Maybe A Little Too Cheap

Growing up my parents (my dad mainly) would always remind us that we weren't paying the electric bill so we needed to make sure to turn lights, tvs off etc when we left a room. With money being kinda tight right now (I haven't worked a full pay period since October), I am trying to tighten the belt. It is also a pet peeve of mine to have lights on upstairs when we are downstairs and vice versa. Anyway, this morning the kids were dancing in the living room with the blinds closed and the lights on. Well, kinda the same idea. You don't really need the lights on if the blinds are open with plenty of light. I said to Gage and Landen, "You guys don't need the lights on. You are wasting electricity and that is wasting money. Let's turn off the lights and open the blinds." As I am sitting down here in the computer room a few hours later, the boys are upstairs in their room playing. I heard Gage say, "Turn off the light Landen. You are wasting money!" Ok, maybe I'm being a little too cheap. I busted out laughing!

Cousin Sleepover

Gage is off track along with his cousins Maddison and Brayden. We had a cousin sleepover the other night. I thought having 5 kids in the house would make things a little hectic but I actually got a lot done. It might have been due to the fact that 4 out of the 5 kids (Tanner being number 5) have a Nintendo DS.




They were all playing Super Mario Brothers. Ok, so maybe I let them play with the DS a little too long. These games are sooo addicting!

Boys Will Be Boys

Many of you know of Landen's obsession with cars. He spends countless hours driving his hot wheels cars around on the carpet of his bedroom floor. For his birthday, he received many nice tracks and city type buildings to drive his cars around in. However, Landen continued to prefer to drive his hot wheels and line them up on the floor in his room. For Christmas, I picked out the cutest hot wheel rug for Landen's room so he could at least drive his cars on the rug. It has race tracks and parking stalls. Landen loves the rug, but he drives his cars around the rug instead of on the rug. All of this kneeling on the floor has taken a toll on Landen's pants. The other day I realized he has ruined 6 pairs of pants since school started in September. Only 2 of the 6 were Gage's and the rest are brand new from school starting or from his birthday in November! I also noticed today he has ruined a pair of sweat pants. Mike and I have started making him change into shorts when he going to play with his cars.

Go Steelers!

Baltimore Ravens 14 Pittsburgh Steelers 23

My dad is a huge Pittsburgh Steeler football fan. Growing up, I was a daddy's girl so in turn I became a Steeler fan as well. So, I am super excited they are going to the Super Bowl. The only downside is that I am scheduled to work that night. I will get to see the first half of the game before I have to leave for work. Hopefully, one of my patients is a Steeler fan. They better win or it will be one long night at work!

Go Coach Mommy Go!

So I have a new church calling. I have slipped through the cracks for awhile because I work a lot of Sundays, but they finally got me. I am the Young Women's athletic coach. I almost busted out laughing when the Bishop told me the calling. I asked if this was a made up calling just for me, but apparently it is really a calling. I actually was excited because I had another motive in mind. I thought this would be a great way to get to know some of the teenagers in the neighborhood in order to see who would want to babysit my kids. Since we have moved here, I haven't known who to ask to babysit my precious, calm, children.

Well, we had our first basketball game last week and forfeited. I felt bad because we still scrimmaged and we are good. I am bribing the girls with a pack of gum every time they come to a game. Thank heavens for an awesome dad with perks. Hopefully it works.

I was telling Gage and Landen yesterday that we were having basketball practice at the church gym and they could come and run around. Landen said, "I am going to cheer for you mommy." I replied, "Landen, I'm not going to play. I'm the coach." Landen instantly said, "I'll cheer for the coach then." Sure enough as I was shouting words of encouragement to the girls during practice I could hear Landen saying, "Go coach mommy go!"

How Much Did I Spend?

So I am trying a new way of buying groceries in order to help cut costs as well as hopefully build up a little food storage. The idea is to collect coupons and only use them when an item is on sale. Hopefully, you have a few coupons for each item on sale and you stock up on the item. So, Albertsons (I never have shopped at Albertsons before, I am usually Walmart through and through) had a big sale last week and this is what I got.

Here's a list in case you can't see everything:

2 Boxes Instant Potatoes

9 Boxes of Tuna/Chicken/Hamburger Helper

2 Boxes frozen vegetables

3 Boxes Brownie Mix

1 Pantene Shampoo

1 Pantene Conditioner

Dozen Eggs

4 Bags Malt O Meal Cereal

20 Yoplait Yogurts

1 3 lb Tub of Butter

1 Bag Baked Lays Chips

1 2 lb Block Cheese

1 5 lb Bag Potatoes

9 Rolls Toilet Paper

3 10 packs of Minute Maid Juice Boxes

3 Boxes Toaster Strudels

24 Bottles Dasani Water

16 20 oz Bottles of Powerade

And I have a $15 in store credit on my next purchase!

I only spent $60 which I thought was a pretty good deal and I still have that $15 when I go back. It was definitely a lot of work. I spent about 2 hrs the night before cutting coupons and getting my list organized. Then, I spent roughly 2-3 hours at the store because you had to buy it a certain way. Anyway, I think I am going to try this for a few months and see how it goes. There is a whole other world out there of coupon people. I had no idea so many people did this. I guess people lined up outside of Albertsons at 6 am on the 1st day of the sale. I don't think it's quite worth that much effort, but I'll see how things go.

