Savings? Uh-huh? ... Ah hah!

Who doesn't like saving money? I can probably say that those who have more financial comfort tend to "pinch" their dollars more than me.

I have watched a few "Extreme Couponing" shows. Although the show provides me some entertainment, I don't really agree with all the things those addicts do. I am not labeling them. A lot of them say their are "addicts" themselves on the show.

I have guidelines in what I buy. I stick to eco-friendly laundry detergent. Thus, I will not give up precious real estate in my home for gazillion bottles of "free" detergent that I won't use. I also don't drink flavored water and eat instant noddles by the truck loads.

I guess my effort to clip coupons and seek out deals is because I am like every ordinary mom. Trying to make our family's budget work. Also, getting the occasional indulgence through a very good deal or freebie.

I don't understand why some laugh and think this is a crazy waste of time. Doesn't building your nest egg involve making more, saving more, and not shelling out more if it's not necessary? Then again, I guess a few chuckles here and there is better than nasty karma thrown your way. Some cashiers suddenly become confrontational at the sight of coupons. I have seriously never handed over any coupon that was invalid. Plus, if it is legit, it's not the store that is giving me the discount. It's the manufacturer.

Anyways, as sayings go "who laughs first, laughs last" and "what comes around goes around." Thus, be nice and lend an ear to what your good couponing friends have to offer. Your nest egg may grow more than you think with just a few $.50 coupons!!

A wonderful mixture of Red, Yellow, Orange, and Brown

A Warm Autumn breeze sent wonderful colours of red, yellow, orange, and brown down upon us as the two wee ones and I embarked on raking leaves for the first time in our familial life. I'm sure us newbies have a few things to learn about raking leaves as I found it difficult to transfer my substantial pile into the paper bag. Of course it was not just a matter of mechanical ignorance on my part, but I was repeatedly side-tracked by a passionate leaf jumper.

Do we ever think about the colourful mixtures of red, yellow, orange, and brown in our lives? What do these colours represent in our life? I am left pondering about the colours of my life. How freely these colours do change as we travel down new roads. A burst of colour here and there as each wrinkle (or..ahem..road) gives birth to a new experience.

Now that I have enjoyed the colourful array of leaves sailing downwards from the sky today, with SPF 50 on my face, I shall think about how I should rearrange the new colours of red, yellow, orange, and brown in my life. One thing is for sure though, my love for my husband, children, and Jesus will remain forever green.

Friday's raindrops will come in handy as I will be couped inside to ponder my colours, assignemnts, and to do lists galore!

4 Shots and Still Standing! Woohoo!

Madelyn got her one year shots yesterday. She's more than one, but I have been procastinating. I just can't stand seeing her scream with pain and the info floating out there about the MMR shots. I guess i'm not as concerned since Autism affects more boys. I didn't know this information until after Matthew got his shots.

She got four shots in total. One in each arm and one in each thigh. I had to clamp her down with her sitting on my lap and my legs and arms strapping her. It was as traumatic for me as it was for her. I kept on appologizing to her. I'm very grateful that Ern's work allows their employees to claim sick time for their children's doc appointments.

Matthew's worries about doctors has probably been further ingrained into his little brain by Madelyn's experience. Well, his negativity (towards both the specialist and the family doc) may have been initiated by me. My bad. Reason is (procastination is the death of me) I didn't deliver him to the needles until he was well beyond 18 months (more like 20ish....). I hope this phobia does not stick to him until he's old. Then, he'll be annoying his kids with his unwillingness to go for medical check ups and the other "funny" senior characteristics (that I/we may be presently 'enjoying').

Now...after rambling on..and on... (oh my...am I experiencing a senior's moment, pls remind me when i'm old not to have too many of these!!!), my title brings me to the point of Madelyn's strong personality and the fact that she's standing/walking unassisted more than ever now. 2-3 steps no problemo! Yeah to Mui Mui!

Invincible...nahhhhhhhhhhhh

Ok. There are many things that change after one becomes a mom. This is being a mom to a human being. Not counting being a mom to a pet animal since you can still somewhat ignore the poor pet. Well, after your bundle of joy comes busting out in front of your eyes, you start to develop many supernatural characteristics that you didn't know was in you before.

Just to name a few:
1. You can multitask like crazy, but your boss seems to always demand more.
2. You develop a way different love/hate relationship towards poo from your monkey. That is, if you see too little of it, you're so happy to welcome it into your arms when it finally comes back. Now, if it starts coming back too much, you start to wonder why you were praying for it to come back.
3. You work so hard on preparing meals for your little boss, just to have it tossed towards the ground the minute it entered those tini tiny lips. You just didn't know what hit you eh! Now, your little boss tells you you can do better than that. So, away you go next time again. God help you if you have a big boss that has their own opinions too.
4. Who in the world would think one can live on so little sleep and still be able squeeze out so much energy (in the form of a high pitched voice and bright big smile) to entertain the little one.
5. As time goes on, we get the chance of a life time to play different roles/jobs at the same time:
- nurse (for kissing it better)
- cook (catering to different moods)
- chauffeur (to and fro... to and fro...to and fro...TO THE POWER OF INFINITY AND BEYOND)
- maid
- disciplinarian
- playmate
- household budget watchdog
Now these wonderful roles may not apply to you yet, but you can welcome them with open arms as you monkey grows....(now..may I add ATM machine for future references).

