Nano-Bugs

Daredevil got Hex-Bugs for his birthday. They are these cute little robotic (vibrating) "bugs" that go down tunnels and run in circles. If they are upside down they flip over, and the two of them will run into each other. They are silly and fun. Doorbuster really likes them, and will put them on the floor and watch them run everywhere. 

There's only one problem with them. They play with them so much they run out of batteries. They don't use batteries I can get at the 99 cent store, they use tiny button batteries. They sell "Hexbug food", a set of two batteries for $4 or $5. 

Want to know our secret on buying these batteries? We buy them off ebay in a hundred pack for $5. Now it's really easy to replace the batteries when they run out, since I have 100 of them. Not to mention all the princess wands and other toys that occasionally need a battery. 

MKWW- 22 Things I Have Done

We've been crazy busy over here, and my kids are keeping me super busy, and so's the house and the laundry. So I'm joining Mama Kat's Writing Workshop and using her prompts once a week.

The prompt I picked this week- 22 Things You Have Done

1) I marched in the Rose Parade my Senior Year. A friend and I auditioned on a whim, because it sounded like fun. She tried out on the trumpet, and me on the Cymbals. Little did I know, every one of the college kids who didn't make it on snare, bass or tenor, automatically made it into the cymbal line. Walking out to the car, we saw a group of people with bells and xylophones. Turns out they had marching ones! I auditioned, and marched the whole parade with a 45lb xylophone strapped to myself. I even took my picture with it, because I figured if I was marching with it, I sure was getting a picture with it!

2) Made and Met friends off the Internet. Including meeting a friend and her son and driving them to Vegas with us to meet another Internet friend. That was the best Vegas trip.

3) I stood in line for 10 hours to get my Wrath of the Lich King collectors box signed by the people at blizzard. I didn't have to potty once. I would have been in trouble if I had too, because I went by myself. I have never been so tired of a Fry's before, but it was well worth it. Getting to tell the lady who does the quests that questing stunk, made me feel much better. I didn't go for the Cataclysm launch, but I may go for the Pandaria one, just so I can ask all of them why on earth someone would pick Pandas.

4) I've ridden every ride at Disneyland, every ride at Knotts, and everything at Raging Waters except drop out. I love roller coasters.

5) I've had 4 kids, that's defiantly something I've done.

6) I was a fire explorer back in the day. I loved the medical side of it, but not the hauling of hose or running. I got to drive a firetruck around the parking lot too.

7) I've been in the same room as 5 astronauts. When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut. I think I just wanted to float around in space.

8) I've gotten things for free with coupons. We have more and spend less then I ever thought we would be able to.

9) I've been friends with the same friend for 22 years. We've known each other longer then our husbands. Most of my friends I've known for longer then 10 years.

10) I've been in a car crash when we were rear-ended, and once when someone ran a stop sign.

11) I walked onto a car lot swearing I wouldn't buy a car, and I bought one anyways.

12) I've eaten lunch at Costco by eating all the free samples until I was full.

13) I've dressed like a cow for free food, and got people to like facebook pages for free food. Chickfila is awesome.

14) I've made my own laundry soap. I never thought I'd be the laundry soap making type. The whole time I was grading soap and letting Princess stir it, I was really hoping it would work out so my hubby didn't laugh at me. Some things I've tried flop really bad!

15) Is it awful that I'm sitting here at 15 wondering what I've done? I'm trying to come up with some more interesting or exciting things, but I'm pretty boring. Let's see.....I've been to the midnight premiers of all the Harry Potter Movies. It is more fun to watch them with a theater full of screaming fans. I usually go by myself, it's easier to find one seat then two or three.

16) I've also been to midnight book launches. Looking back, I wish I dressed up too. That would have been fun.

17) I've also stayed up for Warcraft launches...like Cataclysm. Only to have the game crash and go to bed instead of being exasperated over it. To make my day after even better, I let the kids stay up too.

18) Oh look, getting closer to 22! I've home schooled now for 6 years without strangling anyone. I think the key is knowing when everyone is having a rotten day, sometimes it's better to take a tiny break and try something else.

