Rough way to start a morning...

I had a dream this morning. I remember Evan kissing me goodbye as he headed out to work at 6 AM. So, somewhere between rolling back over to sleep and 7AM, I had this dream. It was awful. I'll preface the dream by saying that this Saturday will be the 19th anniversary of my Dad's death (it kinda snuck up on me this year...). The dream also won't make any sense unless you know that he died while overseas on business with a coworker. The coworker was the one who made the visual positive identification of my Dad's body. My Dad was creamated overseas, so all we received was his personal effects and a wooden box of ashes. There was no body for viewing, no "closure" in that regard.

Anyway, in my dream, we had found my Dad. Apparently, he was living in the town next to ours (and amazingly, after 19 years, he still looked the same!). He knew who we all were but had no memory of the last 19 years or of what had happened to him. So, he came home with us, and we looked back through scrapbooks, newspaper clippings and photographs (interestingly, they were all black and whites). About a week after we "found" him, he died. In my dream, I was screaming, "How did this all happen? His body was positively identified by his coworker! How did he just disappear for 19 years?!" My family and I discussed how he may have been kidnapped and sold into human trafficking. I woke up, and needless to say, it was not a "good" morning. I called my Mom, who dropped everything at work to talk to me, comfort me and help calm me down (I was a wreck). How unsettling and very traumatic. It brought back all the insecurities I felt at the time it happened. My heart, which was racing when I woke up, broke all over again. My precious, fun loving, hardworking, Christian father is gone. My kids will never know him. They'll never understand the influence he had on my life. My own husband will never know!

My Mom reminded me, though, that in a way this was a blessing. I got to SEE my Dad...even for just a few moments...even just in a dream. It's been a long time since I was able to think of him and see his face alive in my head. When I think of him, I automatically pull up in my mind pictures of him that I've seen...not real life memories.

I don't know if this anniversary is particularly difficult because I'm so far away this year, or if it's just coincidence. Either way, please pray for me. I REALLY miss my Daddy today.

Walgreens coupon - TODAY ONLY

Walgreens has a printable coupon, good for today only (Earth Day). It's for 15% off in-store eligible purchases (or 20% off Walgreens and W brand items). You also get a free reusable tote with purchase/coupon. Awesome deal. You can find it here.

Happy shopping!

I LOVE COUPONS!!!

I really do. Lori Clayton presented a mini-version of her coupon class at my MOPS meeting about a month or so ago. She's AMAZING! Since we were getting ready to move, I wasn't really able to put much of her advice into practice. I have, however, been trying it out a little up here at my Mom's. This week was, by far, my best experience with using coupons! I made my shopping list from the sales circular for my Mom's grocery store. I then found coupons that matched up. I spent $93, but my coupon savings was over $58!!! I got $150 worth of groceries for $93 (and this was for items that I was purchasing anyway...I did not get anything extra simply because I had a coupon).

My best deal was International Delights creamers. The small bottles were on sale for $.99, already a great price. The International Delights website had $1 off coupons...any size, any variety! You can only print 2 per computer, but I got my Mom, step-dad and sister to let me use their laptops, and I used both my new and old laptops to print coupons. I got 10 bottles of creamer for FREE!!! SOOOOO exciting. It's addictive, really. I actually can't wait for the circular to come out for this week (comes out tomorrow!!). I feel like a detective! :) I guess it helps that I feel like this is part of my contribution to our stay here. So far, I've saved her about $100 through the use of coupons...and that's just in the 3 weeks we've been here.

If you are in the Hampton Roads area, you should really check her out! Click on the links above to find out more about Lori and her class. The best part about her class is her money-back guarantee. If you don't save the cost of the class in your first month of doing her program, she'll give you your money back!

Happy couponing!

Stressing out...BIG time

Well, I've definitely started stressing over this move. Up until now, it's just been something on the fringes of my consciousness...an upcoming event that is still a ways off. Yesterday at church, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have SO much to do in the next 1 week and 5 days. One more church service, one more small group, one more MOPS meeting...I'm down to the last instances of things - already! There's so much sorting and packing to do before the movers arrive, yet I sit here because I don't WANT to do any of it. I like my cluttered, comfy house. I like the friends I've made. I'm almost defiantly sitting here...as if it won't happen if I don't get things done. And, to top it all off, we found out today that the government is changing our travel plans (gotta love the government for this kind of thing...). Yep, my stress level has officially gone through the roof. Our HHG shipment packout is one week from today, and I am in NO WAY ready. I'm not even ready for the destination move packout this Thursday! And before all that happens, I still need to pull out our long-term storage packout items and our express shipment packout items...and whatever I'm going to need between now and when we get our shipments delivered in Hawaii...oh, and whatever Evan's going to need to finish up the little things around the house. I just want to close my eyes, and when I open them, everything will be done.