You're thinking, why in the world am I highlighting all this when I've been a mom for more than 2 yrs.

Although we are superheros in a way, us moms are still not invincible because I'm currently experiencing symptoms of being "sick like a dog"!!!!!!! We are only human. hee hee!!

North Van shopping trip

Shopping.....weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Wool Duvet, Wool pillows (2 Q, 1 standard), 1 Q size natural latex bed with wool topper. What can I say?!!! Just wishing for some quality time in lah lah land. I know this is the ticket to get there! I know..I know...what's sleep right? Well, I'm hoping to get re-aquanited with my long lost friend, sleep...zzZZZzzz.

MEC. There's one in North Van! It's amazing how many cyclist we saw! We popped in to buy lights. One red one that blinks for me when i'm running to attached to my bum bum. The other is for Ern's bike. It's super LED. He tried to tempt me with chocolate while in line for the checkout. Ohhh....how I focused on the 1 last cookie I had in the car so I wouldn't spend unecessary mulah ...and bind myself with additonal totally unnecessary calories.

If you know me/us, our clan likes to frequent the Sally Ann. They don't mind kids that touch and semi-displace their toys. I'm a big fan of 'reuse, reduce, and recycle'. This also aligns with our "spend less" theory now that we're all trying to weather the economy on top of the endless rain pour (not this week tough...yiippeee). Well, there was a hugh sale around the lower mainland. The North Van one had appliances and furniture 50% off. HA! I got my spice rack for $3.50 (big purple one) that can also accomodate the coffee cups that Ern can't get enough of.

Glad he's not into the high-tea kinds. He finally got his waffle maker for $2.50. We bought some clothes for the kids (old navy, TCP) for about $1 each. I also bought a white skirt and green club monaco top for under $10 total. You can totally find vintage/trendy pieces there.

We went to the Lynn Valley centre to hang out at Baby Eats. It's amazing the toys they have there. All natural stuff. The place is really clean and nice. The food was a little on the steep side for what it was and the taste. But, I treated as an outing. We save one of the kid's admission ($3.99) from the Family Book's coupon. The kids had a blast. I would prefer the food at Little Nest at The Drive. But, as I told Ern, we are not just digesting the organic food... but the cost of the natural pod toys that come along with it.

Now.... my natural latex mattress is coming next week and just can't wait!

Deceptively..........

Looks can be Deceptive?

I have two thoughts to ponder about today regarding this word. First, I baked my first batch or "Deceptively Delicious" chocolate chip cookies. I was hoping Matthew wouldn't notice the oatmeal, chick peas, and whole wheat flour. He didn't really notice, but he didn't like the edges either. So, I had to feed him and with a cup of water in my other hand to wash all the stuff down. My boss is hard to please nowadays. I just realized how hard it is to feed an almost 3 yr old compared to a mini 1yr old. Man....Matthew is hard to please! Looks can be deceiving!

The 2nd deceptive thought is, I have started to understand and take note of the stuff I use or eat. I think a majority of consumers only focus on the "glamourous" end result that the big companies try to preach in their ads. Of course they are working or else we'll see the natural/organic foods industry take over already! Here's the deal they deliver, put this magic cream/potion on and "tah dah!" You will see all your wrinkles -> tired face -> worries ->stress -> MONEY gone!!! hahahaha!! How? Just add some chemicals to the list and transfer you mulah to me! Consumers nowadays have to do their due diligence when practicing shopping! Just b/c the packaging promises you results in "x" days, you have to sorta wonder "how" it does that. God made us age beautifully.

I am using Jojoba oil and Apricot Kernel oil in my daily regime and it's working wonders. Bye bye dry flakes! And..NO, I'm not coated in an oily film.

Today,..I'm very proud of myself that I have yet to spend a loonie (a penny or a dime is not comparable nowadays.. i have factored inflation in the old saying!) Just dun go to where you can practice shopping. I brought Madelyn to the park instead to capture some good old vitamin D.

Nice day

Today has been swell. Madelyn started off this morning perfect with a nap from 9-11:45. whoohooo! I think she may have been very tired.

She woke up after I fed Matthew. We went on a "carbon" trip to Aberdeen and came back. It was just a carbon trip b/c we only drove there and back without getting off the car. Matthew fell asleep in the car. So, I brought them home.

Matthew took a nap until 3ish and Madelyn for 1/2 hr. Well, she did give me 3.5 hrs in the morning rite! In the meantime, I gave Madelyn her first taste of food. I mixed from rice cereal and she really liked it! She swallowed. hee hee! Big girl now!

Then after everyone was up, we went to Aberdeen again.
When we came back home, I thought I heard an icecream truck, but..hmm..in my complex..no??? yup yup! I was so excited. Well, I think more than Matthew b/c he doesn't really take ice cream.

ah... what a nice day!