Years down the road I want to look back at this post and think "was that really needed?" We have many "must haves" in our new home that we want, but we have definitely had to make some sacrifices along the way. We won't be getting everything we want in our new home-I think it's pretty impossible to do that regardless what your budget, taste and desires are. There has to be some give and take or things can quickly get out of hand.
I don't plan to blog much about the new build, for numerous reasons, but I thought this would be an interesting post to look back on...
In no particular order, these are important components in our new home:
1. A great living space-We spend most of our time in the living room and kitchen. It was important that this space be open and big.
2. Four Bedrooms -Although Alena desperately wants to share a room with her sister, we thought it was important that each child have his or her own room. I anticipate some room shifting as they age, but we plan to start everyone in their own room. It's not important to me that the bedrooms are huge, just functional.
3. A Porch - It doesn't have to be large, but we want a place where we can sit and watch the kids play in the front yard, read the morning paper, or watch the storms roll in.
4. A Cul De Sac - After previously living on a cul de sac street, we discovered how wonderful it is to not have to worry about traffic. It wasn't a "must" on our list but it was highly desired.
5. A Nice Backyard - My kids don't need acres and acres of land to roam, but having a decent sized yard was a must. (A nice bonus is Jester park is a short walk away). We are outdoor people so we wanted a space for our little ones to run.
6. A Covered Deck - This was a must for us. We had a huge deck at our old home but didn't use it much because of the direction it faced and the blinding sunshine. We're looking forward to spending more time on this deck. All our little ones are at an increased risk of getting melanoma so we're a little anal regarding sun exposure!
7. Storage - At our last home, we stored quite a bit of items in our garage. We wanted to eliminate that.
8. A Comfy Basement - We picture movie nights, sleepovers, and get togethers with friends in this space.
9. Upstairs Laundry Room- This just makes sense to me. You undress and dress upstairs, why not clean your clothes upstairs too?
10. A Kitchen Island - I think islands are so functional and a perfect place to bake, and do homework or arts and crafts.
That is our simple list. As the process has progressed, we've discovered other "musts" which have also become important to us. I'm curious to see 10 years down the road, if these components will still be as important to us then as they are now. So far, we're enjoying the process and couldn't be happier with our builders!
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Easter
I am so behind in my posts, but better late than never. Here is our Easter post:
We enjoyed the Easter egg hunt at Reiman gardens. I would highly recommend this to anyone willing to make a trip to Ames. The event is free, well organized and full of activities for little ones. Plus, you get to enjoy walking around the gardens including the butterfly display (my favorite).
Later in the afternoon we colored Easter eggs. This is a fun tradition and the kids enjoy it but I'm always disappointed in how they turn out. Maybe I need to spend more than $2.50 for a decorating kit!? :).
It's a tradition in our family that the Easter bunny hides each child's Easter basket the night before Easter. In the morning, each little one is responsible for finding his or her own basket, without any tips from siblings (which NEVER happens). This year the bunny hid A's basket quite well and it took her a while to locate it. The bunny's gifts were simple this year: books, new clothes, water guns, M and M's, a few jelly beans and a couple other small toys.
We decided to go to the late morning church this year, allowing the kids to enjoy the Easter morning without having to hurry and get ready for the day. I still wonder how parents are able to bring their children to church every weekend. It is such a struggle to get everyone to cooperate, sit still, and be quiet. After numerous trips to the bathroom with the girls, 100 cheerios (many which ended up on the floor), and bringing out everything in my arsenal to keep everyone entertained, we made it through the service.
We came home to a yummy lunch of ham, cheesy potatoes, corn casserole and dessert. It was Alena's half birthday so we baked a cake to celebrate. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sunshine. For dinner, we went to Brookside Park, one of my favorite parks as a little one, and enjoyed a picnic as requested by Alena.
We enjoyed the Easter egg hunt at Reiman gardens. I would highly recommend this to anyone willing to make a trip to Ames. The event is free, well organized and full of activities for little ones. Plus, you get to enjoy walking around the gardens including the butterfly display (my favorite).
