Archives for April 2008

Idol Gives Back

April 10, 2008 by Amy 5 Comments

I felt like AI IGB was really good. I loved how the contestants were all on stage talking to people live. The performances were great. I was late watching last night and didn’t watch the opening until this morning. I love, love, loved Jason’s part in the opening group number, even if it was just a few seconds. I also thought Syesha did quite well with that little number. She finally seemed as Simon would say, relevant.

I particularly liked Annie Lenox’s piece. I think that’s the one that truly inspired me to help.

On a truly superficial note can I say I couldn’t help but love Brad Pitt and Chris Daughtry on screen together within 30 seconds of each other. Wow, that was some good tv.

But what seems to have everyone chatting this morning is this finale. Yes, Shout to the Lord is an obviously Christian and truly inspiring song but they changed Jesus to shepherd. What do we think of this?

Another early night

April 8, 2008 by Amy Leave a Comment

I’m trying to do my last minute Interneting so I can get to sleep at a decent time tonight. I have to go into work and that means getting up waaayyy before I normally do. Work also = no blogging tomorrow. I know I have my handy-dandy iPhone and it would work in a pinch but I highly doubt I’ll have anything blogworthy enough to type 200 words on that little keyboard. I love my iPhone to death, but it has its limits.

Scott has a breakfast planned at McDonald’s in the morning with the girls to pass the time without Mommy around which I think is super-sweet. They’ll be headed off with MIL by 2ish and then I won’t see them until after AWANA’s at 8. I will miss not seeing them all day terribly but I can’t say I’m not looking forward to a little break.

AI Top 8

April 8, 2008 by Amy 6 Comments

I thought tonight was decent. Not quite “inspiring”, but better than other weeks have been.

Michael Johns – I thought he sounded great and disagreed with Randy about him impersonating a rocker. It was confident, strong performance.

Kristy – It was a great performance. Probably one of her best. But for me, she doesn’t seem like the winner. Does anyone else agree they should do something different to her hair? It looks dated and not “done” enough. I know, nothing to do with her singing, but just a side note.

Jason – I love this song. Of course, I think it is from the ending of one of my all-time favorite movies, You’ve Got Mail so he couldn’t really go wrong.

Syesha – I just couldn’t get over the Fantasia factor although if I had heard Syesha sing it first, I would have thought it was great.

Carly – Not happy at all with that. Completely agree with Simon it came off angry.

David C. – Worst performance yet. He was too cocky and just sounded bad.

David A. – Great song, great sound, A+. That said, I don’t know if I’d actually buy an album of his. Sort of like Clay Aiken for me. I thought he sounded great, but I’m just not into his music.

Brooke -It was nice. She needs to get over the nervous thing though. She appears to be less professional and I think that hurts her at this point.

Who will go? I think Carly is in trouble.

Favorites? Michael Johns and Jason Castro followed by David A.

Snippets from DWTS

April 7, 2008 by Amy Leave a Comment

OK, I totally mean no disrespect to the hearing impaired. I actually have known a few deaf people in my life and have loved learning sign language since I was in my early teens. I don’t know why I need to say all that to share this little tidbit from Emma tonight but here goes…we were watching Dancing with the Stars tonight and Marlee Matlin came on and they were showing her interpreter. Of course I jumped at the teaching moment to show Emma a deaf person “in action” and the use of sign language. I’ve already been trying to teach Emma the alphabet. Anyway, I tell her that she’s deaf meaning that she can’t hear what people are saying and Emma says matter-of-factly yet a little confused: “She’s got ears!” …as if all deaf people would be walking around without ears.

And the only way I could put it plainly so that curious mind of hers could understand it is yes, she has ears but they don’t work.

CVS Deals 4/6

April 7, 2008 by Amy Leave a Comment

OK, this week has been a pretty good week for CVS. These past few have been sketchy. I don’t have my receipt but I’ll do the rundown of which deals I did.

These first two deals are GREAT ones for a starter since you make $$ off of them and all the coupons are available this week.

Transaction 1

Buy 2 CoverGirl TruBlend Whipped Foundation (approx. $9.49 each)
Use B1G1 coupon from 4/06 insert
Use 1 $1/1 coupon from 4/06 insert (or the $2/1 coupon from the Reinventing Beauty booklet)
Spend $8.49 (or $7.49 with the $2/1 coupon) out of pocket
Get $12 ECBs!

Barbie Toothpaste on clearance for .87 which I needed for a filler to use an ECB I had.

Transaction 2

Buy 1 Excedrin 24ct at $1.99, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 5)
Use $2/1 from 3/2 SmartSource insert or printables here, here, and here
Free plus $1 overage after coupon and ECB

Buy $10 worth of Febreze, Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
*Deal Idea*
Buy 2 Febreze Noticeables at $6.99 each
Use 2 $5/1 coupon from Homemade Solutions booklet or P&G mailers (there is also a printable but I’m not finding it–anyone know the direct link?)
Spend $4
Get $5 ECBs back

Buy 6 Sunsilk Shampoo/Conditioner at $3.49 each
Use 3 B1G1 coupons from 4/6 insert (if you got these)
Use 3 $1.50/1 coupons here or here (or $2/1 or $2.50/1 or $1.50/1 coupons from 2/24 inserts)
Spend $5.97
Get $5 ECBs!

