My Huge Thankful Moment Today

When I arrived at work, the radio in my little room was already on from the morning gal. She had it on KW3, our local, current (?) station (what do you call that? not country, not soft rock, not oldies, not classical rock.) I had a lot to do, so I jumped right into work thinking I would change it when I had some time...

About 20 minutes later I jumped up and desperately spun the knob to my dearest darling KLOVE. I just couldn't stand it anymore. The last two songs that sent me over the edge were one about "all the different places we're gonna make ****", and then one about being a "Super B***H."

What in the world! I guess I've been so blessed by listening to KLOVE that I didn't realize how my preferences have changed. I am so thankful that we have KLOVE! (Not that I'm bashing you if you like that other stuff, but I do not! It makes a huge difference in the way I think and my attitude that I do not like! :-)

Some words that keep strumming in my head from the new Addison Road song "Hope Now."
How quickly I forget I'm Yours.
I'm not my own,
I've been carried by You all my life....

And how much more encouraging is that?!!

Thankful Melia, Part Two

"We say thank you for our babies and our sons."

I think she is extremely focused on having a brother....

Traditions

Tonight I introduced my daughters to probably one of the most significantly traditional meals in my family. Right up there with Grandma Bryant's green beans, Grandma Elliott's biscuits and gravy, Pancakes and Peanut Butter, Haystacks (aka..wet..), remind me of any I am forgetting.

But this one is special. It goes along with Colonel Sanders Chicken Littles and Bubble Gum ice cream at the mall, where Shaun always never ever finished his, even though he promised he could. :-) Fond memories.

Anywho- my traditional meal.

It's called Ma's Soup.

You take ramen noodles, cook 'em real good with the seasoning, then drain all the juice out- Yum yum yum!!! I bet Ma had a blast watching from heaven as her two little great-great granddaughters chow down on their noodles. And I wonder if my siblings and I were as hilarious to watch as my kiddos... :-)

And He's Off... Again...

Gabe is gone again for hunting... I'm feeling pretty sad this time, mainly because he worked the last two days, so haven't really seen him for a few (plus every waking minute is basically thinking about hunting), and then when he gets back we'll swap kids and I'll be headed out for two days to help chaperone a the Revolve Tour conference in Spokane. And then I think we both work the next day.
Whew.

My goal is to get a lot of picking up and organizing done while he is gone. It's really hard when he's home because I want to spend time with him, and hard when he's working because the bedroom is off-limits during the day, and we have to be quiet. So, this is my endeavor- to have the living rooms, dining room, and kitchen totally picked up and put away. Extras would be the girls' rooms, because that is never-ending... and bathrooms.

So, Encouragement and Reminders from you all would be great. I found myself mysteriously drawn to Sudoku this afternoon.... Normally I only do it while in a waiting room or waiting in line to pick up Melia. :-) procrastinating...

Kiera as an Only Child

Kiera wants to be Melia's age. Every day we drop Melia off, she cries and says that she "loves sissy very much" and "miss sissy." Even when we drop her off for Cubbies she cries, not considering that she gets to go play at church with her special friend Selene.

And at home when Melia's gone? She clings to my side desperately. She expects me to fill in Melia's place as her playmate! Which is fine, except when I need to get things done! Then we try to work together, but she is just so happy when Melia comes home and they can play horsies or doggies or anything else that Mommy just doesn't do right!

I keep reminding myself that they won't be best friends forever, and to enjoy it while it lasts!

Albertsons: Trip Three

So, yea, I don't think that whole thing was my fault. Because when I went back in and asked about it, the same lady said that it took them another hour and rebooting that register three times to get it working again. I use coupons. I use a lot of coupons. But I don't use that many coupons :-)

Trip Three:
2 Betty Crocker Frostings, 1 BC Cookie Mix pouch, 1 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, 2 Gold Medal Flours (5lbs), 2 boxes Golden Grahams (I like them... :-), 1 Cheerios, 2 Totals, 2 Chexes,
= $24.21 - $15 back, so approx $9 oop. Used $5.80 in cpns.

I'd love to go over trip 2 with you, but I have no receipt.... I got lots of soup.

Albertsons: Trip Two

So, not so good. I usually really like their self-scanners because, unlike other stores, you can scan your own coupons and just stick them in the box. But, well, today I, um.... I jammed their system because I apparently reached the "coupon threshold." I didn't even get a receipt because it wouldn't complete my transaction. Which, yes, means I did not receive my second set of $15 catalinas. Blech. Especially since I used my big "profit" coupons this run.... Kind of a waste.
I didn't really know what to do, as I wanted my catalinas (this is the point of this whole deal anyway, is it not?) but I didn't want to be pushy, nor give the cashiers a bad taste in their mouth for us couponers. But I am thinking I may return this afternoon to try another run, and ask if they re-rang my order and if anything printed out, because I would like my receipt, and of course my catalinas. I guess there was not a manager there... Should I have asked? I didn't want to give the cashier the impression that I thought she was inadequate... But she kinda was. Ugh. Just another messed up run. Why do they have coupon thresholds anyway? I know I didn't have more coupons than items, because several of them were $1/4 or $2/4......Oh well. It's not like it was a bad run. Just not as good as I planned it to be.

Moral of the story? Don't use the self-scanners on catalina deals.

What do we say Thank You to God for?

Because I like Kari's funny posts on Saben's gratefulness, and because I know I need to purpose to do it, I am starting to ask Melia at nighttime after prayers what she says Thank You to God for...

Tonight (Night One)- "What do you say Thank you to God for?"
Melia: "Because if you get a runny nose, God will make it better."
Mommy: And what else do you say thank you for?
Melia: "Food. And feet. And hands. I say thank you for all kinds of things."

:-) Too cute. Can you imagine the tickles our Father God gets when one of His little darlings is so honest? What would happen if we were so thankful!? :-)

Albertsons: Trip One

Ok, so some of you have heard from me about how excited I am about this week's "Spend $30 on select products, get $15 OYNO" deal at Albertsons. (that's "on your next order" aka catalina)

My first trip:
6 bottles of All 3x Small & Mighty, reg price $6.19/6.49 each, on sale for 3/$10, minus 4 $1/1 and 1 $1/2 coupons = $15
6 cans of Progresso Soup, on sale 6/$10, minus 1 $2/4 and 1 $1/2 = $7
=$22 oop +tax, then a $15 catalina for my next trip, which I can roll!

So I got 6 bottles of All and 6 cans of soup for a little more than the regular price of one bottle of All!
I can't wait to go again tomorrow!

Sites I use for these deals: moneysavingmom (links from her site) and thriftysoaper
(has great scenarios!)

A Little Rant

Does it bother anyone else that *before* the election, we were not suppose to consider race an issue, not to let that interfere with our voting preference-

But now! It's like I can't get away from hearing how "wonderful" and "miraculous" it is that we have elected a black man for president! And reading an article that 1 in 5 voters said that race was high on their reasons for voting for Obama? But all the bad to you if you let race *prevent* you from voting for him!

Personally, I don't care if he's black or white! Or any other *color*! I want to know he can do the job!
Ok, I feel better now. That just irks me to no end. How hypocritical.