19) I've learned to make my own bread and my own pizza dough. And my own Cinnamon rolls. I will never buy anything from a can again.

20) I've been to Blizzcon, and I've been to NAB (National Association of Broadcasters). One is small, the other was HUGE. One made my feet hurt from all the walking and one made my behind hurt from all the sitting.

21) I googled what zzyzx road is, and what's on the end of it. And googled the Rock-a-hula water park, and every other thing on the way to Vegas.

22) I made a double batch of fudge and ate almost all of it myself. I was testing for the holidays!

Mom needs 5 minutes

Have you ever read the book 5 Minutes Peace? If not, you should.

I am having one of those days. I haven't had more then 2 seconds without some child needing all of my attention. The first few times it's cute and funny, and the last hour I've been sticking a fake grin on my face and telling them how great it is that they've gone through a whole ream of paper in an hour.

One wants to be inside, one wants to be outside, one wants to ride a bike, one wants to know why we can't go to dance class any old time, one wants to know what are we doing when we wake up, or tomorrow, or tomorrow when we wake up, and one wants to go in the back, and one wants to take a bath and the other wants to know what's for lunch even though it's dinner time. Are you tired reading that? That's my past 5 minutes! Now it's "Are we going yet? Are we going now? When are we leaving? Can we go now?" When it's actually time to go, it will be a complete shock to everyone that we are leaving. Go figure!

We only got math and reading done, along with PE class, drum lessons and Awanas. I should be happy with that, but I wanted to get more done. Unfortunately, not much gets done when one person needs to be worked with and the other 3 are keeping up the MOM chorus. I had a phone parent council meeting and had the whole time with someone going Mom? Mom? Forget thinking about running for president or treasurer, I need to see if I can manage being on the council first!

In typing this, I've had to answer to "Mom, look at the snake, Mom, look at the snake, Mom! Look at the snake!", cut a pizza, put the desk the kids keep taking apart back together, changed a poopy diaper, broke up a fight, sent someone to time out, and told one to put the books back on the shelf.

The answer to the Mom, Mom, Mom, grumps and the before break slumps? A field trip. I think we are all due for a change of pace and a change of scenery. Now to decide if we should do the Science Center, the Observatory, or to pick pumpkins.

I love my children dearly, and I love being home with them. But there are just some days when they drive me crazy.

4 Moms, 35 Kids- Trying Not to Pass Out Over the Total at the Grocery Store

Today the Moms (and the link up Moms) are talking about keeping your grocery bill low. I try to keep my bill below $100 a week. Some weeks we spend that, some weeks we spend way less. It depends on if it's a stock up week, or a eat from our store week.

The number one tip that I can't share enough is to know what things cost, and what's the cheapest you can get them at. Keeping a price book can be really helpful. It's great to be able to look and see what the price for milk, or cheese, at all the stores you shop at. This will help you know if you are getting a good deal. If ground beef is regularly $2.99 a lb at Store A, and $4.99 at Store B, and one day you see it for sale for $1.99, you would know to stock up. You want to stock up on the sale items so you don't ever pay full price for anything you are buying. Then if you add in coupons, you can save even more.

My general rules are meat under $2 a lb, fruits and veggies under $1lb. We are lucky enough to live in the middle of a lot of stores, so I only shop the very best sales from all of them. I shop to fill my cupboards, and then I make menus with what I have. If beef is above my price point, we do without. Sometimes we will buy a little more expensive meat as a treat if I stay under budget. We love making carne asada with flap meat, so when it's on sale, we eat up!

It also helps to buy in bulk- but make sure the price per ounce/lb/unit is cheaper then you can get on sale. I buy rice, bread flour, yeast, popcorn, (very soon regular flour), milk, cheese, and sometimes frozen chicken patties or nuggets at Costco/Sam's club. Again, we make sure what we are buying in bulk is cheaper then what we would get with a sale or coupons at the store.

