Deals and faves

This weekend I scored some pretty sweet deals!

I came across Oprah Winfrey's very generous coupon deal for Payless yesterday afternoon (50% off everything) so Chloe and I scooted out right after supper. I got her a pair of really sturdy navy blue shoes for only $6.50! And mama got two pairs of clearance shoes for $3 and $4. Woo-hoo! Now that this belly of mine is starting to grow, it's nice to distract from my hugeness with some cute new shoesies. :)

Then after a rainy lazy morning, I scooped up the kiddos and drove out to Target. As we were leaving, Matt said, "What do we need from Target?" Such a silly question! Target ALWAYS has something we need. :) Thanks to Money Saving Mom's recent blog post on Target deals, I snagged two cake mixes for 25 cents each and two bags of mini-marshmallows for 50 cents each (perfect for making another several batches of rice krispies treats). And as I hopefully expected, several items were 75% off in the dollar spot. SCORE! I got some lovely cards, stocking stuffers, thank you notes, and board books for just $3.00. To top it all off, I even got 5 cents back from bringing my own bag.

I love Target. It's on my all-time favorite stores list.

And so is Chick-fil-A. Have you heard about their Operation Christmas Child partnership? I'm sure lots of you recall this annual charity which sends out shoeboxes full of goodies to needy kids in third world countries (see more details here). Chick-fil-A is joining in the generosity this year by offering to send the shoeboxes for you AND giving you a coupon for a free sandwich for every box you fill. We've got two boxes almost filled and ready. I L.O.V.E. the idea of showing Chloe and Clive that Christmas is not about getting but giving. (Though I AM excited about getting some free food.)

What deals have you snagged lately? And which shops are your favorites for bargains and pleasant shopping experiences?

My stubborn little son

Today Clive and I spent a record 90 minutes battling over a spoonful of three macaroni noodles.

I came out victorious but not without many tears (from both of us), spankings and wavering in my stamina.

Poor little stubborn guy. He didn't know who he was up against. :)

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, "One more spoonful and you can be done" I knew I had to back up my charge. Clive obviously did NOT like the homemade mac-n-cheese I fixed for lunch (I think homemade mac-n-cheese is world's better than the boxed variety but my kids beg to differ). Lest you think I starve my children, Clive devoured his pumpkin muffin and oranges. He happily salted and peppered the mac-n-cheese noodles but then refused to open his mouth for a spoonful.

By this time, Chloe had finished her lunch and asked for seconds. She quickly finished, cleared her dishes and was off to play. She was an ANGEL during the 90 minute showdown! She even tried convincing Clive to eat his spoonful and tried reading him a book to calm him down. To reward her for her helpfulness I read 5 books to her before quiet time (that's a record) and I plan on treating her to a special bowl of ice cream after supper tonight.

In reflecting on the ordeal, it was interesting to see my emotional progression. I'm a pretty stubborn gal at heart so once I decided I needed to stand my ground, I was in it for the long haul. I started out with optimistic determinism, then proceeded to frustration, anger, empathy, total desperation and humility (during which time I cried to God for help), and finally exhausted determinism.

Though I know I did the right thing in making my words weighty and displaying my follow-through with Clive, I did not enjoy the process. My heart broke for Clive when again and again I asked him if he was ready to eat his noodles and he whimpered, "No". And when he cryingly said, "Hold you! Hold you!" I balled right along with him as we hugged.

Man, am I glad that's over! After we all crashed for long naps this afternoon, I plan to take the kiddos outside for some fall raking and jumping fun. I'm tired of being the mean mommy.

Have you had a similar battling experience with your kiddos?

A baby Chloe-ism

As a mama, it seems I get climbed on, stepped on, elbowed and generally man-handled often by my dear offspring. Of course I would never trade the bruises for the bumps and bruises for the preciousness of Chloe and Clive climbing into my lap while we read books. Or the unhindered joy in Clive as I toss him around or wrestle with him on the floor.

Well, now that there's a new life growing inside me I've cautioned Chloe especially to be more gentle with me. When I first explained why she needed to be more careful around my expanding middle, here was her response . . .

Me: (after Chloe tossed herself heavily on me) "Chloe, you have to be more gentle around my tummy now that the baby is growing inside. You can't kick or hurt mommy's tummy or the baby might get hurt."
Chloe: "Right, mommy. We don't want the baby to come out with a bump on her head!"

(Notice that Chloe is already referring to the baby as a girl.)

Hope this Chloe-ism gives you a giggle on your Friday!

