But it’s not McDonald’s hamburgers!

So this is what it looks like when you tell your kids they CANNOT get up from the table until they eat their dinner.  It took Addie about an hour and 15 minutes to finish HALF of her hamburger.  After an hour Avery fell sound asleep.  And after about 45 minutes, we caught Zach slipping pieces of his hamburger to the dog (so he was sent up to his room.)

Later, when I was tucking Zach into bed he told me “Daddy and I hurt his feelings” because we made him go to his room without eating anything.  I explained that it hurts my feelings when I cook something and he doesn’t eat it and that I only make him eat things that I know he likes.  To that he replied, but MOOOMMM, the hamburgers are NOT like the ones at McDonalds.  I tried to tell them that I bought them “from” McDonalds so we could cook them up at home ….. but he saw right through that and said “yeah right, you got them at Farm Fresh.”  Dang, I can’t pull one over on my 5 year old!! 

*Sigh* when does raising kids get easier???

My coupon deal!!!

We have a new (awesome) Harris Teeter that recently opened by us and they often run “triple” coupon sales. I “sometimes” clip coupons, but I’m not faithful about it.  However, after reading how much my coupon-hero Melissa, :) saves, I thought I’d try my hand at it.

This is what I got for $10.37.  I saved a little more than 28.00 with my “triple” coupons.  Not too shabby.  Now I just need to keep it up and keep learning Melissa’s tricks … she often – gets like $100.00 worth of groceries/toiletries/cleaning supplies for LESS than my $10.37.  She rocks!

However, I did feel pretty good about my purchase:

Now, before you get thinking this is impressive (which it pretty much is) …… here’s one of Melissa’s latest deals.

$221.00 of groceries, cleaning supplies, etc. for NEGATIVE $2.01 (with double coupons, rebates, etc.)  Melissa, you’re my hero.

PS:   If you haven’t heard of The Grocery Game – you should check it out.   It takes ALL the work out of coupon clipping and tells you what the current price for a particular item is, the sale price, where in the newspaper there is a coupon (what week and circular it came out) and what the “end” price is.  Every week, there are a dozen items that are FREE if you get it that week, using the coupon they indicate.  Amazing.  (Check out: www.grocerygame.com)  It is like 10.00 per store in your area for three months (5.00 for additional stores after the first one) and you get new lists every week when the store sale paper comes out.     You’ll save the 10.00 or 15.00 your first purchase if you follow what she says.  (Only thing is that you need to build up your coupon bank – they may go back to one that was in a circular a month or so ago.)

Zach’s 5th birthday

So those of you who knew me 5 years ago, know how many complications we had having Zach, and how tiny he was born.  It seems like it was just yesterday we were scouring the stores for preemie clothes and teeny tiny diapers.  But, as it goes with life, my little guy is growing up.  He’s a “big boy” now.  (wahh!)

He had a great birthday – 15 kids at Kangaroo Jacs and Nana was here for the first time on his birthday!  Many of the kids were his friends from his pre-school class and he was so excited to see them!!  

       

Happy birthday Kiddo!  I hate that you’re growing up on me!

T-ball….take two!

Zach started his second season of T-ball ….and let’s just say we’ve had a couple flashbacks from the “Dodgers.”

Here’s some pictures of his second game.  (The first game daddy was on a 100 mile bike-a-thon so he couldn’t make it and I couldn’t manage the camera – which was OK because he pretty much sat on the bench the whole time!) 

First game last season

 

Second season …

I will mention though, that at his third game this Saturday, he didn’t cry at all and with the exception of puddle jumping and chasing butterflies, he actually played the whole game.   AND…Daddy wasn’t even there (he had a “guys” weekend white-water rafting on the Upper Gauley in WV).    Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera to catch the fact that he DID, in fact, play AND didn’t cry …. without any bribery or threats.  (heehee)

Eeuuuww…….

This is what I found on my garage door yesterday … Ick!