We have a lot of Mexican markets by us, and they run really good sales on meat a lot of the time. I've also used handy-dandy google to check cuts of meat and how to use them. I was making my shredded pork from an expensive piece of meat, when I could of been using a much cheaper cut and getting the same result. Many of them have great prices on produce too. The only downside is they smell much different then a regular grocery store would, and I am not hungry at all when I shop or afterwards. So it also saves me money in that way too, I guess.

I also save time and gas by price matching at Walmart. I save all the sale ads each week and write myself a list and price match. It's actually really easy and painless. I wrote about my trip here. It saves me going to a ton of different stores to buy one or two things each.

I've been taking baby steps on making things from scratch. Instead of buying crackers and cookies, I make my own cookies at home, and the kids are more then happy to eat homemade bread, or make some popcorn. When fruit is on sale I buy it in huge amounts and they snack on that. I also will double a meal that I am making and freeze half of it for later. Then when I am running late or have no idea what to make for dinner, there is something waiting to be tossed in the oven. I also purchased a rice cooker (off ebay!), and that's make cooking rice quick and easy. I used to buy instant rice. Now I feel pretty silly for wasting all that money on something that is so easy to do (yes, I could just watch a pot, but I usually burn stuff if I have to watch it).

I also follow websites that encourage saving money and spending wisely. Money Saving Mom, For the Mommas, Southern Cali Saver, Milehimama, Hillbilly Housewife, are all favorites of mine. I also read the forums over at We Use Coupons and A Full Cup, so I know what sales and coupons to use. I probably spend about an hour a day checking deals, writing my grocery lists, checking my inventory, and cutting coupons. It's an hour well spent.

You can check out more grocery saving tips with the other Moms over at the Common Room, Life in a Shoe, Smockity Frocks and Raising Olives.

Endeavour LA

Yesterday I got to go to the California Science Center as a social media guest for the official title signing for the Endeavour space shuttle. It was so much fun! The science center is one of my favorite places to take the kids. It's the only museum I know of that you don't have to tell the kids to not touch or climb. It's an amazing place, and it will be even more fun when Endeavour makes it there.

I was really impressed with how many people were there to direct us to where we would sit and to answer any questions. They gave us a cute goody bag with treats inside. I brought the Astronaut Ice Cream home and all of us had a bite. It's really good!

There were many important people, but the real important people were the astronauts who flew the Endeavour the last time. I don't think I've ever been in a room with a astronaut before! They showed a video that made me want to sign up for the next space shuttle flight. It looked like lots of fun to be floating all around the space shuttle.

They also had a lot of the kids from the Science Center School there. They got to ask the astronauts questions. It was really cute! I hope many of them were inspired to become a part in the space program.

I love the look on their faces. They are very excited. 

I had no idea that NASA hosts tweet ups pretty often. It'd be pretty unlikely that I'd ever make it on a space shuttle, but through youtube, twitter and facebook, NASA has made it really easy to see what is going on in the space program. They also have education centers that have free resources for teachers (that includes homeschoolers!) to teach about space and science. I've been to the Pomona one, and the lady there was so helpful. I walked out with stacks and stacks of posters, games and ideas.

After the ceremonies, I had to take a trip to my 2nd favorite place in the museum- the entry to the Ecosystems Exhibit. I lucked out, no one was in there so I could sit and watch.

Then I headed to my favorite spot, the fish tank kelp forest. Kelp can grow up to 2 feet a day. I didn't know that until I came here. After watching the fish tank for a bit (it was no fun without the kids), I strolled the paths to the parking lot and headed home. I can't wait to go back and spend the day with the kids at the science center, and I can't wait for the parade to bring the Endeavour home.

Visiting the California Science Center is free (they do suggest a donation). They are seeking donations to help build the new wing and exhibits for the Endeavour Space Shuttle.  I have full faith in the Science Center and their vision and I know the exhibit will be amazing.

Thanks for inviting me to the event!