Reluctantly buying retail

For good or bad, I take a certain pride in knowing that I buy almost all our family's clothes second-hand. I truly enjoy thrift-store shopping, repurposing, and using clothes until they are worn or no longer fit me. Thrifting is like a treasure hunt for me!

Also, our budget requires us to be incredibly frugal with our clothing purchases. Add to it that I have the world's fastest growing daughter and buying second-hand is imperative.

As Chloe is growing older and taller, I've found it increasingly more difficult to find used clothing, shoes and outerwear in her size. Shoes are the worst! Chloe has inherited my clod-hopper feet and is already in a size 13 or 1. It was so disappointing this fall to open up her bin and see 11's and 12's I had bought ahead of time that were hopelessly too small.

Hence, my quest for a winter coat for Chloe began. I searched all the thrift and kids' consignment shops in the area to no avail. In fact, I was utterly appalled at how much consignment shops charge for USED coats! Hello, $30 or $40 for a used coat?!? I realize supply and demand is at play here but that's utterly ridiculous.

I turned to ebay next and was equally disappointed in the price and selection.

Reluctantly, I tried Target. Turns out for 20 bucks I scored a super warm lined puffy coat for Chloe in her fave color blue. I had a $5 gift card and since the 6/6x was a tad snug I went with a bigger size so the coat will (hopefully) last two seasons.

It felt strange to buy Chloe something brand spanking new but I must say I'm pleased with the bang I got for my buck. Yet another wonderfully satisfying Target experience. :)

Where do you find affordable outerwear for your kiddos?

Mystery

First, thanks to all of you for your pumpkin bread recipe contributions! I feel as though I am often tapping you dear bloggy friends for recipes, advice, and know-how.

Forgive me, it's just that recently I've been somewhat brain dead. More than just the regular mommy brain too.

And the reason for that is a mystery for you to figure out. That's right a spooky mystery just in time for Halloween! See if you can puzzle your way through this one. Here are your clues . . .

* I've been gaining weight
* I'm extra tired and going to bed at the same time as my children
* I'm irritable and emotional
* I'm taking a new medication (prenatal vitamins)

That last clue should pretty much give it away!

Most days I think we're insane for expanding our family to 5. BUT I know that God put this desire in our heart for more kiddos AND I know what an inexplicable blessing and joy children are AND I'm incredibly excited to see how this new bambino enhances our family dynamic.

We're about 13 weeks along now and my burgeoning belly has most definitely popped. Though I'm still trying to stave off the maternity wear for another week or two. I go in for my first appointment next week and I'm pumped to hear the baby's heartbeat! That will make this pregnancy seem more real. Right now I feel like I'm just getting fat. (The flab could also be due to the cheeseburger craving I must satisfy every week.)

Breaking the 2-kids barrier has met with mixed reviews. It's interesting the notion some have that 2 kids is the "ideal family". While I whole-heartedly believe parents should be prepared to provide for their offspring, I don't believe that means two children is the perfect prescribed number.

We are rejoicing and so thankful to God for this wonderful new gift of life!

Pumpkin Bread

I made a double batch of pumpkin apple bread yesterday afternoon and although it made my kitchen smell divine, it didn't taste quite as good as I had hoped. In fact, Chloe wouldn't eat more than a few bites. She said it tasted like soap. Unfortunately, it did have a baking-soda-ish flavor.

With 8 more cups of pumpkin puree in my freezer, I'm gonna need a better pumpkin bread recipe! I love using allrecipes.com but I don't want to gamble with my next batch of bread. I'd much rather get a tried-and-true recipe from a veteran baker.

Any winning recipes for me?

(Speaking of winning recipes, if you're itching to cook with pumpkin you simply MUST try this pumpkin pancake recipe. It's our favorite fall treat!)

Clive the comedic chatterbox

It's been WAY too long since I've posted a cutesy video of my progeny.

Overnight it seems Clive has become our household chatterbox. He's always talking to himself or identifying items to whoever will listen. And we are constantly asking him to speak quietly at the dinner table. Already he's trying to monopolize the dinner conversation!

As you can see from the video above (persevere through the cousin naming until the end), Clive thinks he's a comedian to boot. He does indeed know his sister's name. Though he said "back-hoe" long before ever attempting to say "Chloe".

What a darling character Clive is becoming! It's been so fun to hear him find his voice and see his personality blossom.

Apples

Seems like even after a busy week, I'm also itching to take the kids and do something special on Saturdays.

Since fall weather hit us with a bang this week and because last week's book in Chloe's five in a row curriculum was How to make an apple pie and see the world (GREAT book by the way) an apple orchard was today's obvious destination.

