I LOVE SAVING MONEY!!!

Just look at this big bootie! Oh my gollie! How much do you think I spent for this?? Huh? How much? Come on, just take a guess! What? You can't tell what all is in the photo? Okay, how about I give you a list...

• 5 Kraft BBQ Sauce*
• 6 Kraft Salad Dressing*
• 30 Yoplait Yogurt
• 5 Avacodos
• 6lbs. Bananas
• 8 Weber Grill Seasonings*
• 5 Sour Cream
• 2 Cottage Cheese
• 14 Bar-S Hot Dogs (1lb)
• 5 Cases Nestle Water Bottles (24ct)
• 1 Gallon Milk
• 1 Total Colgate Toothpaste*
• 6 Trident Gum*
• 4 Banana Boat Sunscreen
• 6 Hefty Paper Plates (50ct)
• 2 Hefty paper Bowls (50ct)
• 14 Dial Liquid Hand Soap*

Still don't have a guess? I will tell you the dollar value of it, if paid full price for, and maybe that will help. The total dollar value is $301.96. So, what do you think? $150? That would be pretty good. $75? Close...

Okay, okay! I'll just tell you since you're gonna be that way... :0)

I ONLY PAID $40.18!!!! That is an 88% Savings! Isn't that AWESOME?? And, to top it off, all the items marked with an asterisk* were FREE!! Yep, I said FREE! I love Coupon Sense! I LOVE saving so much money for things I USE anyway!!! Uh-huh, oh yah. I'm doin' the Happy Dance. Are you doin' it with me? I'm not a rep or anything, but if you want to know more, let me know and I will get you the info...

Have a Happy Day! I get to go get ready for CUB SCOUTS!

This last week...

Where has the time gone!? I have had so much fun the last week.

Last Thursday I took my Cub Scouts to the city pond and we went fishing. It was so fun. It was a pack meeting, so the twins got to come too. Look at the fun we had!

Tallin was awarded his Bobcat badge and two activity beads. That means he is half way to earning his Wolf Badge. Yippee! Way to go, Tallin!

I planted my flowers last week too. They look so good. I am so excited. Paden, Porter and I also put up my decorative split rail fence. I don't have pictures of it, yet. Then Paden, Porter and I dug up a leaky pipe in our driveway. It was a horrible leak, thank heavens Andy is Mr. Fix-it, because he fixed it. Now he is fixing the rotor tiller so I can plant my flowers along the split rail fence. What a guy! Thanks, babe!

Saturday night Chesea had some friends over for card and board games and dance lessons. We taught them the 2-step, the waltz, and the Cotton-eyed Joe! It was quite fun, I will admit. I hope they didn't mind me hanging out with them...

Sunday Jaeci, Quaelii & Chesea sang in church. They did great!

And for a little laugh... Chesea was in charge of dinner last night. She was making "Hot Wings." Only we don't use wings, we use thighs & drumsticks mainly. So, as they were sitting there eating, Chesea said, "I thought I got thighs, but I got boobs." Porter didn't skip a beat, he simply replied, "Quaelii does too. Dad, look the stars are coming out." Too funny!

She's got a BEAUTIFUL SMILE!

From THIS...To THIS!

Just look at those PEARLY WHITES! So exciting! Quaelii got her braces off yesterday! (I wish I had an easy-access photo of her BEFORE braces... Oh well!) It was a BIG day! She had been counting down the days. Everyday she would get up and say, "Guess What!?" As soon as you would acknowledge her, she'd answer with how many days she had left, and finally, how many hours there were to go. So bright and early yesterday morning she got a text from a friend asking her, "Guess What!?" She just couldn't stop smiling. Dr. Peterson and his staff have been so amazing with her. They are her friends. Good thing we like them so much, Jaeci will be starting soon! Dr. Peterson gave her a big bag of candy to celebrate, and then Andy and I took her to lunch. Her friends kept texting, "When are you coming? We want to see you!" She told them they would just have to WAIT! When she got to school, she had people CHASING her to see her BEAUTIFUL SMILE! I love you, Quaelii!

Top 10 Reasons I LOVE Being a MOM

1. LAUNDRY! Do you think I would have mountains of laundry like this if I wasn't a mom? Well, maybe, but then I wouldn't have anyone to blame this mountain of laundry on. And, each article of clothing has a special memory, you know, oh, she wore that when she did this... or he is wearing the shirt Tallin wore when... or just a help me remember how fast they are growing. So yes, I love laundry.


2. PURE HONESTY! You all know what I mean. You want to know if you look fat? Just wait, and one of your kids will say, "Mom, you look like you're having another baby!" (Yep, that was Paden yesterday!)


3. SHOPPING! I get to go shopping quite often, and I love seeing how much I save. With 8 of us at home, we have to be a little frugal, so my kids have helped me learn how to shop smartly. I shop thrift stores and clearance racks and use coupons at the grocery store. I save a LOT of money thanks to my kiddos! ;-)


4. TOYS & BOOKS & STUFF ON THE FLOOR. Okay, NO! I really don't like them being on the floor, I get a little aggitated, but when I take a deep breath, it reminds me that my children feel at home in our house. They are comfortable here. They know this is a safe place for them and their belongings, and a great place to have FUN. So, yeah, I guess I do love stuff around my house... (a little)


5. COOKING! Seriously. I love being a mom because it allows me to make some really yummy foods. And I LOVE that my kids LOVE my cooking. They often tell Andy and me that we should open our own restaurant. So, we do, well, Andy does. At least once a year, Mother's Day. This really should be one of the top 10 in and of itself because he spoils me. He opens "Cafe Andre'" every Mother's Day and prepares a feast fit for a... Queen! It is really wonderful!


