The Trials of a Busy Mom

Month: August 2007 (Page 1 of 3)

Is there a hidden camera around here somewhere?

Today while at the grocery store, I was seriously thinking about which brand and size of toilet paper was the better deal. If I use this coupon, would it be cheaper than buying that brand without a coupon? Boring, I know. I looked over at the other side of the isle, and there were these Scotties hypoallergenic tissues. I haven’t really heard of this brand, but they were on sale for $1 a box, so I was interested. We go through a lot of tissues in our house (yes, I have a box in every room of the house AND the cars. It’s called being prepared.), so I’m always trying to get them when they are on sale, and I have to make sure to NEVER EVER even think about buying the Puffs with LOTION. Or the cool antibacterial kind. Why? Need you ask? The anti-lotionator who I live with, that’s why. Just teasin’, Ryan. So, when I see non-scented tissues for cheap, I start tossing them into the cart.

As I was grabbing a box, I knocked over this silly looking little black box thing, which fell on the floor. As I bent to pick it up, it spit out a coupon. A coupon for the exact product I was currently putting in my cart. 30 cents off each box of Scotties Hypoallergenic tissues. Wow! Not 30 cents off when you buy three boxes, as is typically the case with those pop-up coupons. But it appeared to be out of coupons. Oh, darn. Hey, look, there’s one crumpled up on the shelf. I uncrumple it, and sure enough, it’s a coupon for Scotties. Just then, the little coupon spitter decides to pop out another coupon. Ok. I’ll take it, thanks. I picked up the coupon thing to see if I could make it give me one more. I bang it on the top, and out comes another one, accompanied by a sad little noise, like the coupon thing is saying, “I’m tired. Could you just leave me alone?” But, no I will NOT leave it alone, because I can use all the coupons I can get. Bang Bang Bang. Nothing. Just when I’m about to leave and continue with my shopping, out comes a coupon. What the heck? Bang Bang. Maybe I should drop it on the floor again. I wait a minute, and sure enough, out comes another coupon. This goes on for quite some time, and I’m laughing to myself wondering if there’s some hidden camera there, and they wait until I’m about to leave to make the little coupon device give up it’s precious 30 cent coupon. I even look around to see if anyone is watching me, or if I can see the hidden camera. Reality tv show, maybe?

I ended up with 10. I don’t know how many I could have gotten out of the stingy little thing, had I had the patience to wait. But it gave me a good laugh, and I saved $3.00 on my 10 boxes of tissues.

Works for me Wednesday–What to do with broken glass

Today I have a tip that I just learned about in a book.  Not a household tips or cleaning book or anything, but a novel (because that’s all I read).  If you break a glass and there are glass shards all over the floor, the broom and the dustpan may not get all the little pieces up.  Use a piece of bread to “mop” up the shards.  The little nasty pieces of glass that you may not be able to see will all get stuck in the bread, and then you just throw that bread away.

For more valuable tips, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

Where have I been? Don’t you wish you knew.

Where have you been, Paige? You post three posts on Friday and then you abandon us for three days–what gives?

Well, don’t you wish you knew! I’ve been kind of busy here, folks. Since I blogged last, we’ve: driven up to Smithfield for Ryan’s nephew’s “mission farewell” on Sunday, then drove back in time to go to a neighborhood potluck dinner (too much food!); went to a friend’s 40th birthday party and the kids ended up playing in the ditch until they were soaking wet; I went to see the Nanny Diaries with some friends; John and I went to the zoo with friends Melinda and Will.