Later in the afternoon we colored Easter eggs. This is a fun tradition and the kids enjoy it but I'm always disappointed in how they turn out. Maybe I need to spend more than $2.50 for a decorating kit!? :).
It's a tradition in our family that the Easter bunny hides each child's Easter basket the night before Easter. In the morning, each little one is responsible for finding his or her own basket, without any tips from siblings (which NEVER happens). This year the bunny hid A's basket quite well and it took her a while to locate it. The bunny's gifts were simple this year: books, new clothes, water guns, M and M's, a few jelly beans and a couple other small toys.
We decided to go to the late morning church this year, allowing the kids to enjoy the Easter morning without having to hurry and get ready for the day. I still wonder how parents are able to bring their children to church every weekend. It is such a struggle to get everyone to cooperate, sit still, and be quiet. After numerous trips to the bathroom with the girls, 100 cheerios (many which ended up on the floor), and bringing out everything in my arsenal to keep everyone entertained, we made it through the service.
We came home to a yummy lunch of ham, cheesy potatoes, corn casserole and dessert. It was Alena's half birthday so we baked a cake to celebrate. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sunshine. For dinner, we went to Brookside Park, one of my favorite parks as a little one, and enjoyed a picnic as requested by Alena.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Randomness
I have lots and lots of ideas for my blog but, right now I just want to post some random thoughts and opinions:
1. Let the craziness begin: We have been in Ames for 1.5 weeks and it has been crazy busy. The first week my nieces were here so you can imagine what the house was like. By the end of the week we had 5 very tired kids, 2 with colds, one with a high fever, blankets/toys/sippy cups spread throughout the house, and 4 exhausted adults. This week A started swimming lessons. She has class Monday through Thursday this week and next week. Add in soccer once a week and my daughter is officially doing two extracurricular activities in a day! I knew when I signed her up for these things we would be living in Ames and it would be crazy so I guess we just have to take a deep breath and roll with it.
2. Spring: One plus about living with my parents, is my kids get to learn all about gardening and lawn work. They helped Papa plant potatoes this weekend and picked up sticks and leaves around the yard. Now don't go calling the child-labor police on us! Each time we were outside, they asked if they could do these things. They had a grand ole time and it was good exercise for all of us. I'm anxious for them to help with the rest of the gardening.
3. I am Becoming Anti-Facebook: Thinking back to when I first got an account, I decided it was a great way to catch up with friends I haven't seen in years or keep in touch with family members. I love seeing pictures of every ones little ones, marriage proposals, wedding pictures and birth announcements. Unfortunately there are a lot of other things about Facebook that just drive me bonkers. Some people may be interested in every single activity others do, but that just clogs up my newsfeed :). I'm not really that interested in what you had for dinner last night or your opinion on religion, politics, or vaccinations. I think there should be a limit for the amount of posts one person can do per week and honestly I'm more interested in the posts that come from people who rarely post because you can guarantee (almost), that what they are posting is important. So I have disconnected from this blue app on my phone-not completely but enough to where I have a lot more attention on my little ones and less attention on my phone. I still log on a couple times a week but rarely look at my news feed and mostly check out my twins group or other local mom's groups. I know I may miss marriage announcements, new baby pictures or fun vacation pictures from friends but that just gives me more incentive to find other ways to keep in touch with people. So if I miss a birthday shutout on Facebook or don't like one of your pictures, chances are I didn't see it!
4. A quick update on the vandalism we were victims off: Justin received a call from the detective in Madison and they found the six 17-18 year olds responsible for the $42,000 worth of damage around Madison! He specifically stated he spoke to the boy who broke our windows, the boy who threw the bike in our van and the one who tore off our Honda emblem. Hooray! And they will all be tried as adults. Unfortunately, we likely won't receive a dime back from the damage we had to fix but at least they have been caught.