Matt had a meeting this morning so we dropped him off and headed to a nearby orchard. Unfortunately, it wasn't a pick-your-own apple joint but we still had a lovely time. LOTS of great apples at great prices. Plus a corn maze, pumpkins, a bakery, shop with local homemade items, and plenty of apple trees and gardens to walk through.

We came away with a peck of gala apples for $8. That's approximately 11 pounds of apples so I thought it was a fabulous deal. I currently have about 1/3 of the peck cooking for a big ole pot of applesauce. Yum!

By the way, I'm no good at corn mazes. We had to break our way through the dry corn stalks to find our way out.

Have you done any apple picking this season? What's your favorite way to prepare apples in the fall?

I have a smashingly good applesauce recipe that I never tire of. Though I do tire of peeling and coring the apples.

Happy apple season to you!

A new Chloe-ism for your Friday

My sweet Chloe is at a precious age right now. She's not always precious (don't ask me about her new expressions of anger and selfishness) mind you. But in between the lectures and discipline, she's been giving me lots of reasons to smile.

Since Matt has been super busy this fall with teaching, his dissertation, and a list of other resume-building projects too long to mention, he relishes his playing time with the kids. He often plays with them full-force after supper while I clean up the dishes. (And believe me, after a full day with the kids some quiet dishwasher time is extremely enjoyable and necessary for me.) One evening this week, Chloe had it in her mind that she wanted to play wedding. Hence the dish towel veil she's sporting in the picture at left. She was convinced she was going to marry daddy. Here's how the conversation with Matt proceeded . . .

Chloe: "Daddy, c'mon let's go get married"
Matt: "But I'm already married. I'm married to mommy! What about her?"
Chloe: (after pausing to contemplate this conundrum) "Well, mommy can be the flower girl. C'mon, it's time for the wedding."

(At least she didn't ask me to be the maid as she has in the past when playing Snow White. I will NOT play a maid or cook in any pretending game. Too much like my regular job, thank you very much.)

Chloe continued on with their pretending game, complete with asking Matt for a ring and then leading him upstairs to their new "home".

Kids certainly do and say the darnedest things.

Help!

Dear faithful and wise bloggy readers,

HELP!

I bought a humongous pork tenderloin that was on super sale yesterday and I have no clue what to do with it. We've already cut it into thirds and Matt slathered italian dressing on 1/3 and roasted it for supper last night. It was delicious but with this much pork, we'll need some variety to keep our tastebuds interested.

A good pal of mine suggested slow-cooking it in the crockpot, shredding it for bbq pork sandwiches, and breading and frying it in slices.

Any other ideas for me?

Thanks in advance for your culinary assistance!

Matt's almost successful attempt at bartering

Matt and I are currently uninsured. Again. It's a long story but let me just say that being a full-time graduate student family for four years has found us neglected in the crevices of our nation's insurance system many times.

I know, I know. It's a very risky business to be uninsured in America and we shouldn't take our chances. But Matt and I console ourselves that at least we're adults and can exercise preventative healthy practices to keep ourselves out of the doctor's office. And we make certain the kids are always covered somehow.

Anyways, Matt has horrific sinuses and is constantly struggling with allergies to boot. A few weeks back he acquired a mild version of H1N1 and as with every type of illness, it developed into a sinus infection. Matt often tries to muscle through a sinus infection or he'll ask his folks to get some antibiotics for him from Mexico. (Yes, we have resorted to foreign prescriptions several times. You wouldn't believe how much cheaper things are in Mexico. Wish I could go there for a tummy tuck. )

After two weeks of trying to get by, Matt couldn't take it any longer. We decided to pay out of pocket for him to visit the doctor. Matt's doc is a single guy who's very laidback and seems to be understanding about our financial situation. So, Matt thought he'd try bartering with the doc for some free medicine.

I've read a few articles on bartering and trading in the 21st century and I whole-heartedly dig the idea! Of course, bartering/trading will only work for service professions but I think the idea is fantastic. We've practiced trading on a small scale with some mommy friends by doing a babysitting swap group and it's worked out perfectly!

Well, Matt went in prepared to offer the doctor a personalized bound hard cover journal. (My husband is a man of unique hobbies. He built a book press in our basement and can publish and bind small books and journals.) I was skeptical the doc would take Matt up on his offer but proud of Matt for thinking so creatively and being willing to try!

Long story longer, the doc said YES to Matt's offer! He loved the journal and promptly left the examining room to get Matt some free antibiotics.

However, as the title of this post alludes, the transaction wasn't successful. The antibiotics the doc offered to Matt contained penicillin. Of which Matt is highly allergic. Bummer.

