Popeye the Sailor boy....

Once again my frugality has bitten me in the butt! We have been in and out of town for the last 10 months.... lots of car trips interviewing for jobs, medical clerkship's etc. Not to mention plane trips galore. Never fun for a very active two--now three year old. So I picked up a few new DVD's as fodder for my bribery arsenal. Life savers for those restless moments stuck on a plane, carseat, departure lounge. Anyway, I LOATH buying $20 some odd dollar Disney movies or the like--so expensive. I was enticed by a bin of .99 cent DVD's at K-mart--perfect. I found classics like Woody Woodpecker, Casper, & Popeye. Well Ryan enjoyed all of the "new shows" but LOVED Popeye! Ran around all summer singing the theme song and begging for spinach.

Funny enough he really likes spinach--must have been all of those spinach salads in the womb I'm such a paranoid pregnant lady. Probably because I read most of Brandon's embryology text books the first year of Medical school.


Anyway, Ryan figured out how fun Halloween can be this year and wanted a Popeye costume....great, that's not something you can just by off the rack kid! So I headed to Goodwill to hunt up some Sailor clothes in a toddler size... Apparently there are not a lot of retired sailors that wore a 5T. I had to alter some existing articles of clothing to convince my 3 year old who has such an eye for detail that this was indeed a "real" sailor suit! Phew--all while unpacking from a year of being on the go and out of town.

Not to mention having a baby nursing the baby and making my "Gabrielle Solice" costume....after she had two babies. (so really I didn't have to do much) How is it possible to LOVE being 5 months pregnant and hate being 5 months post postpartum? My MO thus far is to gain like 50 lbs in pregnancy which takes a year to "snap" back into shape uggg! I tried with Ryan and now with Evan to diet right away and work out like a 10 times a day to no avail. When I'm nursing exclusively that's all my body can handle. Luckily this Chubba Bubba gets to start rice cereal soon! So ready for a reprieve. Okay, I have a digression problem it's the Mommy brain.

Want the Popeye look? Take a really bad 80's white shrug jacket and sew up the front and remove GIANT 11 inch plastic buttons--- size to a 5T. Add black head scarf around neck for sailor tie. Bleach out cream colored bucket hat and stitch up flaps. Alter white summer shorts from preteen clearance rack to accommodate a toddler. Finish up with black dress shoes from Wal-Mart that will double as Church shoes and you have convinced a 3 year old that this is a sailor suit. Ryan helped me make the spinach can from a small paint can, we added a label we created on the computer. The spinach was green felt with pipe cleaners we had around the house. What fun!

The spoils of "Booing"

So I must confess...I'm a bad boo-er (is that a word?) I guess it is if you are LDS. Anyway, we were sitting down Sunday night as a family to video message Nana & Papa to discuss their upcoming trip this weekend. We heard the doorbell and begrudging went to go see who had the "nerve" to bother our limited family time on a Sunday night. We were surprised with a cute little Halloween bucket filled with treats for Ryan and the obligatory paper ghost with extensive instructions on our duty to reciprocate. Ryan immediately wanted to color the ghost so I obliged him. I figured I could get online when I put him down for bed and print off a new one to pass on. He freaked when I went to tape his masterpiece to the door. No problem, I will put it up when he goes to bed so that all will know that I have already enjoyed the goodness of booing... Unfortunately, Evan demanded to be nursed after we got Ryan settled for the night so the ghost went to the wayside. I went to hang it up the next morning after retuning home from the baby's doctor appointment to find yet another cute bag filled with treats for our family! No fair-- they dropped it off in broad day light! So now, I feel like a boo hoarder... Great stuff though, I'm enjoying the pumpkin spice candle immensely. So, I have my treats ready I just need Brandon to get home from the hospital at a decent hour tonight to deliver them for me.

Mothers these days are really lucky!

I hear that all the time and it's really true. We have a lot little inventions that make a big difference.