5. Training: Dam to dam training has started and I'm so excited for the race. I really missed the treadmill this winter so I'm a little behind on my miles. (I don't run outside unless the temp is at least 35 degrees-it's just not enjoyable for my lungs). I desperately want a new pair of shoes so I'm keeping my eye out for some. Plus a new pair of kicks is a great motivator. I'm hoping the twins will want to do the kid's run this year too-what a fun family tradition!
6. Music: Is anyone else in love with Maroon 5's song "Sugar?" I can't help but sing along and get in a great mood when I hear this song (I have a little difficulty hitting those high notes though!). A loves to sing along too. Plus, have you seen the video? I can't imagine having Maroon 5 crash my wedding-what fun!
7. Vets: Twice a month I get to do clinic at the VA hospital. I started my nursing career at the VA in Iowa City when I was a CNA during nursing school. I immediately fell in love with this population and still enjoy caring for them. They are by far my most sincere, compliant, and appreciative patients. The WWII vets are my absolute favorite, but the numbers remaining are dwindling. It's always a great reminder to thank them for their service.
8. Mac vs PC: I've always been a PC fan, but my parents have always been Mac people. I have been impressed with Apple's I phone and I pad so I decided to spread my wings and get a MacBook. Although it has taken me a little getting used to, (I had to google "How to Scroll on a Macbook?"), I'm loving it! I have the air so it is so light and easy to transport. I'm sure there is so much more I need to learn...
1. Let the craziness begin: We have been in Ames for 1.5 weeks and it has been crazy busy. The first week my nieces were here so you can imagine what the house was like. By the end of the week we had 5 very tired kids, 2 with colds, one with a high fever, blankets/toys/sippy cups spread throughout the house, and 4 exhausted adults. This week A started swimming lessons. She has class Monday through Thursday this week and next week. Add in soccer once a week and my daughter is officially doing two extracurricular activities in a day! I knew when I signed her up for these things we would be living in Ames and it would be crazy so I guess we just have to take a deep breath and roll with it.
2. Spring: One plus about living with my parents, is my kids get to learn all about gardening and lawn work. They helped Papa plant potatoes this weekend and picked up sticks and leaves around the yard. Now don't go calling the child-labor police on us! Each time we were outside, they asked if they could do these things. They had a grand ole time and it was good exercise for all of us. I'm anxious for them to help with the rest of the gardening.
3. I am Becoming Anti-Facebook: Thinking back to when I first got an account, I decided it was a great way to catch up with friends I haven't seen in years or keep in touch with family members. I love seeing pictures of every ones little ones, marriage proposals, wedding pictures and birth announcements. Unfortunately there are a lot of other things about Facebook that just drive me bonkers. Some people may be interested in every single activity others do, but that just clogs up my newsfeed :). I'm not really that interested in what you had for dinner last night or your opinion on religion, politics, or vaccinations. I think there should be a limit for the amount of posts one person can do per week and honestly I'm more interested in the posts that come from people who rarely post because you can guarantee (almost), that what they are posting is important. So I have disconnected from this blue app on my phone-not completely but enough to where I have a lot more attention on my little ones and less attention on my phone. I still log on a couple times a week but rarely look at my news feed and mostly check out my twins group or other local mom's groups. I know I may miss marriage announcements, new baby pictures or fun vacation pictures from friends but that just gives me more incentive to find other ways to keep in touch with people. So if I miss a birthday shutout on Facebook or don't like one of your pictures, chances are I didn't see it!
4. A quick update on the vandalism we were victims off: Justin received a call from the detective in Madison and they found the six 17-18 year olds responsible for the $42,000 worth of damage around Madison! He specifically stated he spoke to the boy who broke our windows, the boy who threw the bike in our van and the one who tore off our Honda emblem. Hooray! And they will all be tried as adults. Unfortunately, we likely won't receive a dime back from the damage we had to fix but at least they have been caught.
5. Training: Dam to dam training has started and I'm so excited for the race. I really missed the treadmill this winter so I'm a little behind on my miles. (I don't run outside unless the temp is at least 35 degrees-it's just not enjoyable for my lungs). I desperately want a new pair of shoes so I'm keeping my eye out for some. Plus a new pair of kicks is a great motivator. I'm hoping the twins will want to do the kid's run this year too-what a fun family tradition!
