Pimpin' Ride!

Claire's got wheels. She loves this car. It was found, covered in grime and God knows what else, in her Great-Grandmother's shed (shudder). After a bleach washing in Grandma's bathtub, it is good as new. She loves pushing it around and putting things in the trunk which is on the front like her momma's first Volkswagen bug. It even coverts, a la Transformer, to a full blown push toy. The rear end elevates and a handle appears. It is totally cool for screaming and ramming into Diesel.

Today she learned how to actually *sit* on it. So cool. I came into the living room and she was doing this...

Granted, it wasn't going anywhere, but she was pulling her feet up and screaming like she was on a crotch rocket flying down I-20. I was laughing so hard I can't believe the picture isn't blurry.

So an updated list of favorite toys of the month? Sorry to all of you who bought expensive baby shower gifts:

6. Mom's dirty bearcat flip flops
5. Cardboard bottom of the collapsible toy basket
4. Salvaged toy car
3. Ripped up 2007 calendar from our Realtor
2. 4 inch yellow plastic spatula, hand-me-downed from a student of mine's play kitchen
1. Sock Monkey

If you bought her something for her upcoming birthday, save the receipt. I'm sure she'll enjoy the present, but she might enjoy eating the receipt more.

Cereal Stock-up

Albertsons has crazy good deals on back-to-school cereal this week. Here is the breakdown of my morning trip:

Albertsons:

5 boxes General Mills Cereal 1.67 each sale

used 2 $1/2 boxes coupons

used 1 $.75/1 box multi-grain Cheerios coupon

2 Twix @ $.50 each

used $1/2 Mars coupon

Total spent = $5.59

Total saved = $14.74

Walgreens:

Charmin 6 pk double rolls $3.49 sale

used $1/1 charmin coupon

2 Rimmel Nail Polish $3.99 BOGO

used additional BOGO coupon from All You magazine for $2.97 (coupon max)

Milky Way bar

used free coupon from Mars Chocolate Relief Act

I have a bunch of other coupons to get free or next to free items, but I'm going to have to hit Walmart and Target this week. Plus, I have empty ink cartridges to take to Staples for $3 in Rewards bucks. Fun times! What am I going to do when I have to start working for a living again?

Total spent = $3.84

Total saved = $6.12

Some Summer Pictures

I'm loving being home with Beanie. She doesn't so much love being home with me, but it is ok! :) She prefers running around to grandmas' houses, Target, eating with Auntie Carrie, walking the dogs with Amanda, and napping (but ONLY in the car, crib, or playpen, so you better be prepared).


She's getting so big so fast and she is sooooo happy. I loooooove her!


Bath Time!

Loving on her sock monkey (her "lovey"). Can't tell she just woke up from the hair, huh?

Loving on her Diesel (she loooooves him).

Helping Daddy with video games.

Bite Me

Why didn't someone tell me about Baby Orajel before teeth #6 & #7? This stuff is awesome!!!

Previously, the sitter and others, had told me that Baby Orajel or the other numbing medication for teething was a waste. It only numbs them for a second and then they drool it all out.

Monday, I went to the dentist for myself and my AWESOME friend Carrie went along to take care of Beanie while I got all polished. They waited in the waiting room until a 6 year old girl Claire had been staring at left the waiting room for her appointment. The loss of her new friend sent her into a screaming fit I (and everyone else) could hear in the back of the office. The hygenist, who was on her first day back from maternity leave, told me to go get the baby and she could sit with Carrie on the window box.

Claire was fine for a few seconds, but really wanted to sit on Mommy, so she did. My dentist is amazing too. She came in for my inspection, and went gaga for Claire. Doesn't everyone? Dr. Brown has an almost 2 year old, so I felt confident she felt my pain and wasn't pissed that an 11 month old was in her office. Everything was great with my teeth, and Claire sat there so nicely in my lap while she did my exam. If fact, the doctor told me to bring her next time so that she seems Mommy and Daddy getting dental work done and it won't be a big deal when it is time for her to have her cleaning in another year or so. Shouldn't ALL doctors do this!!! I tell you, my dentist is worth the high price tag.

In addition, she looked at Claire's new teeth, gave us a new toothbrush teether (it brushes while it soothes and they can't stab themselves like normal brushes!!!), baby floss, baby toothpaste, counsel on a frenulum issue, and tips on teething - like using "All Night" Baby Orajel. I basically got a $100 visit for free because she was on my lap!

I was skeptical of the orajel, so I didn't use it until this morning. I saw tooth #7 for the first time and she has been fussing and biting and driving my crazy! At my wits end, I put a little orajel on her two newest teething areas. No joking --- and INSTANT smile. She even laid her head on me and I put her in her crib for an early nap. Poor thing. She probably can't sleep because of the teeth and is exhausted.