I ran across this top 10 list the other day: list ten things that you swear by as a mother that your Grandmother and Mother probably did not have/use/had not been invented yet. In no particular order. These are probably the only baby items I will hold on to-- in case I'm ever crazy enough to do this all over again......................!


1. The Boppy (so simple, yet such a great invention.)


2. Hooter Hider (the blanket over the shoulder NEVER worked for me!)


3. Baby Einstein Entertainer (such a lifesaver when it's time to cook dinner)


4. Playtex Nurser with drop in liners (the only bottle that my boys will take and still nurse)


5. Bjorn (love how sturdy and easy to use this carrier is)


6. Stroller with one hand fold that is light enough to put in the back of your vehicle with one hand and can still accommodate an infant carseat. (They even figured out how to make one that's NOT mint green with Winnie the Pooh splashed all over it....)


7. Infant carseat with stay in car base (Loving the ones that can accommodate babies up to 30lbs-- used Ryan's until he was 18 months.) So awesome for grocery shopping during naps


8. Really good really absorbent non bulky dispoable Pampers



9. Toddler carseats that have true recline even when installed (my kids have learned to take long car naps.....RECLINE is essential!)



10. CUTE MATERNITY CLOTHES especially jeans.

Trick or Treat?

Another funny comic from my Dad.

Tagged...Twice

1.Where is your cell phone? Hmmm....?
2. Where is your significant other? Hospital
3. Your hair? Curly
4. Your mother? Witty
5. Your father? Informed
6. Your favorite thing? Sleep
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your dream/goal? Exaltation
9. The room you are in? Dinning
10. Hobby? Gardening
11. Fear? Pedophiles
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Moved
13. What your NOT? Sad
14. Muffins? Lemon
15. Wish list item? SLR
16. Where you grew up? San Jose
17. The last thing you did? Nurse
18. What you're wearing? Jammie's
19. Your favorite gadget? Swing
20. Your pets? Children
21. Your computer? Notebook
22. Your mood? Content
23. Missing someone? No
24. Your car? SUV
25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
26. Your favorite store? Ross
27. Love someone? Brandon
28. Your favorite color? Periwinkle
29. Your favorite drink? Water
30. The last time you laughed? Today
31. The last time you cried? Sunday



Wow--That was hard I don't do one word answers very well! I need to be descriptive. Anyway,
let the tagging begin. Carrie Anne, Gina Lee, (That's right Tif Buddy has found a wife!), Holly, and Becky

My First Tag!

I have been tagged and need to let you know 6 random crazy things about myself that you may not already know. Actually, 5 truths and 1 white lie. Can you guess which one is the falsehood?

1. I have been pulled over at LEAST 10 times.

2. I have a metabolic disease named after some Japanese guy.

3. I modeled in my twenties.

4. I love the rain.

5. Never owned a Barbie as a kid.

6. I have hiked Mt. McLoughlin.



Okay then...I tag Tif, Sara (Susov--not Palin...she blocked me), Marissa, and Cassie.

Baby Evan's Blessing

By the way...we did bless EC. September the 7th to be exact. We FINALLY had a weekend that worked with job/family and we were in town! He was a week shy of 4 months and was busting out of his blessing outfit. I was afraid they might drop him if we waited any longer, he's a BIG boy! Great day. Beautiful blessing. Our pictures did not come out....heads chopped off, goofy faces etc. but you will get the gist. I snapped the pictures of Ryan and Brad holding Baby Evan.


We could not get Ryan to stand still for a family picture.
(Shocker huh?) The allure of peeling bark off a tree was too
much after 70 mintutes of fast & testimony meeting.



These photos have NOT been altered--the bags under
my eyes are real! My boys keep me running.

I just wish he would sleep this good at night!
(Sorry, Babe this one had most of your head...)


I sat down at this point, Evan is SO heavy!


Handsome strapping boys.

I could pinch those thighs ALL day long!
He definitely got his Momma's legs.