6. Music: Is anyone else in love with Maroon 5's song "Sugar?" I can't help but sing along and get in a great mood when I hear this song (I have a little difficulty hitting those high notes though!). A loves to sing along too. Plus, have you seen the video? I can't imagine having Maroon 5 crash my wedding-what fun!
7. Vets: Twice a month I get to do clinic at the VA hospital. I started my nursing career at the VA in Iowa City when I was a CNA during nursing school. I immediately fell in love with this population and still enjoy caring for them. They are by far my most sincere, compliant, and appreciative patients. The WWII vets are my absolute favorite, but the numbers remaining are dwindling. It's always a great reminder to thank them for their service.
8. Mac vs PC: I've always been a PC fan, but my parents have always been Mac people. I have been impressed with Apple's I phone and I pad so I decided to spread my wings and get a MacBook. Although it has taken me a little getting used to, (I had to google "How to Scroll on a Macbook?"), I'm loving it! I have the air so it is so light and easy to transport. I'm sure there is so much more I need to learn...
Friday, April 3, 2015
The Tooth Fairy
Our house had a little visit from The Tooth Fairy this week!
When I took A to the dentist a few weeks ago, we discovered she had 3 loose teeth. Just another sign that my oldest is growing up. She worked really hard to get her baby teeth in, (and mom and dad had many sleepless nights), so it is bitter sweet that they are now falling out.
She was excited that her one bottom tooth was really starting to wiggle. The night before her tooth fell out she showed me how loose it was but I still thought I had a few days before that little tooth would fall out.
Surprisingly, we received an email message from her teacher at school Thursday morning with the Subject: Big Girl, and a picture of Alena's toothless smile. We were so happy for her but I quickly started to scramble because this Tooth Fairy wasn't ready for this yet!!!
Thank goodness for Pinterest and my twin moms who gave me some great ideas. Ideally, I would have loved to have sewed a small pillow for her to put her tooth in but obviously I didn't get that done. So I had to go to Plan B.
I had a little bit of time during the day to run to Hobby Lobby where I found a small pillow with a little pocket, perfect for her little tooth. I stopped at a bank on my way to a dialysis unit and got a $2 bill and 3 silver dollar coins. Finally, I stopped at the dollar store and found some sparkly silver eye shadow to act as fairy dust.
I also found a cute letter on-line that I printed so A would have a personalized letter from the Tooth Fairy.
She was so excited for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! She was worried her tooth would fall out of the little pillow so she decided to put her tooth in a little container under her pillow this time but plans to use the pillow for her next tooth.
When I took A to the dentist a few weeks ago, we discovered she had 3 loose teeth. Just another sign that my oldest is growing up. She worked really hard to get her baby teeth in, (and mom and dad had many sleepless nights), so it is bitter sweet that they are now falling out.
She was excited that her one bottom tooth was really starting to wiggle. The night before her tooth fell out she showed me how loose it was but I still thought I had a few days before that little tooth would fall out.
Surprisingly, we received an email message from her teacher at school Thursday morning with the Subject: Big Girl, and a picture of Alena's toothless smile. We were so happy for her but I quickly started to scramble because this Tooth Fairy wasn't ready for this yet!!!
Thank goodness for Pinterest and my twin moms who gave me some great ideas. Ideally, I would have loved to have sewed a small pillow for her to put her tooth in but obviously I didn't get that done. So I had to go to Plan B.
I had a little bit of time during the day to run to Hobby Lobby where I found a small pillow with a little pocket, perfect for her little tooth. I stopped at a bank on my way to a dialysis unit and got a $2 bill and 3 silver dollar coins. Finally, I stopped at the dollar store and found some sparkly silver eye shadow to act as fairy dust.
I also found a cute letter on-line that I printed so A would have a personalized letter from the Tooth Fairy.
