Saturday

Last night I decided I was not going to set my alarm and just get up when I was ready. I woke up at 6:15 and it was so good to sleep in. I got up, started a pot of coffee, opened the windows and rebooted my laundry. As soon as I opened the windows it started to sprinkle but not enough to have to put them back down. The house is quiet as I am the only one awake so far. I have alot I want to get done today. I know...why am I on the computer. I have dishes so high in my sink I could barely get the water into the coffee pot. All I need to do is unload the dishwasher but I wasn't home long enough yesterday to get it done.
There are a few things I want to tell you about from yesterday. Every year a group of us girls from church go to the NEACA craft show and then go get lunch. I love to go and get ideas of crafty things I would like to do (like I will have time anyway) and this year I got started on my Christmas shopping. Yea for me! I bought for 6 people including the boys' teachers and then two things for myself. And I got something for the boys bathroom. It is so cute. It is called a wall rub. It is letters that are on this scotch tape kinda thing. You position it where you want it and then rub the letters onto the wall. It says "Mischief, giggles, fun, and love...that's what little boys are made of." Doesn't that just fit? It was only $20.00. How could I pass that up?


Now on to some even better news...and then some not so good news.

I sat down with our budget ( that yes...I do keep written on paper so I know exactly what I have to do with what) and was trying to find ways to pinch without turning off the phone and cable. I spent $1000.00 on groceries last month...and that was being careful. And of course, as everyone knows...the gas. So last Sunday I got the adds out of the paper to see what was on sale at my local grocery store, got on line and found a few websites with free recipes for the crock pot (that is another story for another day) and then I planned the next two weeks' meals around what I could do with that. I also checked the pantry and freezer so I didn't buy stuff I already had. I have to say....I did awesome!!! My budget has allowed for $700.00 in groceries in a month and obviously I blew it last month. So are you ready? I saved $63.83 with my coupons and store savings!!! For a grand total of $254.27! I am trying to think of a way to frame the receipt and hang it in the house somewhere. Just kidding. I have also started a tedious job, that will hopefully be worth it when I get done, of writing in a notebook every item that I buy and how much it was. Then I am going to go one day ALL BY MYSELF (you will understand that in a minute) and price other stores. Then I will take my highly organized notebook that is separated into categories and make another list of what I will buy where. This better pay off because it is gonna get old fast.
Now onto the not so good news. Bryson fell asleep on the way from the craft show to get lunch. So he napped while we ate at the food court in the mall and then I ordered him some lunch and he woke up as soon as I got it. Good timing right? Except for he didn't want to take a nap when we got home. So I thought to myself "Now would be a good time to go grocery shopping". I asked him if he would be nice if we went to the grocery store and he shook his head yes.

It was not.

He did good until we got to the produce department. Did I mention that was the first place I went in the store? Yeah. It went down hill that fast. He thought the cabbage was a ball. Anyone that knows Bryson knows that is his favorite thing in the world. So I would tell him that it wasn't a ball...that it was cabbage. He would say cabbage in his funny little baby way of trying to talk, and then cry for it. Well...if I gave him the cabbage he would throw it. So I didn't give it to him. So he threw his sippy cup at me. When I bent down to get it he threw his blanket over the other side. So I picked up the cup, put it in the BACK of the cart so he couldn't get it, picked up the blanket and hung it over my shoulder and then told him in a stern voice, "That is NOT NICE!" Bryson replies, "NOT NICE!" And then screams louder and then I felt like I was on that Nickelodeon slime show. Green snot went everywhere. And of course I didn't have my diaper bag which is where the Kleenexes were. So I used his blanket since we have more blankets at home. He didn't like that. So this goes on the entire time. Throw the cup, throw the blanket, I pick them up and take them away, he screams at me and then I wipe his nose with the blanket that I took away. Then he begs me for his cup so I feel bad and give it back. Then I had to get the produce guy that was mopping to use the handle of his mop and drag the cup out from under the banana display. That was all because I wouldn't let him eat one of the bananas. Then we got a loaf of bread and he cried for bread. And yes, I fed him before we went! He had eaten all day!

This is where I contemplated leaving with what I had. But I had alot of coupons I was GONNA use if it killed us both. And I had some good ones too! Besides, I had no idea when I would have time to go back. Then that would lead to eating out which would blow my budget. That is how determined I am with the budget. Anyway...

Aisle Two. Repeat above about 10 times. Then an older gentleman with a mischievous grin looks at me and says, "Are we having fun yet?" Now I could have taken that several different ways but the way I chose to view his comment was that he has grown kids and he is glad they are grown now. Then of course, since everyone was staring down every aisle I felt like I needed to tell everyone that this is so out of character for him.

Onto the end of the shopping trip.

I am now unloading the groceries onto the moving thingy and in the meantime Bryson reaches back and gets a light bulb (one of the expensive ones that are energy saving and last several years that were on sale AND I had a coupon for) and throws it. Well I can't go get another one because I have started unloading and I can't walk off. So I had to tell the guy ringing me up that my devil child just threw it and broke it and asked if someone could get me another one. I had to have two so I could get the store sale price and use the coupon. Determination. Then the best thing happened. He threw his cup onto the moving thingy and I just let him think it was leaving him for good. That's what you get when you throw your cup, right?
The young guy (Keith) who was ringing me up was so nice. Here I am literally throwing the food onto the moving thingy and he tells me in his comforting voice since I had just told him "I gotta get out of here"..."Oh don't worry Ma'am. He's fine...take your time." My response to that? "Well... I am NOT fine and I gotta get out of here FAST!" Poor guy.
Now we are leaving and I am now carrying him on my hip and pushing a cart with bad wheels filled to the brim down a slope. And I didn't hit anyone or any cars. Man...I am good. So I asked Bryson, "Where you nice in the grocery store?" And with a mischievous grin...he shakes his head no. Then tries to correct himself and shakes his head yes. And I said, "OH NO YOU WERE NOT NICE!" He said, "Not nice. Not nice. Not nice." And then I was explaining to him that if he EVER acted like that at the grocery store again he would stay home with his daddy next time. Then I asked him if he understood what I was saying and he said, "Amen." I think he was trying to say "Yes Ma'am" like his brothers!

Have a great weekend everyone and don't take a sleepy baby to the grocery store!

Now on to that kitchen sink!

Sara