Buy 2 V05 Styling Aids at $3.99
Use 3 $3 off CVS coupons
Spend $1.98
Not an ECB deal but it’s pretty cheap stuff!

Buy 3 Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner/Styling Aid for 3/$12
Use 3 $2 coupons from Beauty book
Spend $6
Get $4 ECBs (I think that’s right. Not a money-maker but it’s pretty cheap)

Buy 2 Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer at $7.98
Use $3/2 CVS Coupon
Use 2 $1 Jergens coupons
Spend $10.96
Get $5 ECBs back (again not a great deal but I need me some tan legs and $2.50 a bottle is cheap)

Transaction 3

Buy 4 CVS Diaper Wipes for 2/$5
Use $2/$10 CVS coupon
Spend $8 on 4
No ECBs unless you spend $25 but we needed wipes

Buy Charmin 12-pack for $4.88
Use .25 Charmin coupon
Also not the best deal but we needed toilet paper

I did these in 3 different transactions in 2 different visits yesterday and today. I think I spent no more than $3 oop on all this, used about $45 in ECBs and made about $35. If it wasn’t for that third transaction for things I really need, I would have gained an ECB or two instead of losing about $10.

Go to moneysavingmom.com for more deals. Some of these are from there and the not so great ones are ones I worked in since we needed/wanted the stuff.

Snippets from the Gas Station

April 6, 2008 by Amy 2 Comments

Emma: What’s the name of this gas station?

Me: Texaco

Emma: Wow, that rhymes with Mexico.

Me (stunned because I don’t think I’ve ever thought of that): Yes, you’re right.

——————————————————

Emma (looking at the lady next to us who had curly blond hair): Is that Brooke?

Me (confused. the first thing that came to my mind is Brooke from One Tree Hill but she has brown hair): Brooke who??

Emma: Brooke. From American Idol.

Me: Oh. no.

Mommying is hard

April 5, 2008 by Amy 4 Comments

This evening has been rough. The girls came home completely sugared up and that means INSANE. I have stuck to my guns on the no sugar this week..usually only one thing out of the day they have gotten. So today when they got filled up with Sprite, tea and jelly beans they could barely contain themselves. Which meant I could barely contain myself. I think a few times you might have seen steam coming out of my ears. I tried to take them to the grocery store and Lexi wouldn’t get in the cart so she was hanging off the side and then when she wanted down, she ran 3 aisles away from me. Then when we got to the check-out she knocked some displays over. Oh, and forgot to mention the display she knocked over in the bacon. I was about to lose my mind just after those 5 little minutes. And then they asked for a cookie! I think not!

When we get home they don’t eat well and won’t listen. I put them to bed early partly because we have church and partly because I just couldn’t take it anymore. I tell Lexi if they continue to play in bed like they usually do, she’s going to have to sleep in her room/playroom in a sleeping bag. She’s so wild in bed I follow through with it. They both calm down and I let Lexi back with Emma and they finally go to sleep after a few trips out to the kitchen to see me and/or get a tissue.

And then all the mommy guilt hits me. I wasn’t patient enough, I wasn’t strict enough, I was too strict, how could I not enjoy my children, why was I spending time making casserole for Sunday School when I didn’t even cook for my family all day, would I be a bad mother if I insisted no one give them sugar? Round and round I’ve gone all evening. And it’s just, I don’t know. This mommying thing is hard, ya’ll.

On NKOTB

April 5, 2008 by Amy 4 Comments

Yep, I’m one of those people..one of those girls-turned-30ish-women that is secretly excited about the return of NKOTB. I can’t help it. As far as I can remember, they were my first (and probably one of few) tween band crushes.

My first memory of them? 5th grade, 10 years old, picking out a song with my small group of friends (which included my second boyfriend which lasted a whole year) to sing in the talent show. I remember looking at the cassette for the first time in the grass behind the school near our class window during recess. The song we chose? The Right Stuff. I recall the talent show clearly. When we sang “You’ve got the right stuff…baaby”, we stuck our thumbs in the air. The two guys in the group ran from the back of the stage to the front, falling on their knees for a big ending.

Heather and I were just talking about this and she clearly recalls us kissing the TV while they were on TV. I remember that but wasn’t sure it was them. And I’m pretty sure we had posters on the wall and I sort of recall some wearable items like maybe socks or pajamas that had their stuff on it. Twenty years ago is kind of fuzzy.

I also have been questioning which guy I really liked. I knew I didn’t like Joey although he was the most popular. I knew it was between Donnie and Jordan. Heather insists it was Jordan and I do remember liking him but I found the button in the picture above in an old button collection I had in a jewelry box I recently gave to the girls. So, I guess at one point it was Donnie. I think it was foreshadowing my future, ahem, crush, on his brother.

In any case, I honestly can’t help but be excited about their return. I’ve been enjoying this Heather’s fascination with them as well and will stand tall and be a dork with her.