Fire Department Open House

This weekend we went to the Fire Department Open House. Or, you could count it as a field trip to the fire station (for kindergartners, that's Social Studies!). Genius worked on his photography skills by taking pictures. Daredevil and Princess loved climbing in and out of the fire trucks. Doorbuster just looked and watched. I carried around everyone's stuff and drank all the leftover red punch. That's a very important job.

 

No trip to the fire station is complete without testing out their chairs. I loved that there is enough recliners for everyone. I want to redo my living room like that!

I told Princess she needed to grow up and be a fire fighter so I can use this picture in some graduation stuff. 

If Daredevil does something, Doorbuster will follow. 

o

He is ready to go! I could see him as a firefighter, too.

Here we are learning about the EOC and discussing the different jobs and what they do. It was decided that Genius is Intelligence and Daredevil is planning. 

I'm administration. Hubby is finance. 

Doorbuster is Operations. 

Princess wants to be the PIO. I hope she gets a few inches, or we'll have to get a step stool for her to see. 

Steve Jobs, Computers, & How Quickly Things Change

The passing of Steve Jobs is sad for everyone in many different ways. He changed the way we use computers, how we do business, how we listen to and buy music, and so much more.

I can remember using my first Mac (Apple) in elementary school. We had these old computers that had a huge screen and a huge bottom part with the processor and the keyboard. We would write down in the classroom lines of code and if we typed them out right, we'd get a box. Then the next time we'd write a longer section of code and get a box, and then the box would turn a color. It was a HUGE deal if you got it right.

I remember the apples getting a little smaller, and being able to play Oregon trail and number munchers. These were the dark ages, before the internet. I can remember playing the seahorse game on our old Comadore 64. I can remember my science teacher having a Mac that he carried around that was about the size of a computer tower today, with the screen and the processor, and the keyboard was separate.

I can also remember when Prodigy and AOL first came out, and getting to go to my Grandma's house and use her prodigy account to play games. We also loved to play a game called manhole, but you had to uninstall windows to get enough space to play manhole, then remove manhole to put windows back on. You would turn on a computer and get the C:\ prompt, instead of windows just opening up.

I remember BBS's and talking to people who lived in your area, and the meet-ups that we would go to (or have at our house). I remember playing MUD- like warcraft, but all text.

With all that's changed in the past 20 or so years in computers, I can't imagine what things will come up next. Whenever I hear about people like Steve Jobs (and Mark Zuckerburg), I always wonder what their Mom and Dad did to help them on their way. Did they find them tutors? Did they read to them from only classical books? Did they send them to special schools? Or were they just there to support them in whatever they did? Or did they just become what they were meant to become.

Steve Jobs, you will be missed. But I will be anxiously awaiting what technology will be coming up next.

13 days to the Shake Out!

It's Thursday and it's 13 days left until the Great California Shake Out!  Last week I started my water supply with 2 gallons of water. This week I have.....

Only those 2 gallons of water!

I forgot when I went to the store to buy another two. It also didn't help that I still haven't found a spot in the garage to put the water. You can't leave bottled water on the cement or the cement will leach into the water. Or so I hear. I also questioned my thoughts of putting the stuff in the garage, because if it was a bad enough earthquake to need the water, my garage may not be standing. Or, it could be badly damaged. I don't have a shed or anything for the backyard, and I don't want to get one (it'd be a pain to move if we left this house). So one bottle of water is on to of my dryer, and one is sitting on a diaper wipe box.

I did see some cheap shelves at Big Lots that might be a solution to both the earthquake supplies and my couponing supplies, but I wanted to look around a bit more. They were plastic, and I'd rather spend a little more and get the metal shelves Target carries.

Not to mention finding a spot for shelves and stuff means I need to clean and reorganize my garage. My hubby has been gone almost all day for the past month, so I have no time to watch kids and clean the garage, let alone homeschool, keep up with the house, shop and stay sane. Oh, and it was too hot, and then it rained. Half the stuff in there has no purpose at all, but it's important to keep. I really wish I did not come from a family that tends to hoard stuff (I spelled that horde, lol).