However, as much as I HATE HATE HATE spiders, I’m oddly fascinated by them. I spent about an hour last night looking up what kind of spider this would be and it seems that it is likely to be just a plain old “orb weaving” garden spider. Hmm. Unfortunately, she was just too creepy and hairy and spiny looking … and she moved too quickly when we touched her web … so he had to be umm…….destroyed. I’m sure she enjoyed her last meal, though … you will see she’s sucking the life out of the little tiny beetle in her clutches. Click on the pictures for a better view!

And….we have a Kindergartner!

Well, I don’t know if “Kindergartner” is actually a word … but my little, tiny, 4 lbs., preemie baby got on the school bus headed for his first day of Kindergarten yesterday.

It wasn’t exactly the “first morning of school” I had planned – we overslept (it was pouring and dark … which means the kids who are light affected didn’t wake up at the crack of dawn) … Zach had EXACTLY 10 minutes to get out of bed, brush his teeth (you know I don’t even think we did that!), get dressed, I threw his breakfast in his backpack (they get 15 minutes in the cafeteria before school starts to have snacks/breakfast, etc.) and we ran out the door.  In the pouring rain.  With only 2 umbrellas.  And a camera that kept fogging up.  (Can you say ARRRRRGGGGHHH!!!)

The kids lined up for the bus and as soon as it came, Zach ran across the street and hardly looked back.  Big change from last year where he cried and clung not wanting to go into his preschool class!  I didn’t even have time to cry it was so much chaos going on!!! 

But now, as I’m sitting here thinking about how fast the last 5 years has gone, and having went back and looked at all his newborn pictures to try to remember my BABY … I feel a little sad.  He’s a big boy now – I don’t know when that happened!   

This just 5 years ago …..

To this…

 

And then a few more from today, which was a little better weather wise …. (Notice the Spiderman act – tying to climb up the light pole while waiting for his bus!!)

 

Again, he ran across and never looked back.  Now if I could just get a detail or two out of him about what he DID during his first two days of school – other than “I don’t remember” …. that would be really great!

His teacher gave us this poem on the “orientation day” and I thought it was so sweet … and sad! :(

He started school this morning,
And he seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside him
in the Kindergarten hall.

And as he took his place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon
those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw him as
he first learned how to walk,
The words that we alone made out
when he began to talk.

This little boy so much absorbed
in learning how to write.
It seems as though he must have grown
to boyhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred but hastily
I brushed the tears away
best by some word or sign of mine
I mar his first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with him
and keep him by the hand
to lead him through the places
that he couldn't understand.

And something closely kin to fear
was mingled with my pride.
I knew he would no longer be
a baby by my side.

But he must have his chance to live,
to work his problems out,
the privilege to grow and learn
what life is all about.

And I must share my little boy
with friends and work and play;

He's not a baby anymore --
He's in Kindergarten today

It's official ... we have a college student!!

Kay moved into her dorm this week and has been busy practicing with the U of MN dance team. Here's some pictuers from a recent event! When the season starts try to tune into a U of MN game....you never know - you might see Kayla on TV!!

Go Gophers!

The mouths of babes ....

Kids say the funniest things. Recently, I've heard a couple I just thought I'd share.

Today, Addie was using her little broom sweeping the floor. Talking to herself, she was singing "I'm just like Monica, I'm just like Monica" (Monica is our cleaning lady!!!) Also today, Zach wanted to go out and play in the slip n slide. As I was just about finished with dinner, I told him no, and he argued about it for awhile and then he said, well I'll go get my frickin swim suit on Mom! OH MY GOD. I soooo need to watch what I say.

The other night I was putting Zach to sleep and he has a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal and he asked me to talk like Pooh. So in my best Pooh interpretation, I had a conversation with him and at one point I said "But Zach" ... and Zach says - "Don't "but" me Pooh!"

Just thought I'd share a couple funnies!

Have a great night!

The things you put in the toilet ....

Just in case you were wondering, Hot Wheels color shifters CAN go down the toilet with no apparent plumbing problems. Just in case you were wondering and all.

