myself.

I've just been knitting this and that. I started on a really cute scarf and then knit the kids some ear warmers (using the knit and pearl together and making a cute windy pattern).

I still have half a scarf on the needles at this moment, but I'm going to finish it. Its a simple knit stitch over and over. It would match the ear warmer I made for C perfectly.

Change

so why the change to a new address yet again?

Well, my family found my blog. I decided that I was ok with that.

Well, 2 of my sisters, AE and S decided to read all the way back to 2005 and of course become offended by what I said 2! YEARS!!! AGO!!!

I've moved on, but why can't they?

My sister S keep calling me and trying to get me to apologize for my entries.

I don't know why I should. I've moved on and those were feelings that are in the past. In fact, S and AE and I have probably already hashed out these situations.

For some reason reading about it for them is like opening the box again.

I finally just gave up.

I'm tired of changing my blog to suit them. I had to get rid of history, the older posts link and the search function. My blog looked so unfamiliar. I didn't recognize it anymore.

So I said to heck with it. I moved the blog to another account so they can't find it and started a new blog.

It will be filled with fluff. No deep seeded emotions or feelings. Or even things to think about.

Nope, it will be the braggy family blog that everyone and their best friend writes these days.

I don't think I've sold out due to the fact that this blog is still out there.

I've still got my rant and rave blog! So hallelujah!

A blog to check out

www.pioneerwoman.com

Strangely enough, it was hubby who pointed this one out to me.


Here are some other new ones that I enjoy.

http://sheepgal.typepad.com

and

http://jerrybaker-amg.blogspot.com

A letter

To any person who may have been diligent enough to read all my entries clear back to 2005.

First of all, props to you.

Second, I would like to state (as I stated many times in those early days) that this blog (especially in the beginning) was meant as a journal for me. An outlet, and a way to get feelings out without making my husband listen to them.

I have had people contact me telling me how they are offended with something I said, a story I told, or even a feeling I had.

I have had people tell me that they wish I would delete entries so that others couldn't read them.

I would like to say to you that I won't. This is my journal. If I deleted or otherwise altered those entries it would be like ripping pages out of my journal, and pretending that I wasn't feeling that way, or thinking those things.

I don't feel that it would be being true to myself.

So in order to please these people, I have altered my blog so that you can no longer access historical entries.

If someone finds a way to access historical entries, I would appreciate being let know so that I can 'plug the hole' so to speak.

For those offended by my posts, I will say this. You are reading my personal journal. I am allowed to have my own thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Also, please take into consideration that over the past 4 years I have matured, as we all have. You will notice this in the posts as you read them. I know that when I read old posts that I notice this about myself.

So, take this how you will.

couponing

So today I went a little crazy and bought about $75 worth of groceries. It only took 3 stores, but I ended up with a trunk full of groceries.

I started at the Albertsons that is farthest from my home. I bought 4 boxes of Quaker instant oatmeal (buy 4 get them for $1.50 each) and 5 boxes of quaker cinnamon Life cereal (Fred Meyer coupon for 5 for $10). Then I used 2 $5 off coupons from the sale the week before (buy $30 of certain items, get 3 $5 off coupons for your next order), and some mfg coupons (2 - $1 off when you buy 2).

I paid $2.16.

Then I ran the deal again. 5 boxes of Life (Freddies 5 for $10 coupon) and my mfg coupons (2 - $1 off when you buy 2). And another $5 off coupon from the sale the week before.

I paid $3.60

I was so impressed with myself I had to call Milton and tell him about the awesome deal I had just gotten.

Then we went over to Subway and had lunch - Just over $6. but since this isn't groceries, I won't add it to my total.

Then we went to the Albertson's closest to my house and ran the deal 2 more times.

The first time I bought 4 boxes of Captain Crunch that Albertsons was having a sale on (buy 4, get them for $1.50 each)
And I bought 4 boxes of Cinnamon life and 1 box of Captain crunch using the Freddies coupons and the MFG coupons.
I spent around $14.96 (can't find the receipt)

The second time I bought the 4 boxes of Cinnamon Life and 1 box of Captain crunch.

I spent $8.60

Then I went over to Walmart and did our regular shopping and only was able to use $1.25 worth of coupons. But I was also in the 20 or less checkout. I spent around $48. I had some non grocery items to buy as well as 2 large Pace Salsa's which are around $7 each.

so this is the story of how I got a trunk full of groceries for around 77.32

There are still people doing better than this. But I'm still learning. There are tricks that I have yet to figure out. But in my favor, I will say that its hard to think this all through while keeping track of 2 hungry kids :) .

Another one

We had another chick die. Unknown causes.

I was checking the small chicken coop for and egg yesterday (the silkie is living with the chicks) and in the second box I checked there it was. A dead chick.

It took me by such surprise that I couldn't help but say "oh!"

Anyway, I have now idea why it would have died, except maybe exposure? Maybe it got to cold?

8 eggs today, 4 eggs yesterday. I'm not sure what is going haywire here. Oh well. All the better reason to not keep all these darn chickens.

I've come to realize that 1) I like chickens. Some are really quite nice. Others are snotty and the rooster is just a big goofball. 2) I can't make money from selling eggs.

So I've got a couple of options. First one is to wait until spring and see if I can sell hatching eggs. People have broody chickens but either don't have a rooster or can't have one. So they look for hatching eggs. If this doesn't bring in the money ($4-5 per dozen) then its on to...

option 2! - which is to keep about 5 chickens and maybe a rooster and be happy about it.

Why is it that every make money scheme I hatch turns into a rotten egg?

One of these days ... :)

I realized today that my sheep need some attention.

Charlie pulled out a big patch of his wool. He likes to rub on anything that will stand still. The calf hutch. The chicken coop. I've looked closely on his skin, and none of the other sheep are itching, so I don't think it's lice. But I may treat them for it anyway just to be sure.

For sure I'm going to sew them coats. I bought the material off of e-bay this morning. So it will be happening soon. I'll have to post pics. But how will I get them to hold still enough to put them on?

The other thing is that they all need a good hoof trimming. I just don't know how I would be able to wrangle them enough to hold still for it.


Don't they have pens that are for one sheep/calf where you can confine them and do all that needs doing?


I'll have to investigate.

The cows are doing great. They are gaining weight like champs. We started slowly adding grain to their diet of alfalfa. They are now getting about 5 lbs of grain per day.

We've come to realize something. Cows aren't cheap. I don't know if we will be doing this again.

But it's been a good learning process.

I've learned a lot about all sorts of different animals here on our small acre.

I've learned that I don't want goats. Not even angora goats. They are brats and a pain in my behind.

I don't like rabbits. They poop a lot. But maybe if one of the kids wanted one and was old enough to care for it.

I don't want a cat. 'Nuff said.

Don't want a dog. We love 'em, but hate the land mined.

It's really been a learning experience here. I feel bad that we've had so many animals through here, but I feel like it was necessary to find out what worked for us.

And all of the animals went on to a nice home. Well, except for those darn angora goats. 2 of them were eaten. And mighty tasty they were too I heard. But after they ate my garden 3 + times, I felt like justice was done.