Do you ever wish......

you could unstrap your uh.. nursing boobs and leave them on the counter for a day or just a night? I really want to sleep on my stomach! Or run on the the elliptical with just one sports bra and not two! Don't get me wrong I love being able to provide nutrients and comfort for my son...but this last week has been yet another growth spurt! Nursing around the clock to build up the supply. I really should not complain, nursing has been a breeze the second time around. I even broke down and bought a "Hooter Hider" when this baby was born. (I wish I had not been so cheap with Ryan, this is one of the best inventions ever!!!) I can nurse anywhere with that bad boy! We are always on the go airplane/airport, restaurant, mothers room with other ladies OLDER children (not toddlers)....seriously rude! Okay, just a rant I'm over it. Sleeping on my side makes me grouchy.

"The art of frugality "

For anybody who knows me, knows I love a deal. In fact Brad and I both LOVE a deal. We probably spend more time then we should figuring out ways to save money, rearranging money etc. All in the name of being good stewards with our resources. It's a game for us. Sometimes it's a competition--trying to trump the others deal. My brother Dan says my house is done up in "Dollar Store Chic". It's not of coarse--maybe poor medical student revival. Anyway, this week as been a trying week for my thrifty side. I've been scorned and burned. The scorning happened at Fred Meyer.....I was there really close to lunch time which was pushing it for my boys. I proceeded to the "Family Friendly" checker with the extra wide aisles for your cart, stroller, toddler etc. I was first in line only had about 15-20 items and a fist full of coupons. The cashier rings me up and I hand her my wad of coupons. She's almost done when a older gentlemen gets in line behind me with his array of old man fare; white bread, boiled ham lunch meat (gross) instant coffee, brute cologne...you get the picture. So the Fred Meyer employee is dutifully scanning in my coupons and gets to the last one which never scans at ANY store. She proceeds to call for help and the old coot behind me lays into me "wasting his time" (I want to scream um you are 90 you have had plenty of time!) "screaming brats" etc.... I refuse to waste anymore of my finger pads on this codger-- suffice it to say he was as rude as they come. Finally I had it and turned around with my best we are in "Sacrament meeting stop screaming look" he of coarse averted my gaze. I REALLY wanted to unload on this guy like (I'm a sleep deprived, hormonal, nursing, full time Mother you had better BACK OFF I bite!) --but alas that would have been a horrible example for my boys. To my credit I had it together--really. I was loading the baby into the Bjorn while the cashier was fumbling with the elusive Playtex nurser bottle liner coupon. I then dug into the diaper bag for some fruit leather for the little king. So my "brats" would not disturb the geaser behind me any longer. That's what he gets for getting in the "Family Friendly checkout"! Now, for the burning...this one was entirely my fault! Which I'm still fuming about--I hate making mistakes on something really easy. We have this online checking account with an amazing percentage rate of 6.1%--you get this rate every month if you fulfill the criteria. These are not hard--it's the usual parameters: log into your account, use bill pay, automatic deposit, and finally make at least 10 debit/POS per month. No problem. Brandon set up the first three I take care of the debits. Now as a rule we run EVERYTHING on two different credit cards--taking advantage of the percentage back. We usually make about $100 every few months doing this. (no worries we pay our balance each month) This also allows our money to stay in our account juicing the 6.1% longer. (I love getting paid to shop) So when I use the debit card it's always for 10 small items. I ring up the bread--pay, ring up milk--pay etc. I always use self check out when I'm doing this cause I don't want to hassle some poor checker. The lady at the Fred Meyer self check out knows me and always plays with the boys while I get busy ringing and paying. So this last month she was not there and I was only able to get through 9 debits before my boys where done shopping. No problem, I will come back and do it later. Well.....we ended up leaving for our family vacation to Cancun and then right to this clerkship in Tillamook. I got out of my groove and spaced it! Sad. By the time I remembered the time frame had expired-- the dates to complete change each month. I guess to keep game players like myself from fullfilling. So we did not qualify this month....bummer, I had plans for that extra money!!!! Like towards a new camera-- mine is dying and I hate missing cute shots of my babies.