So, I didn't get much done in terms of preparedness this week. We are well stocked in canned food and cereal, so I figured we have 3 days worth of food just eating what would go bad in the freezer and fridge, and probably another week of stuff going through the pantry. I'm not too worried about that. If we have water and food, that cuts down on the things the kids can whine over if there was an earthquake.

Instead, they'd spend there time arguing over who used up the electricity, and who used up the internet.

Simple Daybook 10/4

I link up at the Simple Woman's Daybook!

Outside my window...
It's actually cold enough outside I put my jacket in the car last night. I love it! For now anyways. I really need to pull weeds and clean up the front flowerbed, but I have no motivation to do that when it's 90 degrees outside, and I'm too busy to do it today.

I am thinking...
Whatever got Doorbuster back to napping twice a day for 45 minutes has got to stop. I'm making Mr. Grumpy stay up so he can go back to his once in the afternoon 2-hour nap. I'm thinking about how I need to get back onto our schedule, I've been letting it slack a little. 

I am thankful...
That the pay cut my hubby will be taking (15%!) will be done gradually instead of all at one time. I'm also thankful for having a clean rug in my living room. 


From the learning rooms...(if this applies)
I am getting exasperated over Princess thinking it's funny to suddenly "forget" everything she learned in the past few months. It's not funny, or silly, or cute. I'm trying to be patient, but firm, that the work needs to be done and it needs to be done right. Same goes for the other too. Actually, just Genius, who thinks he can just stop when he wants and do something else. Daredevil works at what he is working on until the time is up or he is done. 

In the kitchen...
I am going to bake some cookies, even if I have to make everyone sit in chairs facing the wall to get it done. Yes, today we are having one of those days. Maybe it's the weather. Maybe we need to go for a jog or something.

I am wearing...
Pants for the first time in forever

I am creating...
Cookies, bread and dinner. Does that count? This blog post? 


I am going...
Nowhere lately, aside from my usual stuff. Hubby keeps joking that he wants to take a trip to Vegas. Just a road trip, he says. I told him I'd be mad if he didn't take me, since I'd like to go someplace too. 

I am wondering...
Hmmm Now I'm wondering about what I'm wondering about. Wondering how I can add some extra hours in my day. 



I am reading...
Nothing at the moment. I need to cut and organize a HUGE stack of coupons before I go reading anything. 

I am hoping...
For the mail I am waiting for to actually make it here.

I am looking forward to...
Tomorrow, since we are busy enough everyone has no time to fight, dwadle, or otherwise misbehave. 

I am hearing...
Thomas the tank engine and quiet, since the two offending parties were sent to their room. Calling each other names quietly still gets you sent to your room. I think the word "Idiot" is going to start costing $.25 every time I hear it. 



Around the house...
We got quite a bit of decorations up. I got them all from Dollar Tree. I'm working bit by bit to get rid of the clutter that is adding up. It's time for another Yard Sale, maybe. Or a Free Sale. 



I am pondering...
What kind of cookies to make. I was looking at the chocolate chip isle last night. They had some yummy stuff there...peanut butter chocolate chips (both mixed together), butterscotch chips. Yuuuuum! Big Lots also had really cute (and pretty cheap!) little boxes and trays for cookies for Christmas.

One of my favorite things...
Listening to music really loud in the kitchen, and dancing with the kids. Doorbuster puts very serious effort into his dancing. 


A few plans for the rest of the week:
Work, work, work- like always. 



Here is picture for thought I am sharing...
They grow so fast! 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Menu Plan Monday

I'm Linked up over at Organizing Junky! 