Now Matt is obliged to make the doctor a journal despite the fact that he didn't get any free meds out of the deal. Oh well. A handmade journal will certainly make for a good patient-doc relationship! I'm excited that the deal almost worked. Gives me hope and confidence that we can try bartering again in the future.

Have any of you ever tried the bartering method?

Not-Quite-Free Museum Day

Yesterday we partook of the Smithsonian-sponsored free museum day! We loaded up the troops and headed to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

The Museum was small but terrific! Lots of animals, dinosaur bones, and even hands-on discovery center for the kids.

Unfortunately, I didn't read the fine print of the coupon and we ended up paying for one admission. It was Chloe's though so we only had to shell out $6. Not bad for our entire family to visit the museum! A perfect activity on a rainy cold September Saturday.

Chloe and Clive both enjoyed the museum albeit in starkly different ways. Clive was Mr. Pointer Man running quickly from one animal to the next pointing (and leaving smudgy fingerprints) and naming the creatures behind the glass displays. Chloe liked the dinosaur bones and really thrived in the kids' discovery center. She immediately picked up a magnifying glass and pretended to be a scientist. Then she did several puzzles and activities without much parental assistance. She's growing up!

The only bummer about the experience was that I didn't get to learn much. Matt and I took turns supervising the tornado which is Clive but even then I didn't get to read many placards or displays. Such is the life of a parent! Maybe Matt and I will have to go back for a date night. :)

Enjoy the few pictures I snapped below. (In case you're wondering, the photo of Chloe with her fingers on top of her head is her impersonation of the triceratops darkly pictured in the background.)

How was your weekend?

Don't forget about free museum day tomorrow!

Get into a museum free tomorrow only! Check out the details here.

The Smithsonian Institute sponsors this free admit day every fall in museums all over the country. Being the lover-of-all-things-free, I've always wanted to participate in the event but never have.

This year we are ambitiously planning to visit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History tomorrow with our free admissions. Should be fun! Presuming Clive is restrained in a stroller that is. I can just imagine him wandering right up to the dinosaur bones and trying to knock them down. :)

Hope you too can take advantage of this great event!

Happy Birthday, dearest!

Today is my sweetie's birthday. Matt hit the mid-point between 30-40 this year by turning big 35. I pointed that out to him this morning over his birthday breakfast (baked oatmeal and homemade cinnamon rolls) and he wasn't too excited. He was more excited that he's half way to 70 . He's an old man at heart. :)

Unfortunately, today is Matt's super long teaching day so we aren't able to celebrate much with him. We had a smashing birthday breakfast with presents and cards this morning. And tomorrow we'll make a special dinner complete with his all time fave dessert -- dutch apple pie.

And, (don't tell him anyone!) I'm surprising him with a date night this Friday. Woo-hoo! That will be a terrific gift for both of us.

I'm so thankful for Matt. He's such a hard worker a committed hubby and daddy. I couldn't ask for a better partner in this crazy parenting adventure!

Happy birthday, querido esposon!

Our new answering service

Chloe has become our new in-house phone secretary! She L.O.V.E.S. answering the phone and when it rings she jumps up and runs to answer it first. It's pretty stinking adorable. And she does a fabulous job answering and chatting away with the surprised caller. :)

I'm thrilled that Chloe is fetching our phone calls. We only have 2 phones and both are located downstairs. I'm usually tied up or too far from the phone to answer before the machine picks up anyways. And Matt? Matt admittedly avoids the phone at all costs. He completely ignores the phone when it's ringing and only picks up if it's his folks on the line.

The best and most comical benefit of Chloe's phone answering habit is when she gets a telemarketer on the line. Last night she answered with her super-cute "Hello, this is Chloe" and a confused look came over her face. She kept saying, "Hello? Hellooooo?" as the telemarketer blazed through his schpiel at full speed. We realized what was happening and Matt advised Chloe to hang up. Again, the confused look crossed her face. Chloe was obviously conflicted about hanging up the phone on a live talking person. She sweetly ended the one-sided conversation with an apologetic, "I'm sorry, I have to hang up now."

I'm hoping this helpful phone-answering habit of hers is long-term! Besides being a serious help to me during the day Chloe's cute phone reception is an automatic smile generator. :)

Do your kids dig talking on the phone and/or answering it?

Way to go, Packers!

Woo-hoo! Football season is finally here!

Since we don't have cable we were PUMPED to see both the Vikings/Browns game and the Packers/Bears game which aired on local and national stations this past Sunday.