I’ve also been working on a skit for the reflections kick off assembly. I’ve got one written now, and I’ll tell you it’s a riviting script with four witches and a fish. Stellar writing, that one is. I’ve also got to get the handouts ready, figure out when the due dates are, and get everything ready for Friday. Am I remotely ready? Nope.
I’m also planning John’s birthday party for Saturday, and we finally went today and bought the invitations and filled them out. We’ve delivered 6 of them, and he’s bugging me to deliver the last two. We’ll be going to the fire station to take a look at the trucks. I’m sure I’ll tell you all about it and include pictures of the excitement.
And, I’m working on writing an article for the upcoming “Keeping Tabs” newsletter. That’s the tabernacle choir’s semi-annual newsletter, and for the last couple of issues, I’ve written an article about the bell choir. Have I not mentioned this before? Oh. I don’t even really remember how I met the editor, but we started talking, and I must have emailed her a picture she asked for, or something. But later she emailed me and asked me if I wouldn’t mind writing an article about what we are doing in the bell choir. And she just keeps asking me to write one. Probably because she doesn’t know anyone else to ask to write it, but I’m ok with that. She even listed me as an “associate editor”.

Can you believe that? Me an associate editor? You can actually read the whole little article I wrote here, if you are interested. But I’m rambling (what else is new?). So, like I said, I’m working on another article for that.

So, I’ve been a little bit busy and haven’t gotten to the blog. And my son seems to think he needs to use my computer every moment that he’s home.  School project?  Whatever.  What’s your excuse?

‘Cause you gotta have friends

In browsing through some old photos that we’ve had scanned, I find that:

1- I do know how to have fun. Lots of it, if the photos are any indication.

2- I have the greatest girlfriends ever.

See for yourself.
These ladies have been my friends for over 30 years, some of them. That’s a collective friendship over over 100 years!

And let’s not forget these beauties,

who have also been friends since elementary and junior high school. These are the friends who shaped my life. So, if you think I’m a weirdo, it’s probably their fault. And we are STILL friends! Who does that? Who keeps in touch with friends from that long ago. Well, we do. We don’t see each other every day or anything, but we do still try.

I have had and still do have many wonderful friends. To my friends, I salute you and I thank you!

Enjoying the quiet.

The kids have been in school for 4 days now, and it’s just John and I at home.  And I have to say, it’s going quite nicely.  I’m able to get a few things done, a little bit organized, and have some fun with just John.  I’ve never ever had a 3 year old at home without having a younger child, so this is new territory for me.  Yesterday we went to the haircut place to get his hair cut.  He looks SO DANG CUTE with his new short haircut, by the way.  Afterwards, since he was a good boy, we got lunch at Wendy’s.  As we walked into the house, he asked me, ‘Where’s Jenna’s lunch?’  He misses Jenna!  I explained to him that Jenna goes to school all day, now, and eats lunch at school, instead of at home with us.  And at that moment, I was very glad that John won’t be leaving me to eat lunch at school for a few years yet.  I miss the other kids, and I would most definitely miss my little guy.

Today he actually gets to go out to lunch and shopping with his grandparents for his birthday.  They take the kids out to eat and then shopping.  John chose McDonald’s for his lunch place, and then he didn’t care where they were going shopping.  Probably Wal-mart.  It’s always fun to see what kind of toy or gift they come home with.  This is his first time to go out with them, since they only take the 4-12 year olds.  After 12, they still take them out to eat, but just give them cash instead of shopping with them.  It’s a nice tradition and something the kids look forward to.

So I’ve been writing letters to local businesses asking for donations and support for our PTA Reflections contest, which I am in charge of again this year.  I’m trying to come up with a skit to introduce the theme for this year, which is, “I can make a difference by…”.  Hmmm.  Any ideas?

And I’ve been de-sequining a shirt.  Yes, you read that correctly.  De-sequining.  I bought this cute shirt at Kohl’s the other day for 30% off of $4.  I like it, and it’s a good color and everything, but it’s got these silly sequins scattered around the shirt.  I don’t have anything against sequins, per say.   If you are a nine year old girl, you probably really like them.  And they aren’t that noticable, so I don’t really mind them, except that they are scratchy.  Every time I move my arms or do anything that rubs against the shirt,…scratch, scratch, scratch.  Well, that simply won’t do, so I just cut them all off.  Because I’m creative like that.  I like to take regular clothes and make them even plainer.