Just Another Stage

All boys like to dress up like girls and princesses right? I remember with Gage it started out by wearing my shoes and progressed to wanting to wear my shirts because he thought they were dresses. This stage lasted a few years if I do remember correctly. Now, Landen loves wearing any shoes with high heels. He has also made a best friend in Ava because she lets Landen wear her lipstick and apparently is now sharing her dress up clothes. No, Mike and I weren't present while the below event occurred.


Hopefully, this won't last very long. Unfortunately, I have caught Tanner trying to put on my shoes a few times. I think they like to hear the sound across the tile.

Happy New Years!

Ok, I know I'm a little late wishing everyone a Happy New Year. I'm obviously already not doing well on some of my New Year's Resolutions such as getting organized, , exercising everyday, blah, blah, blah. I guess I am in a lazy mode lately. With Mike being on holiday for two weeks along with the kids being out of school, and me not having to work due to low census, I really need to get back on track.

On New Year's Eve I worked! I didn't have to work, but I volunteered since Mike and I didn't have plans and the holiday pay is very nice. I was so busy! So much for being nice and volunteering to work. I took care of 4 amazing kids. I was so excited when I found out that one of them was old enough and well enough to want to stay up until midnight and watch the ball drop. Well, I was so busy that I was late getting into her room and missed it. I felt so bad. Thankfully, her family was there. New Year's Day, I slept while Mike did who knows what with the kids.

I hope everyone is having a good start to 2009! Hopefully I can get things back on track in my crazy life. Stay tuned!

The Living Planet Aquarium

A few weeks ago, I took the boys to The Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. I have been wanting to go for awhile and finally did over the Christmas break. I wasn't really that impressed. I don't know what I was expecting. It's not like Utah is next to an ocean and they can't exactly have anything close to Sea World in this kind of weather. I feel like they could have done better though. Well, I guess in all fairness the kids had a blast and that's all that matters. Even if it cost the same as getting into the zoo and the zoo is way cooler!

We made the journey with Laura, Peyton, and Bailey.

Landen does this pose when he needs to go to the bathroom although he will never admit it!

Tanner loved the fish! Ok, not really. He didn't care much, but he did great hanging out in his stroller.

Here's Gage scoping out the Sting Ray. I can't believe he touched one!

Bailey and Tanner. Aren't they cute?

It didn't take long at all for the boys to start touching things. Gross! I didn't dare.

Gage was a lot more daring than Landen. He kept wanting to go back and touch the sea creatures.

It wouldn't be an outing with my boys without an attempt at a family picture!

Merry Christmas 2008!!!

Our family had a great Christmas and it started at my parent's house on Christmas Eve. We celebrated with the entire Zampedri clan until about 6pm. Then my parents, siblings, and I exchanged gifts later that night. This year we had the webcam going so my sister Brandy and her family could join in.

My dad gave my mom a new wedding ring. She so deserved! It is really pretty.

Landen got a race car game of course.

Gage was extremely excited about his Popup 360 Haunted House.




My parents surprised me with a webcam of my own. Now I can see and chat with Brandy and her kids. Just what Mike wanted!

Tanner had a rough go Christmas Eve. Mike took him to the after hours clinic around midnight and we found out his ear infection was still there (we had finished the antibiotic two days previously).

When we got home, we had to sprinkle the reindeer food so they would know where to land.

Gage couldn't resist snacking on one of the cookies left for Santa.

The kids slept in until 8:30 except Tanner was up by 7am. Poor kid. Cami came over to watch the madness unfold.

I totally surprised Mike with a GPS navigation system. We both have problems with directions.

I got the rollerblades I asked for. I decided I needed to pick up a new form of exercise to give my knee a break from running. I love them! I was rollerblading all morning in our kitchen.

Next, we were off to spend the rest of Christmas morning at Mike's parent's home. Here are all the cute grandkids minus Ellie.

You couldn't tell Tanner wasn't feeling well by the way he acted Christmas morning. He could have cared less about opening presents. He just kept climbing on all of the presents and jumping off.

Gage received Martian Matter and we have been making aliens ever since.

Gage and Landen both got their Knuffle Bunnies.

I love the day after Christmas. It's when you can actually play with everything because you are done visiting all the relatives. Here are the boys testing out their sleds.

I am sure Tanner would love his Jungle Playset if Landen would ever let him play with it.

Gage got this castle as a surprise. I tried to do things different for Gage this year by getting him noncraft toys to broaden his horizons a little bit. He absolutely loves this castle. He is so into haunted houses and this has trap doors and secret passages.

Tanner is a little overwhelmed by his gifts. He has really enjoyed this Balltivity toy.

So the boys (not Tanner) also got the Nintendo DS. I was a little nervous about getting Landen one because he didn't ask for it. But someone said it probably wouldn't be long before Landen would be interested and it is nice having two in case the parents want to join in. Well, I'm glad we have two. Mike and I have had a lot of fun playing Super Mario Brothers taking us back to the early 90s. Landen also got Mariokart which couldn't be more perfect for him.

We are so grateful for the wonderful Christmas we have been able to have. Mike is in the middle of having 2 weeks off for the holidays and it has been nice to have him around. We have truly been blessed and we are thankful for our health and each other.