Guess what?

I have done some embarrassing stuff, but telling a trainer exactly how much I weigh and letting him plug that and my body fat percentage into a computer program to show a 3D rotating picture to me, to show me exactly what I look like from the backside, in a room full of "pretty" people has to be near the top of the list. The "pretty" people were exercising, truth be told, not paying any attention to what we were doing, but still. Hi, I know you can all see me, but you didn't need to see THAT! hahaha.

On the other hand, he did tell me my goals are reasonable and realistic for me and my frame, and showed me a picture of what I could look like at that weight and body fat percentage.

That part was cool.

Now, just to continue going to the gym and working on it all ... yeehaw.

The cutest little boy

Because he doesn't look like a baby in this picture. But man, is he handsome!!

Today, I love Walgreens

I didn't take a picture of all of this. So sorry. But between their register rewards and coupons from the sunday paper ... I was able to purchase:

4 big bottles Johnson and Johnson body wash (normally $5.99 each = 23.96)
5 packages of Soleil razors (normally $5.99 each = 29.95)
4 bottles Aussie hair care products (normally $2.99 each = 11.96)
5 trial size Thermacare heat wraps (normally $2.99 each = 14.95)
4 tubes Crest with Scope toothpaste (normally $4.59 each, I think = 18.36)
3 water bottles full of trial sizes
10 halloween pencils
4 halloween pens
2 breath freshener drops
(and I know I'm forgetting something ...)

For $37.49. Saved $78.14, or 68%. $23 of that savings was just from my Sunday coupons, which more than paid for my month's subscription.

I actually went for the razors because they were a steal, then saw the thermacares were essentially free ($2.49, get a $2.50 RR back) ... and went from there. It was a learning experience and I probably actually could have saved more, but I'm fairly pleased with what I did do. I bought enough razors to last a year and basically got just about everything else for FREE.

I would not spend money on stuff we do not like or will not use. I do use the razors, and I use the heat wraps for "that time of the month" when I can't be stuck to an electric outlet on the bed hugging my heating pad. The body washes and hair stuff are for kiddo. We do like Crest toothpaste and Scope, so that was a no-brainer (buy 2 for $8 and get $5 back in RR? well hello there ... it would've been even better if I'd started getting the sunday paper sooner because last month there were coupons for those, too, but um, I didn't.)

Things to note: If using manufacturer's coupons and RR, you have to have one product for every coupon (hence the water bottles and pens and pencils) in order to use them all. And you also do have to pay all sales tax; it cannot come out of RR. So, the water bottles were 49 cents, but I was able to use a $5 off RR for throwing it on there. So make a plan before you go. Most Walgreens get shipments in on Tuesdays here, but by Friday most of the products will be gone. I went Tuesday and learned some things, and then finished up today. By today, one style of the razors was GONE, but they had another style, so I got those. So shop early.

Also, I had to do this in a bunch of different transactions. First, I bought one package of the razors and got $1 back in RR. Next, I bought one thermacare wrap, paid $1.66 and got $2.50 back in RR. Then I was able to use that RR on something else. The cashiers are entirely accustomed to this and don't even bat an eye when you say, "I'm going to do 10 different purchases." ALSO, you can't use a RR for the same product you're purchasing and still get a new RR (like, if I'd accidentally put that $1 back on razors, a new RR wouldn't have printed out).

Next time any of these things go on a great sale, I won't have to buy quite so many of everything, just replace what we've used. Once my husband saw that, he was happy I'd saved so much money and don't have to pay full price for all this stuff.

So it took a little time to plan and do, but I definitely think it was worth it. The money is going where we need it to instead of when Kiddo is in the shower and yells, "MOM! I'm out of body wash AND shampoo AND conditioner!" and having to run out and spent $15 on new products.

I am Woman, hear me roar!

I always feel a bit more empowered when I do something like unplug the bathtub drain. We have two bathtubs, both draining slowly, and I've managed to take care of both of them in the last two weeks.

Kiddo squealed when she saw hers this morning (I also scrubbed it 'cuz that thing was *nasty*).

I've put baby locks on a couple of kitchen cabinets (mostly to keep the baby out of the cleansers!) and I will get a picture or two hung later today -- prints of my own photographs. yay. still need a frame for my favorite picture by steph -- maybe i'll start looking for deals on those instead of, oh, razors (nice sale at walgreens this week on bic soleil razors, people! especially if you have a coupon for $3 off!).

Ahem.

I'd better feed the man child. He's starving apparently.

okay, seriously?

Who rings the dang doorbell at 1 a.m., let alone FOUR TIMES in about thirty seconds?

My mother-in-law. That's who. And you know if she's showing up in the middle of the night, something good didn't happen.

*sigh*

She stayed for an hour, then I gave her cookies and advice and she went home. After she woke up my baby, who then proceeded to stay up until 3.

Nobody's dead, although my SIL's ahole of a husband is lucky on that score. Lucky the boys are all medicated, that is. Anyway.

With some legal help for SIL and a long nap for me with my baby later today, everything is going to be fine. Eventually.

REclaiming the house

So, when mom is depressed (intermittently) and dad is crashed and the kids don't/won't clean up after themselves, things can get pretty ugly in the house.

I decided this week enough was enough, and that I needed to get some semblance of sanity back.

I started with the kitchen. We have 4 small countertops and a bar, and it's taken me all freaking week, but I made a plan and stuck to it. The first day, I took care of clearing off one countertop and the stove. The second day, I kept that one cleared off and scrubbed the stove some more, and cleared a second countertop. That night, I made sure all the dishes were done, including the pots and pans. The next day, I cleared the third countertop, did all the dishes again, and kept the rest of the kitchen tidy, too. Yesterday, I made cinnamon rolls and kept the kitchen cleared up. Today, I cleaned up the last countertop and most of the bar, and the kitchen needs about 30 seconds of attention before I go to bed tonight.

I also cleared off the kitchen table, tidied the living room, threw stuff away, and vacuumed! the floor for the first time in a while.

Last night, I put away laundry which was covering my 9-foot couch plus an overflowing basket on the floor.

Yesterday, while I was out running an errand, my husband said he was going to have a nap while I was gone. I got home to the trash taken out, the toilet scrubbed, the dishwasher changed, and his mess in his corner in our bedroom cleaned up! He's noticed how much effort I'm putting into the house and decided he needed to help, too. Thankfully. We really want to sell this place in the spring and don't want to be scrambling to clean a lot up every time someone comes over.

I have a plan and a list for the rest of the house. It's not going to happen overnight, but if I can keep maintaining what we've already done, it won't be such a chore.

help, i'm being attacked!

I fell asleep in the recliner while nursing the toddler. he must have gotten down because a little while later I feel teeny, tiny TEETH nipping at my TOES. ew.

p.s. the couches are gone, hurrah hurrah. I can now park the car in the garage again. Too bad it took the brunt of the birds' stay in our eaves and is covered in poop, and now that they're gone it's a bit ironic that it's protected from them. lol