So, there you have it folks.  The excitement that is my day.  I’m kind of enjoying it.

Ummmm….Ahh

My office smells so yummy.  And kind of sexy.

You see, I have a little sample card of “David Beckham–Instinct” cologne.  Since Ryan isn’t big into fragrances and smelly things (he about has a fit if I burn a nice smelling candle or plug in an air freshener, and if I have just put on smelly lotion he won’t touch me.  He’s kind of silly that way), I just opened up this little smell sample and am keeping it right here on my printer.  So I can sniff and go “ummmmmm” anytime I want to.  Maybe someday I’ll get Ryan to try it.

A letter to my kids

Dear Kids;

Please do not stand on the large bucket of laundry detergent.  I know it’s really cool to look in on the magic swishy thing that cleans the clothes, but next time, use a stool.  Maybe you didn’t realize that the laundry detergent bucket is one of the world’s modern miracles.  Once it’s sealed back up again, it is nearly impossible to open.  And your poor mom doesn’t have the strongest fingernails to start with.

So, if you ever want clean clothes again, please avoid standing on that bucket.

Love always,

Mom

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to see if I can find a crowbar.  Or maybe if I yell out ‘help’ those cute little fuzzy wonderpets will come and help me.   I can just see it now…’Wook!  That mommy needs owr help!  She can’t do her waundry because that bucket is stuck shut!  What’s gonna work?  TEAM work…”  and then the guinea pig, the fuzzy duck and the turtle will help me get my laundry done.

Wishful thinking

Today was the first day of school.  Even though two kids forgot their lunches, they seemed to all enjoy their first day in their new classes.

Here’s my list of what I sort of thought I’d get done, now that 4 out of 5 of my kids are gone to school all day..

Organize my recipes;
Sew curtains for my office;
Sort, wash and fold all the laundry, including match up that whole basket of socks;
Mail 2 packages;
Do something fun with John.  Maybe go to the Zoo;
Make a delicious and nutritious dinner that all the family would eat and enjoy;
Clean out the pantry and the mudroom.

Here’s what I actually got done:

Go to curves (hooray for me!  I have to figure out exactly how early I need to go and still get back home in time to help everyone get ready.  Today I left at about 10 minutes to 7, and got home about 7:35.  Cole has to leave at 7:45, so that may not be early enough to prod him to do the things he needs to get done in the morning).

Attend the “Back to school Bus Stop Breakfast” that I organized.  It was fun, the kids were all so excited to start school, and the moms all took lots of pictures.  Great neighborhood tradition.

Go shop at Kohl’s.  I had to use that 30% off coupon, and had to return one thing.  So, I returned one item, bought a bunch more, and picked up some much needed socks for a lot of the needy feet in the family.

Went to Costco to get gas (empty!) and Pull-ups (we were down to NONE), eggs and garbage bags, and a few other needed items.

John had a picnic with his friend, and then they played with trains.  Not a huge outing, but at least he had some fun.

Sliced about 1/2 of our peaches that I picked from my very own tree yesterday!  And they are beautiful and oh-so-delicious!  I’ve been cutting them up and then freezing them on a cookie sheet so that when I put them into a gallon Ziplock bag they won’t all clump together.  Then they are perfect for smoothies.  Yum!

Cleaned all the kids’ crap off the counter.  It looked nice until they came home from school, and now it’s piled with stuff again.

Bought some treats to give to the kids teachers.  A back to school treat, if you will.  And I’m making up a basket of treats and diet coke and aspirin for the office ladies, too.  I’m hoping to deliver those tomorrow.

Made dinner.  Fried rice.  Not well received by the masses, but I don’t really care, now do I?

And now that two of the kids are off to their evening activities, (soccer practice and scouts) and the other kids are watching a tivoed episode of Madeline, I’m tired and don’t have the energy to do any of the things on my list.  And it’s ok.

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