Here's what we are eating this week:

Breakfasts:
Waffles, Cereal, Try #2 of Oatmeal, Toast

Lunch:
Sandwiches, Frozen Pizza, Dino-chickens, Hamburgers, Soup,

Dinner:
Monday- Jambalaya, Corn, Green Beans
Tuesday- Pot Roast (in the crock pot) and mashed potatoes
Wednesday- Hamburgers & Fries for the kids, Eat out night for me and hubby
Thursday- Chicken Pot Pie (doubled, one for the freezer and one to eat)
Friday- BBQ Chicken, Veggies
Saturday- Spaghetti bake (and make 2 to freeze)
Sunday- Chicken Tacos

We are actually getting cooler weather here, so the next few days while it is cool I want to do some baking and try out a few recipes. The last time I was at Dollar Tree I bought some foil pans with lids, so I can have some containers to do some freezer cooking the next few times I make something. Last time I did them in my Pyrex pans, and I don't own enough of them to keep doing that.

My Rite Aid Trip- 10/2

I havn't been to Rite Aid in quite a few months! They used to be one of my favorite stores to coupon at, but then their deals died a sad, sad, death. They did redeem themselves a bit this week with the covergirl deal. Here's how it worked for me.

Transaction #1:
Pantyhose- $2.99 - $2 UP - $1 VV Q = FREE
Blush #1- $4.39
Blush #2- $2.19
Foundation #1- $7.99
Foundation #2- $3.99
Concealer #1- $5.59
Concealer #2- $2.74
Blush #3- $4.39
Blush #4- $2.19
Cover Girl Total before Qs- $33.47
Used 4- $8 off 2 Q's = Paid $1.47 plus tax
Received a $10 UP= $8.53 MM! 

(I also submitted the codes on the bottom of the receipt in and will be getting a bunch of Taylor Swift stuff)


Transaction #2:
Aveeno Shampoo- $5.99
Aveeno Conditioner- $5.99
Aveeno Itch Creme- $7.29
Aveeno Itch Creme- $3.64
Aveeno Itch Creme- $7.29
Aveeno Itch Cream- $3.64
Total: $33.84
Used $10 UP
Used $2 UP
Used 3 $3/2 Qs = $9
Used $2 off any haircare VV Q
Paid $12.84 + tax
Received $20 in UPS- $7.16 MM  (if I figured that right- either way it was free!).

I guess Rite Aid will be seeing more of me, now that I have UPS to roll.

October Already!

I am in denial that it's October already. It's still 90 degrees and the leaves on my tree are still green. So I'll just pretend it's August again. 

Doorbuster turns 2 the end of November, so he is 22 months now. I'm starting to see little bits of his 2 year old personality coming through. He wants to be a big kid but doesn't quite get the big kid rules yet. I think 2 year olds are funny. Aggravatingly so. 

Genius will be 11 in 3 months. That's scary! He's heading into teenage-hood, and there are days when you can see the grumpy hormones coming through. I try to give him the space and grace he needs when he is moody. I'd be moody too with 3 other siblings to bug me. He's reading a C++ and a Java book at the moment. I may take him to do a website design class through the city. At least he can tutor me afterwards, right? 

Daredevil is working hard at reading and hard at math and really improving. He is also getting good at his drumming. I think it worked out well that he has his own special activity to do. 

Princess is looking forward to turning 6 next year. She loves doing Math. I think she just loves her math textbook. I have to admit, the Singapore books are very bright and colorful. She begs to do Lexia, but when it's her turn she dislikes it. I used to make her do 30 minutes a day like Daredevil, but I think that was just too long for her.  

Since it's now officially October, I'm going to wash the windows today. I'm only washing them because my Halloween decorations wont stick if the windows are dusty. I also got some inflatable decorations to go outside. Hopefully the neighbor's kid doesn't take them. At least, I had two up to see how I liked them, and one of them went missing. I figured it must have blown away since it was kinda windy. We looked around the house but didn't see it anywhere. 3 days later, the decorating was sitting on my doorstep. I don't know if it blew into their yard or if someone pulled it down. 

Not to mention I'm rather ticked about their kid that screams outside all. evening. long. I can't be too mad since my kids can be a bit loud outside anyways (usually during daylight hours). But during the evenings all I hear coming from their yard is crying and wailing from one of their preschool aged kids. Of course, I have to go look to make sure no one is hurt or anything. Even my hubby looks because he worries too. Oh well, such is having neighbors, I guess.