She was so excited for a visit from the Tooth Fairy! She was worried her tooth would fall out of the little pillow so she decided to put her tooth in a little container under her pillow this time but plans to use the pillow for her next tooth.
 |
| Fairy dust on her money and letter |
The next morning she was anxious to see what was under her pillow. She was most excited about the letter covered in fairy dust that the Tooth Fairy left and took it to school to show her teachers and friends.
I love, love, love a child's imagination. If only they believed in the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Santa Claus forever. I'm going to cherish these years as I know they won't believe for long.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Clip Clip
Is anyone else nauseated when they leave the grocery store, spending more and more each time, even though you get pretty much the same things?
Agh, the cost of groceries is crazy and it's only going to get worse as my three little ones grow and the cost of everything continues to rise. My oldest has been on a growth spurt for about 2 months straight now with no end in site.
I remember the days when I could do my weekly grocery shopping for under $50. Those days are long gone. I've had to come up with another strategy to save and I've been working on it over the last month.
I think I'm a pretty savvy shopper, usually choosing generic brands over name brands to save a few cents here and there, except for a few items which just taste better in name brand. I look at the ads each week when I get ready to write out my grocery list, which also helps plan the menu (although this has been more difficult with my Fresh 20 account). I like to shop at Fareway but hate that they are closed on Sundays because that is often when I have time to shop. One bonus of Fareway is they will price match any competitor and these price matches are easily identified with bright orange/red notices. If they happen to miss a price match, you can verify it easily by pulling up the competitor's ad on your phone (I've had to do that a couple times). One downfall of Fareway, is I do not like their chicken so I try to stock up when the price is right at other stores and freeze smaller amounts in the freezer.
Now back to the saving...
I've started to become a couponer. Not a crazy person who clips every coupon and spends their days looking for the best deals, just a regular mom trying to save a few cents here and there. It's actually somewhat enjoyable and you do get a little high when you find a good deal. I let everyone else do the work and I follow suit: I follow the Krazy Coupon Lady's blog, and also follow match up sites (these are sites that look for sales in specific stores and then tell you how to use your coupons to get the best deals). These sites are totallytarget.com, wildforwags (Walgreens), afewshortcuts.com (hy-vee/fareway), and hip2save.com. I clip the coupons in the Sunday paper of items we may use/need in the future and store them away until a good deal comes along. I'll also go online once a month to the major online coupon site and print what we may need. I've realized I'll never pay full price again for some items and it's important to stock up on an item when you do get a good deal so you won't need to purchase that specific thing again until another deal should come around.
I've also downloaded a couple useful apps which you can earn money from just from shopping or even just walking into a store:
Cartwheel: I'm sure many people use this now. What an easy way to save a few cents. I check my cartwheel before I head to Target to see if there are any deals for the items I'm planning to purchase. I scored a pack of white chocolate M & Ms for 0.70 using my Cartwheel (50% off) and a $1.00 off coupon. These were supposed to be for Easter but I was solo last night with the kiddos and needed a little SOMETHING after everyone was in bed and I was out of wine!
Shopkick: This app gives you "kicks" for walking into stores or scanning specific items in stores. It's that simple. You don't need to purchase a single thing and the kicks add up quickly. Earning 1250 kicks will get you a $5 gift card to starbucks, Target, etc. There's a large variety of stores you can use it on. You can easily earn 500 kicks in a couple days. I've only being using this app for about 6 weeks and am up to over 3000 kicks. I'll probably wait a little bit to redeem my reward, which will likely be a Starbucks gift card. Justin and I like to treat ourselves to a little coffee once in a while so this will come in handy.
Ibotta: This is another app, specifically for grocery shopping. This app gives you money back for buying groceries. You search the app to see what grocery items you can earn money back on, select the items, purchase them, then capture a picture of your receipt to submit. A couple hours later your purchase is reviewed and approved and money goes into your account. You have to have $10 in your account to cash out. Again, I've only been doing this about 6 weeks and have earned $15, just for buying the normal grocery items I would buy. I think the important thing with all of these apps and coupons in general, is to stick to what you would usually buy and don't buy something because you have a coupon-that's not really saving. Another plus about Fareway is you can give them the phone number connected with your Ibotta account at check out, saving you from having to submit your receipt.