6. SMUDGE AND FINGER PRINTS... All over everything! You go to turn out the light, and wow, how did that switch get so dirty? Try to look out the sliding back doors; get the windex first! They are EVERYWHERE! And yet, when you know you are done having kids, it is kinda hard to wash it off, because you know there won't be any more little ones to make more...


7. MEMORIZATION! Yes, I have memorized so much since I became a mom. I know most of the Barney songs, I can tell you what time of day Clifford comes on, I can even quote many lines from Disney and other movies.
   
8. LATE NIGHTS! I am not a night owl. At all. I love mornings. Well, I used to. But since I have high schoolers that stay up late, my body is confused. Oh well. I do so enjoy when my girls come and FLY onto my bed. Yes, they FLY. They haven't smoothened out their landings very well yet, but they are still flying, and that's what is important. They fly in and talk to me after dances, or work, or concerts, or field trips and we talk and talk. Sometimes they talk and I sleep, but I LOVE having them there with me. It is a really special thing for me.
9. ART. My kids are artists. Every one of them. And I love the things they make for me. From cards to posters to ceramics... Just look at these cute cards Quaelii and Tallin made for Mother's Day. It really doesn't get any sweeter.



10. And my BEST reason I love being a mom, is... Well, 6 reasons! CHESEA, QUAELII, JAECI, TALLIN, PORTER AND PADEN! I really am blessed to be the mother of these special Children of God. And I am so grateful Heavenly Father trusts me enough to be their MOTHER!

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them

About 3 1/2 years ago, in the still of winter, we walked out our back door at night to find a fluffy white cat that didn't look like it would survive the night. While its coat was quite fluffy, it was skinny as a rail. Its fur was matted and it could barely make a sound. We decided to give it a little tuna and warm milk -- its last meal, so it could die with a full belly. Poor thing. We had no idea whose cat it was, no collar, nothing. There was 6 inches of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. It was the least we could do....
Well, the next morning, the cat was there and looking a little better, so we invested in some cat food. Day after day, the cat grew stronger and, well, I guess you could say we adopted each other. He hunted the gophers and praire dogs and mice. We always knew when he got one because he always left the head on the front mat... In return, we gave it a nice warm blanket to sleep on, and mad sure he had plenty of food and warm milk. As Porter began to talk, he called the cat a "mee-now." (He called everthing by the sound they made. Meow -- mee-now, it's all the same, right?)
This morning our cat succombed to a painful bout with kidney or liver disease. We were so sad. The boys and I dug a nice grave and said a prayer and a little good-bye. At breakfast, Porter asked me, "Mom, do you know Jesus' number? Maybe you could call him and ask him to raise our cat from the dead." The faith of a child!

Isn't She a Princess!

A touch of make-up, precious pearls, a dress that spins and a handsome prince to take her to the ball... Chesea truly was the fairest of all.
Wasn't it just yesterday that she was spinning around our living room in her pink and purple dress, saying, "Look, Mom! It Spins!" And now, here she is, heading off to her senior prom. (She did have to make sure this dress would spin too, by the way.) My, time does fly.

Her date, Matt, was a perfect gentleman, so courteous and kind, and wonderfully nervous :0). It was really awesome to have her treated with such wonder and respect.

And then, there were her little brothers... When Matt and Shane (Alyssa's date) attempted to come back in the house after going to the car to get Alyssa's corsage, Paden held the door shut and asked, "What's the magic word?" They tried to not make a big deal of it, but with Porter's and Nathan's (Analiese's date) help, Paden stood firm, making them say, "Meeska, Mouseka, Micky Mouse!" (I think Grandpa Tom was laughing quite hard, making the heavens roar!)

They all had a really good time, with a nice dinner at Charly's followed by "A Night on the Nile" at the CHS prom. Matt even got Chesea to dance a few times, which is a HUGE accomplishment! One of Chesea's most amazing friends, Deshara, was crowned as Prom Queen, but immediately asked if she could make an announcement, saying, "There is somebody here who has done so much for our school and doesn't get half the recognition she deserves. She deserves this so much more than I do. Give it up for your Prom Queen, Wynchester Whetten!" Chesea was quite embarrased and felt very undeserving. She even tried to leave, but Deshara and many others insisted, therefore, Chesea became the 2009 Prom Queen for CHS. I am so inspired by Deshara and her kindness and thoughtfulness; she is an amazing person and this is just one of the ways the world can see her inner beauty.

They went to the CHS after-hours celebration at the Elk's Lodge for a while, and then over to Alyssa's house to play games. Matt & Shane had never played Candy Land, so Chesea and Alyssa provided them that opportunity. FUN! Then we gathered back together mid-morning for breakfast at our house -- crepes with logan berries, boysenberries, and strawberries, scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon and a delicious smoothie. They all had such a great time.

And I must say that I truly enjoyed it too. I am so glad that Chesea is surrounded by good friends that share her values and help her be OUR PRINCESS!

(Annaliese, Nathan, Alyssa, Shane, Chesea & Matt)