Time, friends, distance, busyness

Wow, I haven't updated in almost a month! This will probably be a long, rambling post, so if you'd like to skip it, I totally understand.

We move in 26 days. March 7th will be here so quickly! We have four separate move shipments, so I've been trying to sort through things and make lists of what will be going to each shipment. I just want to close my eyes and have it be over already. LOL Our house is on the rental market, so we're frantically trying to finish up all the little things that we need to do to have it ready for occupancy. I've been painting, which I absolutely detest. I've been working on this for over a week now (hard to squeeze it in...during naptimes and such), and I still have SO much left to do. I do have a sweet friend who has offered to keep the two littles for me on Thursday so that I can actually have some time to just PAINT! We also have bathroom repairs that have to be completed. Right now, we have no tub/shower plumbing downstairs. Evan's pretty close to having it completed. Then, we have to install a new heater in the bathroom upstairs and rip out the wall and plumbing up there and replace that. Busy, busy, busy. We've had some people come to look at the house...they sound promising, but we'll see. I'm not getting my hopes up.

I feel like my life is closing in on me. I want to spend time with the people I care about, yet I find myself distancing from them. I guess it's self-preservation . I'm also having the problem of wanting to spend time, yet not having any time to spend.

We took the kids to Mount Trashmore yesterday. It was SO beautiful outside. T'more was very crowded...guess everyone else wanted to enjoy the nice weather. As we walked down the side of the hill, I realized that this was probably our last trip to the park. I pray for some more warm weather so I can get my babies outside again before we go!

I honestly thought I'd slip away without fanfare and a fuss, but apparently, that's not to be. There's going to be a "Bon Voyage" party, which I was really upset about at first. I'm nobody special that I would deserve an event. However, given my previous statement about having no time, I'm getting excited to see everyone! If I could have worked it in, I would have loved to just get together with people a few at a time...the people who really care about me and love me for who I am...not just those who feel obligated to see me because I'm leaving. It will be very interesting to see who actually shows up at this party! :) And hey, it's a PARTY, right?! LOL

I've been under the weather the last few days. Pretty sure it's just a head cold, but it is really knocking me for a loop. This needs to end...and SOON! I think I'm on the up side of it now (at least, I hope).

I think that's all for right now. I'm off to make lunch for the littles! :)

FI-NUH-LEE!!!

EJ finally lost his first tooth last night. It's been wiggly for quite some time, which is just my most favorite part of the whole process (hear that sarcasm?). "Look, Mom. Look how wiggly it is." At least 10 times a day. So, anyway, last night, his Dad was tucking him into bed, and in the course of pulling up the covers, my husband smacked his hand into EJ's face (nice, right?). I guess it wasn't too hard, since he didn't cry (EJ, that is). He did, however, have that wiggly little tooth pop right out. He's ecstatic. He's been waiting "for-eeeeeeever" to finally lose a tooth. It went under his pillow, where the Tooth Fairy (who thankfully had been preparing for this moment) left him a $5 bill. Geeze...inflation! When I was a kid, she only left a quarter! :) The TF did tip me off, though, that all the rest of his teeth are only worth a dollar. She doesn't want to go completely broke!

What we do for our kids...

A friend posted a website she found with hilarious songs to calm your baby (or maybe just yourself!). It got me thinking about the quirky and downright humiliating things we do for our kids (We even had a "Get That Poo-Poo Out" chant...and had to chant it EVERY time Emma Grace went...even in a public restroom!). Since I'm a huge fan of sharing embarassing personal information, here for your viewing pleasure are some songs I used to sing to Elliot.

To the tune of "Rubber Duckie" (you know...the Ernie one from Sesame Street):

Chubby Baby, you're the one.
You make kisses lots of fun.
Chubby Baby, I'm awfully fond of you.

Chubby Baby, joy of joys.
When I squish you, you make noise.
Chubby Baby, I'm awfully fond of you.

HA! Sometimes, I think I'm insane. I also sang (to the tune of How Much is that Dog in the Window?):

How much is that baby in the mirror?
The one with the sweet, chubby cheeks?
How much is that baby in the mirror?
I do think that baby's for keeps!

How much is that baby in the mirror?
The one with the big, chunky thighs?
How much is that baby in the mirror?
I just cannot believe my eyes!

And, not to be forgotten (this was usually reserved for diaper changes):

Smelliot...bum bum bum bum...Smelliot!
You are my Smelliot.
Smelly Elliot.
Little smelly Elliot!

Hahaha...I still sing these sometimes :) Even the older two join in!