Besides rooting for our dear Green Bay Packers, we're also cheering on Brett Favre of the . . . (I have a hard time even typing this wretched team's name) Minnesota Vikings. After watching Favre for 10+ years as a Packer it was the strangest thing to see him instead hopping around in a purple jersey.

But if there's one thing about that's constant about the NFL it's change. Madden's retired now and Favre is a Viking. Sigh.

The Pack did us proud by pulling off their first win of the season! Of course it was a bit nerve-wracking at the end. Why must the Packers always secure the win in the last minutes of the 4th quarter?!?

We celebrated the victory with a green and yellow angel food cake (Chloe's favorite part of the football game I think).

What teams and players are you cheering on this season?

Chloe's idea of contentment

Last week Chloe and I did the book "When I was Young in the Mountains" for her five in a row curriculum. Excellent book. I highly recommend it. Lovely illustrations and great story-telling techniques create an easy platform for introducing new concepts to the preschooler's mind.

The narrator of the story is a little girl growing up in the mountains of West Virginia. She's completely content with her life and surroundings though she doesn't have ANY modern conveniences. (Chloe simply could not comprehend that the little girl in the story didn't get to watch any movies. That was way more devastating to her than the lack of indoor plumbing.)

So, as one of our lessons I defined the word content and we talked about how we should be happy for what we have. We read a Bible verse exhorting contentment and promoting generosity. Then Chloe parroted the definition back to me and drew several pictures of things she's happy she has. Her drawings included (in case you can't decipher them from the photo above) bubble gum, papa teddy, crayons, our house, and her bike.

She was getting it! Or so I thought. :) Just as my teacher-mama pride started to swell I asked Chloe to tell me what it means to be content. Here was her reply . . .

"Content is be happy with what I have but what I really need to be happy is a yo-yo."

Back to the drawing board! :)

Remembering and not remembering 9.11

Truthfully, I completely forgot that yesterday was 9.11. I was so wrapped up in hanging with the kids and getting through the day that it didn't dawn on me until the evening. The announcer of the highschool football game across the street asked for a moment of silence from the crowd. And then my memories of that eerie day came flooding back.

I got a bit teary-eyed as the marching band belted out the star-spangled banner. The lines, "that our flag was still there" and "oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave" were especially meaningful to me as I reflected on the atrocities of 9.11.

And then today at a local airplane heritage fair just the sight of an army helicopter made me well up again as I pictured our fellow country-men battling overseas in response to the terror of 9.11.

Despite its warranted criticisms, I am very thankful I live in the USA. There's no place like it!

Enjoy one of my favorite versions of the national anthem via the video below.
(What can I say -- I love the tight harmonies of the Dixie Chicks!)

Sleeping arrangements

Now that Chloe has reached the ripe old age of 4 she's consistently not napping. Sigh. This is one milestone I'm NOT excited about.

Even though she doesn't nap much lately we still enforce an afternoon quiet time. And after an hour of quiet time she's free to play.

By 7:00 p.m. Chloe is obviously ready for bed. Unfortunately, with all our new schooling routines I don't always get her in bed promptly at 7. As this photo so accurately depicts she was exhausted beyond belief tonight. Or maybe she was trying to keep the light out of her eyes?

Whatever the odd 4-year-old-logic involved, this photo of Chloe sacked out was too cute not to share. Makes me sleepy just looking at her! :)

What weird crazy ways have your kiddos fallen asleep?

A family style labor day

What a fun family day we had today! A splendid way to spend labor day, to be sure.

We began the day with blueberry pancakes, a quick trip to the grocery store, and then we all piled into the car to the annual Taste of Hudson festival. Ironically, we didn't taste Hudson. :) While the local restaurant tents are temptingly tasty, they're way too expensive for our tight budgets. Instead I packed a picnic and we ate our lunch on the grass while watching little girls dance Irish jigs on the children's music stage.

This particular festival has LOTS of fun free kid activities. Which is why I make a point of attending it each year. Both Little Tykes and Step 2 have factories in Northeast Ohio so they set up huge playareas with their latest toys. Clive was addicted to this sand table while Chloe enjoyed the mini-treehouse. Chloe and I did several little crafts and picked up some cheap freebies. INCLUDING two free pirate dress-up outfits. Arrgh! Besides that, there were inflatables. And face-painting and balloons. Chloe was in kiddie heaven!

After naps all around we headed out again for dinner. Chick Fil-A, aka the-most-generous-restaurant-of-all-time, was handing out free chicken sandwiches to anyone wearing sports team apparel. What better reason for donning our Green Bay Packer duds?

All in all, a very fun day. How'd you celebrate the long weekend?