This was the culprit. The purple / white Dodger flame car. To make this car change colors, you have to put it in cold water. Well after Zach had sufficiently soaked the kitchen table and the kitchen floor (along with everything else nearby) - I shooed him away and told him to put it away for awhile.

Except he comes back later, visibly upset, that his car has been flushed down the toilet. This is what happened (according to him). He was in the bathroom with Addison while she was going potty. He thought he'd be nice and flush the toilet for her, when all of a sudden, the car slipped out of his hand and into the potty. According to him he WASN'T trying to put the car in the cold toilet bowl water to change it's color. Mmmhmm. LOL!

Knock on wood, it seems to have gone down the pipes with no problem. Not sure how, but it did. Guess we'll see if it eventually becomes a problem! KIDS!

Kayla and the UMDT

Here's a short video of Kayla's first COLLEGE dance competition - they took first overall in Division 1A for their summer camp. I have to say this is AWESOME! You can't see the best, but Kayla starts out on the far right. UMDT ROCKS!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_BYdXEIJRQ

My little dancers.....

The twins had their final dance class of the summer workshop they took (it was 7 weeks long), and the parents got to sit in and watch this last day. It was very cute!!!

At one part, when the tumbling started she was looking at Addison but said for Avery to come up to the mat. Apparently, Miss Michelle's way of telling the two apart for the last 7 weeks was to pull the tag out of Addie's tu-tu. (Since they were all sitting there facing her, she couldn't tell who was who.) So Avery goes up there and Miss Michelle makes the comment that she should have had her put the tag on the front, and Avery starts to adjust her tu-tu to try to do it. Very funny. Toward the end of the video, Avery looks very distracted and she's kind of just standing there doing something with her hands. Well, she found a sparkly butterfly on the floor (like a piece of plastic) and she was trying to tuck it into the elastic of her tu-tu so she could hang on to it - very creative.

I think they did great for their first time in an activity! They obviously have a lot to learn and I thought it was very interesting that they didn't stand together, or sit together in the circle. This was their choice, they could sit anywhere. Maybe the independence is kicking in - I know they are choosing their own clothes more and more often and they are deciding NOT to match all the time. *sigh* my babies are growing up. They didn't cry, fuss or get scared at all when they were up there - even with all the people cheering and clapping.

Hope you enjoy the video, very cute and I hope we can keep them in dance so they can follow in their big sister's footsteps!

PS: I should add here that our fantastic nanny, Rachel, took the girls to her house today and put their hair in hot curlers to make it all curly and she painted their nails. They looked so cute. It got a bit messy as we had to walk in the POURING rain to get into the car and then into the studio but it was so cute - all the curls with little diamond barrettes pinning some of it back!

Ben's an All Star!

Some news about Ben that I forgot to post - when he was visiting us in July he found out he made the baseball All Star team for his age and town! From what I understand they played kids from other cities. I don't have any pictures or any of the results, but wanted to say WAY TO GO BEN for being such an awesome pitcher that they waited for you to come home and get on the team!

(Sam you can click on comments and add the details on how Ben and his team did!!)

Williamsburg

Sam and our neighbor, Kurt, rode their bikes to Williamsburg on Saturday.  To get to the downtown area it is about 45 miles and then they rode another 15 miles or so after that. 

Me, Kurt’s wife (Jen) and all of our kids met the guys at our most favorite lunch place in Williamsburg ---- The Cheese Shop.  They were quite sweaty (and rather stinky) but they had a GREAT day for a ride and we had a fantastic lunch and got some wine from their “wine cellar”. 

Here’s some pictures from the afternoon!  Sam is getting ready for a 100 mile ride he’s doing on September 12th!  That will be exciting to see him come in! 

 

           

Goooo Gophers!

Here's a picture of the U of Minnesota spirit squad! Kay is in the bottom row, 2nd from left!

Rain rain…go away….

Or maybe not??  It stormed the other day – a massive downpour of rain (no lightning or thunder) and I let the kids play outside, in their clothes, in the rain!

They had a BLAST!    Here’s the evidence!   Too bad it only made it more humid and didn’t cool things off a little bit!