After all that, I kind of need a nap. Unfortunately, about the time I lie down she'll wake up. That is the way it goes.

I'm Officially a Crazy Coupon Lady

You can't officially be a crazy coupon lady until you have posted a picture of your purchase and what you spent for it in a blog. That is what all the crazy coupon lady bloggers do. I was so impressed that I had to do it myself. I'm embarrassed, but slightly enthralled too.

This was my trip to Target yesterday that I paid $0.08 for. Seriously...less than a dime!

Here is how it went (*the total may be slightly off because I'm going by memory b/c I can't find the receipt and there are taxed things and non-tax, but you'll get the gist):

Target Pharmacy:

Monthly prescription $9

Coupon for $10 gift card with prescription

Paid with previous prescription gift card

Total OOP (coupon speak for "out of pocket") = $0.00

Left on old gift card = $1.00

New gift card = $10.00

Target Store:

Kashi Granola Bars sale 2/$5

Used two $1.50 printable coupons from Kashi.com

Used one $1/2 printable Target.com coupon

$.50 per box

Eggo BakeShop Muffin Tops sale 2/$3

Used $1 printable coupon from coupons.com

$.50 per box

Baby Food (just plain needed!)

4 Gerber double pack fruits - $.87 ea

Used $.55/4 from Albertson's catalina (the ones that print at the register...did you know

you can use them anywhere...not just the store they printed?)

1 Up & Up (formerly Target) - $84 ea (but you get .5 oz more than Gerber)

1 Gerber #2 jar - $66 ea

6 Corn Earns sale $.10 ea

$.60

Lettuce

$.89

Archer Farms Bread

sale $.99

Ding Dogs sale $3.00 (for Brad's lunch)

$3.00

Total after coupons:

$11.08

Used $11 if pharmacy gift cards

Total OOP = $0.08

Even the cashier said, "Woah!" And the Ding Dongs where quite a splurge. I usually have coupons for snack cakes or comp them, but we were flat out of lunchbox treats and when you compare number of cakes per box versus price, Ding Dongs are the best price per cake at $.25 ea and Brad really likes them. When he takes his lunch it saves us alot more than the cost of his splurge cakes and splurge Pepsi (never pay more than $2 a case).

Alright. I'm officially a crazy coupon lady. Your awe is appreciated.

Checking Head Injuries with Remote Controls

It has been a wild day. Well, not really, but more exciting that normal.

Claire is cutting two top teeth, so she is a little fussy. I should be more mothering and empathetic, but when nothing works I get irritated at her whining all the time! I should get used to it because she is a girl, but geez.

Since we've been home Tuesday - Thursday with no outings, I decided to ease her boredom (and she DOES get insanely bored without new things and people to see) by taking her to Tom Thumb to scoop up some steals.

Using the store's super sales (loss leaders designed to get you into the store and then spend your whole grocery budget there) store coupons, and manufacturer's coupons I was able to get over $100 worth of groceries for $35 including 5 cases of Pepsi for brad's lunch, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, oodles and gobs of condiments and hot dogs (4th of July sales plus coupons) for Claire's birthday party, a huge pack of toilet paper, cherries, coffee creamer, giant bags of potato chips, free dryer sheets, and more I can't even remember.

While unpacking the groceries at home Claire is right under foot. She loves pulling the BBQ sauce bottles off the low shelf and throwing them around. As she is doing this, I'm maneuvering my $4.49 giant 32oz. container of Miracle Whip I got for $.99 to the back of the cabinet (I put the new stuff at the back, moving the new to the front so it doesn't go bad). But I slip -- and drop it on Claire's head.

Even though Kraft doesn't put it in glass jars anymore, it was still big and I know it hurt. She starts that heart-wrenching wail that hurt babies do. She's beet red and inconsolable. I feel horrible because my klutzy self dropped the jar on her head. After a few minutes, she's still going at it and I can't decide if she has a serious injury and need to go to the doctor, or if she is just wound up from lack of nap, new teeth, and having a reason to let it all out.

Mommy isn't helping make anything better, so I go to the only thing better than Mommy - the DirecTV remote control. A big, super-forbidden baby no-no in our house, I sit her on my lap and hand her the sacred plastic with bright colorful buttons. She instantly shuts off and squeals with glee and laughs when MoMo comes and licks her tears. Thank goodness she is ok, but I kind of afraid she will start dropping things on her head so she can have it again in the future. It is a little Munchhausen's, but I wouldn't put it past her.