ReceiptPal: This is the easiest of all apps to use. You literally take a picture of your receipt (any receipt-even if you purchased a pack of gum at a gas station) and submit it. You get 25 points for each receipt submitted. Once you receive 2200 points, you can obtain a $25 gift card to a restaurant or Amazon gift card. Again, we like to limit spending money on eating out (or even grabbing a coffee) so having these little earnings make it more enjoyable for us.
ReceiptHog: Another easy app where you take a picture of your receipt and submit it. The only specific with this app is it must be from a place where you can purchase groceries. You earn coins for your receipts, pending how much you spent, and 1000 coins=$5.
Checkout51: Similar to Ibotta in that you earn money back for buying specific groceries. This one is a little harder to use as the products they feature are often not ones I purchase. However, every Wednesday the products rotate and there is usually at least one item that I do purchase (like a gallon of milk, bananas, apples, etc). You select the item, purchase the item, then submit your receipt. Pretty easy. Once you reach $20, you can request a check be sent to you.
Whew, that's it. Pretty simple and not very time consuming at all. I wait until the evening, snap a couple pics of receipts I may have gotten that day and I'm done. If I'm heading out to run an errand, I'll check my Shopkick, Cartwheel, Ibotta and Checkout51 apps quickly to see if the items I'm planning to purchase are on these sites (or if I can collect kicks at the store I am going to), and head out.
I was so tired a couple evenings ago but needed diapers for C from Target. Justin agreed to go out so I gave him a quick tutorial of the Cartwheel and Shopkick apps and he was on his way. I think he had a good time :).
Agh, the cost of groceries is crazy and it's only going to get worse as my three little ones grow and the cost of everything continues to rise. My oldest has been on a growth spurt for about 2 months straight now with no end in site.
I remember the days when I could do my weekly grocery shopping for under $50. Those days are long gone. I've had to come up with another strategy to save and I've been working on it over the last month.
I think I'm a pretty savvy shopper, usually choosing generic brands over name brands to save a few cents here and there, except for a few items which just taste better in name brand. I look at the ads each week when I get ready to write out my grocery list, which also helps plan the menu (although this has been more difficult with my Fresh 20 account). I like to shop at Fareway but hate that they are closed on Sundays because that is often when I have time to shop. One bonus of Fareway is they will price match any competitor and these price matches are easily identified with bright orange/red notices. If they happen to miss a price match, you can verify it easily by pulling up the competitor's ad on your phone (I've had to do that a couple times). One downfall of Fareway, is I do not like their chicken so I try to stock up when the price is right at other stores and freeze smaller amounts in the freezer.
Now back to the saving...
I've started to become a couponer. Not a crazy person who clips every coupon and spends their days looking for the best deals, just a regular mom trying to save a few cents here and there. It's actually somewhat enjoyable and you do get a little high when you find a good deal. I let everyone else do the work and I follow suit: I follow the Krazy Coupon Lady's blog, and also follow match up sites (these are sites that look for sales in specific stores and then tell you how to use your coupons to get the best deals). These sites are totallytarget.com, wildforwags (Walgreens), afewshortcuts.com (hy-vee/fareway), and hip2save.com. I clip the coupons in the Sunday paper of items we may use/need in the future and store them away until a good deal comes along. I'll also go online once a month to the major online coupon site and print what we may need. I've realized I'll never pay full price again for some items and it's important to stock up on an item when you do get a good deal so you won't need to purchase that specific thing again until another deal should come around.
I've also downloaded a couple useful apps which you can earn money from just from shopping or even just walking into a store:
Cartwheel: I'm sure many people use this now. What an easy way to save a few cents. I check my cartwheel before I head to Target to see if there are any deals for the items I'm planning to purchase. I scored a pack of white chocolate M & Ms for 0.70 using my Cartwheel (50% off) and a $1.00 off coupon. These were supposed to be for Easter but I was solo last night with the kiddos and needed a little SOMETHING after everyone was in bed and I was out of wine!
