COUPoNS!!!

Just visited http://www.coponqueen.com and they have a great new grocery coupons point system. To try it, visit the site and click on http://www.couponqueen.com/mypoints

"No New" update...

Still doing well with the No New purchases.
Had to buy new shoes for Auggie. He has really wide feet, and complains about the cheaper shoes hurting his feet (payless & target). I thought about the thrift store shoes....but had a hard time finding anything in his size, AND I didn't want to buy something that could hurt his feet again. So we just went to Stride Rite and bought him a pair. I told him they are school shoes ONLY, and his ratty ones he can wear when he plays outside.

Another item that I just couldn't justify buying used was underwear for Samantha. Thrift store underwear just seems...well... unhygienic. Samantha has been rocking with the whole potty-training thing, so I bought her some new Tinkerbell undies.


So, here we are 3 months into this endeavor and I've only purchased 3 new things:
Shoes
undies
plastic storage bins.


I'd say we're doing good!

As time ticks by, I get a stronger feeling that yes, I WILL be a stay at home mom next school year. Probably won't be as bad as before, since both boys will be in school...
But the depressing part is not the lack of money, or having to stay home. The part that is bringing me WAY down is that this is supposed to be my career. All I have ever done centered around kids and teaching. So... now what do I do?

I used to really want to stay at my current school. The teachers there are wonderful! But as some of them retire, and now the kick-Ass principal is retiring...well...I just wonder if the climate there will remain the same. I know it will change, but how?

I also worry about the education of my own kids. I love them, but I think they learn much more than reading and writing when they go to school. Like social learning that can only be done in group settings. If I just up and home school my kids, they will miss that component as there are few kids in the neighborhood, and the cousins are all too far away. That, and I'll go insane. I don't "stay home" very well. I need to be doing something...using the big blob of grey goop between my ears or it'll ooze out. No, seriously! I can't handle NOT having a billion+1 things to do. Feels weird.

Private schools are NOT an option for us, just flat out can't afford it.

So what to do?

ugh.

I've decided that being an adult is no fun. No fun at all.
I'm going to go jump rope now...

"No New" update...

so far so good.
The BEST part: I've saved over $500 by buying stuff used, or just flat-out NOT buying something I THOUGHT I wanted...but didn't really need (read: no impulse buying. Of which I am horrifically guilty of!)

The downer:
I've been trying for WEEKS to score large plastic storage containers to put all my seemingly unnecessary teaching stuff in so i can store it in the garage better. When I do come across an add on craigslist or pennysaver, they were either gone or the person was asking WAY more than I was willing to pay for them.
So I broke the "rule" and had to buy 3 of the giant storage containers. Yes, I realize they are NEW, but I need to put all my crap into something. Something clear (so I don't forget what I already have) AND something cockroach-proof since we have an issue with those nasty nasty buggers in the garage.

Also, with all the insanity of my dwindling career prospects, I've had a song rolling around and around in my head the past few months. Everytime something else crappy happens about my future employment, the beat and lyrics in my head come to the surface... Hasn't been since my dark depression filled high school days that a SONG has ever "spoken to me..."

It's a great song on it's own, but it's sorta become my theme song of late. What's this song?
Here it is:


Ali in the Jungle ~ The Hours

It's, not, how you start, it's how you finish,
And it's, not, where you're from, it's where you're at,

Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Just how are you gonna' get up?

Like Ali in the jungle,
Like Nelson in jail,
Like Simpson on the mountain,
With odds like that, they were bound to fail
Like Hannah in the darkness,
Like Adam's in the dark,
Like Ludwig Van, how I loved that man, well the guy went deaf and didn't give a damn, no...

No, no, no

It's, not, where you are, It's where you're going,
Where are you going?
And it's, not, about the things you've done, it's what you're doing, now,
What are you doing, now?

Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
How quick are you gonna' get up, now?
Everybody gets knocked down,
Everybody gets knocked down,
How quick are you gonna' get up?
Just how are you gonna' get up?

Like Ali in the jungle,
Like Nelson in jail,
Like Simpson on the mountain,
Well with odds like that, they were bound to fail
Like Hannah in the darkness,
Like Adam's in the dark,
Like Ludwig Van, how I loved that man, well the guy went deaf and didn't give a damn, no...

Oooh, ooh, ooh


It's the greatest comeback since Lazarus,
The greatest comeback since Lazarus...

Why some animals eat their young....

I'm sure scientists have some really great explanations for why certain species result to eating their young...or even their spouses.

My theroy: On some wavelength inaudible to humans, the offspring begin to chant in unisin: "mommy, mommy, mommy....mom...mom...mom, mom, mom...mommy, mommy, mommy...mom..." (etc).
After several minuets of attempting to ignore the incessant repetition of her name, the mother looses it and chomps down on the nearest offspring. Sadly, the siblings who were witness to this act, must now follow the same fate since, as we all know, there can be no witnesses.

Let's just say, I had "ONE" of those days today.

Speaking of food...

I wanted to start blogging a bit about my newest personal challenge: RAW.
Yes...my mom thinks I'm turning into a Hippie. I'm fine with that generalization.
She thinks I'm crazy for spending a bit more for Organic foods for my family...Thinks I'm insane for saying I will not buy anything new for one year (including Auggie's lunchbox!)...and when she gets word of this..well... who knows.

Basically, I have several reasons for choosing to change to this diet, most of which stem from my recent reading of some great books and watching some provocative documentaries on the subject of food production and consumerism in our country. I feel like this change in eating is just another step in doing what I think is best not only for the planet, but for myself (because the world revolves around ME, you see...)
A RAW diet is exactly what it sounds like: comprised of fruits and vegetables that were never cooked or processed, in the comercial sense of the term. This would typically mean no dairy either, but I've still been eating yogurt and some cheeses as I adapt to this way of nourishing my body. WHY? The theory is that when you eat raw foods, you are eating LIVE foods, and live foods offer up a wider array of nutrients and health benefits than their cooked versions. Therefore, you would be healthier since you are not consuming DEAD/processed foods...
Yes, people can argue on both sides of this theory & I'm not trying to report here that RAW is right 100%...merely here sharing another goal: to eat RAW for one month. & hey...if I notice any changes about the way I feel, would that not be evidence enough?

A trip to the thrift store...

So I'm still in (somewhat) of a search for a lemon zester.
Also, Auggie keeps wearing holes in the knees of his pants...so now he needs new pants...
So, after a fun easter party at daycare, we go to the thrift store!

In addition to a pair of pants for auggie (but still NO zester), I managed to score the following:

3 short-sleeve button shirts for auggie
a scooby-do biking shirt for Hayden
a princess shirt for Sammy
the boys both picked out a weird toy...action figure thingy.
sammy picked out these horrible, pink plastic dress up high heels...ugh. But for $1, it will bring her much joy!

AND
(drum roll....)

A sweet....not beat-up, comfy bench swing! (pics soon). Not faded, not torn anywhere! SCORE!

ah...thrift shopping can be fun. More fun when I find kick-A deals like this! We have wanted a swing for the front porch since we moved in...but these things can be expensive and it was just not a priority.

Still no flippin zester though....

Do gift cards count?

I'll say no :)
I have a Bed Bath & Beyond card that I am going to use to buy that lemon zester!
(yes, it bugs me that much!)
Besides, I think they lose $$ after a year.

hmmm....
is this cheating? Share your thoughts...