Shopkick: This app gives you "kicks" for walking into stores or scanning specific items in stores. It's that simple. You don't need to purchase a single thing and the kicks add up quickly. Earning 1250 kicks will get you a $5 gift card to starbucks, Target, etc. There's a large variety of stores you can use it on. You can easily earn 500 kicks in a couple days. I've only being using this app for about 6 weeks and am up to over 3000 kicks. I'll probably wait a little bit to redeem my reward, which will likely be a Starbucks gift card. Justin and I like to treat ourselves to a little coffee once in a while so this will come in handy.
Ibotta: This is another app, specifically for grocery shopping. This app gives you money back for buying groceries. You search the app to see what grocery items you can earn money back on, select the items, purchase them, then capture a picture of your receipt to submit. A couple hours later your purchase is reviewed and approved and money goes into your account. You have to have $10 in your account to cash out. Again, I've only been doing this about 6 weeks and have earned $15, just for buying the normal grocery items I would buy. I think the important thing with all of these apps and coupons in general, is to stick to what you would usually buy and don't buy something because you have a coupon-that's not really saving. Another plus about Fareway is you can give them the phone number connected with your Ibotta account at check out, saving you from having to submit your receipt.
ReceiptPal: This is the easiest of all apps to use. You literally take a picture of your receipt (any receipt-even if you purchased a pack of gum at a gas station) and submit it. You get 25 points for each receipt submitted. Once you receive 2200 points, you can obtain a $25 gift card to a restaurant or Amazon gift card. Again, we like to limit spending money on eating out (or even grabbing a coffee) so having these little earnings make it more enjoyable for us.
ReceiptHog: Another easy app where you take a picture of your receipt and submit it. The only specific with this app is it must be from a place where you can purchase groceries. You earn coins for your receipts, pending how much you spent, and 1000 coins=$5.
Checkout51: Similar to Ibotta in that you earn money back for buying specific groceries. This one is a little harder to use as the products they feature are often not ones I purchase. However, every Wednesday the products rotate and there is usually at least one item that I do purchase (like a gallon of milk, bananas, apples, etc). You select the item, purchase the item, then submit your receipt. Pretty easy. Once you reach $20, you can request a check be sent to you.
Whew, that's it. Pretty simple and not very time consuming at all. I wait until the evening, snap a couple pics of receipts I may have gotten that day and I'm done. If I'm heading out to run an errand, I'll check my Shopkick, Cartwheel, Ibotta and Checkout51 apps quickly to see if the items I'm planning to purchase are on these sites (or if I can collect kicks at the store I am going to), and head out.
I was so tired a couple evenings ago but needed diapers for C from Target. Justin agreed to go out so I gave him a quick tutorial of the Cartwheel and Shopkick apps and he was on his way. I think he had a good time :).
Saturday, March 21, 2015
The Big Top
So we took our circus to the circus this weekend. At the last second I decided to get tickets for us, wanting my kids to experience yet another childhood experience that I think is necessary, (at least once).
I remember going to the circus a couple times when I was younger. I probably remember the snacks more than the actual performance but none the less it's a fun childhood memory.
We arrived early and got front row seats. The girls enjoyed a pony ride while Caleb gawked at the transformer who was walking around. The production included the normal shows: an attractive blond riding on an elephant, a cage-full of tigers, jugglers, and silly clowns. There was also a magician and his partner, (who did about 30 costume changes), and motorcyclists and bicyclists doing tricks off ramps.
I couldn't help but noticed the protesters as I walked in, and this left a sour taste in my mouth. All I could think about while watching the show was the movie/book "Water For Elephants." I definitely cringed a little when the tiger tamer used his whip to control his animals, and noticed the tool the elephant tamer had. My mom was quick to point out that after this year, elephants will no longer be in circus's, due to concern about how they are treated. Hmm, this really made me think about things.
The kids had a great time and I don't regret taking them. However, that may be the last circus I will attend.
I remember going to the circus a couple times when I was younger. I probably remember the snacks more than the actual performance but none the less it's a fun childhood memory.
We arrived early and got front row seats. The girls enjoyed a pony ride while Caleb gawked at the transformer who was walking around. The production included the normal shows: an attractive blond riding on an elephant, a cage-full of tigers, jugglers, and silly clowns. There was also a magician and his partner, (who did about 30 costume changes), and motorcyclists and bicyclists doing tricks off ramps.
I couldn't help but noticed the protesters as I walked in, and this left a sour taste in my mouth. All I could think about while watching the show was the movie/book "Water For Elephants." I definitely cringed a little when the tiger tamer used his whip to control his animals, and noticed the tool the elephant tamer had. My mom was quick to point out that after this year, elephants will no longer be in circus's, due to concern about how they are treated. Hmm, this really made me think about things.
The kids had a great time and I don't regret taking them. However, that may be the last circus I will attend.
Monday, March 16, 2015
2 1/2
Yikes, the twins are 2.5 years old today! I love celebrating half birthdays so we'll enjoy a little DQ ice cream, (for free as they are giving away free cones today!).
Caleb: You remain our sweet, cuddly boy. You love to give hugs and kisses, sometimes forgetting to ask someone if they want one before you tackle them in a bear hug. You are also our little cheerleader, cheering for mom and dad when we finish our dinner or go pee pee in the potty :). You would be content playing outside all day on your bike, chasing after balls or playing with your tractors. You are so observant often telling us, in great detail, what your little eyes see. I was so worried for a while because your little brain was working faster than your mouth and you often stuttered. You seem to be outgrowing this. Like your sister, your appetite has decreased and you're getting into the "picky twos" stage. We have had some success stories on the potty but I am no where near ready to make that jump, (and neither are you). You love tackling your older sister and we worry about the day when you are bigger than her.
It's crazy to think that every day forward from now you will be moving closer to turning 3!
We are in the middle of our third move since you turned 2 six months ago and thankfully, you have taken things in stride. (The Bunco ladies commented last week on how relaxed I seem about all the moves-if only they knew!) Everyone is looking forward to a little extra grandma and papa time.
Lauren: I know I've said this before, but you keep us on our toes. You definitely go through the range of emotions that 2 year-olds do, multiple times a day. When you are happy, you are hilarious, but when you are sad, it's like the world is ending. You are also accident prone which doesn't help matters. You hate when your brother picks on you and aren't afraid to put him in his place. You love playing with your older sister and remain our dare devil, doing everything and anything she is doing, despite your small stature. We are so glad you are pretty much potty trained with the exception of naps/nighttime. Your vocabulary is amazing and you often speak like a 5 or 6 year old, (probably learning phrases and terms from your older sister). One of your favorite things to say is "okay?" after saying something to one of us: "I'm going to go over here, okay?" As stated in a previous post, you can pretty much dress and undress yourself. You love to play dress up, wearing mommy's shoes or your princess dress around the house. Of the two of you, you remain the most interested in art and love to paint, color and play with play-dough. Unfortunately, your attention span is pretty short, and after a few minutes of working on an art project, you are ready to move on. I can finally stop holding my breath when I watch you run, but the verdict is still out regarding your athletic ability :).
Caleb: You remain our sweet, cuddly boy. You love to give hugs and kisses, sometimes forgetting to ask someone if they want one before you tackle them in a bear hug. You are also our little cheerleader, cheering for mom and dad when we finish our dinner or go pee pee in the potty :). You would be content playing outside all day on your bike, chasing after balls or playing with your tractors. You are so observant often telling us, in great detail, what your little eyes see. I was so worried for a while because your little brain was working faster than your mouth and you often stuttered. You seem to be outgrowing this. Like your sister, your appetite has decreased and you're getting into the "picky twos" stage. We have had some success stories on the potty but I am no where near ready to make that jump, (and neither are you). You love tackling your older sister and we worry about the day when you are bigger than her.
It's crazy to think that every day forward from now you will be moving closer to turning 3!
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