Bye Daddy

Brian is off and on his way in the airplane to school in Kansas. We went to the airport this morning to drop him off and say our goodbyes. Its the longest Brian and I have ever been apart and by far longer than he has ever been away from the boys. We are going to miss him very much, but Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and daddy will be home for the week before flying back out again. We set up the web cam so that we can video chat with daddy while he is gone, so I am hoping that makes it easier on the boys. Its only been a few hours and already Eli has asked me a handful of times where daddy is and when is the airplane coming back.

Trick or Treating

Since Brian leaves in the morning (Halloween) we went trick or treating early this year on 3rd street here in town. A few of the business were passing out candy and the boys loved their first trick or treating outside! Jayda joined us as well and all had a great time. I am so thankful that Brian got to share in some of the fun before leaving for school in the morning.



Trick or treating at a coffee stand? I think mom's should get the treat. mmmmmmmmmmmmm coffee

What do you think this is?

Eli seems to think its a leaf blower. He got the hot wheels track as a gift for his birthday. For about a week it was a race track. Then after watching Disney's UP for the millionth time, Eli saw something that reminded him of something. Hench the his blower. I cant tell you how many places this thing has been. For a few solid months we couldn't leave the house without it. In the movie "UP" Russell (the main character) rides his leaf blower while attached to balloons and Eli's blower gets him around much the same way :)

So if you ever see my little man wondering around with a hot wheels race track loop between his legs, well he is just going for a ride.

Thank you for my coffee

That's what Eli said when he got in the car after preschool and I gave him a chocolate milk. Even though Starbucks is not a regular place for me (way to much money) apparently branding goes along way and all the money they spend in advertising works. My three year old knows that the cup with the green straw equals coffee!

I gave them a knife!

supervised by Brian and I of course. We decided it was time to carve the pumpkins so the boys could enjoy seeing them lit up for a few nights before Halloween. Brian and Eli carved one pumpkin while Kai helped me clean another and carved his favorite character into it. Love the way they turned out and the boys had so much fun digging into the "guts" and making a scary face. Cant wait till next year as the boys were having so much fun this year it can only get more fun as they get older.

Menu plan Monday and shopping trip

This week I kinda threw things together and came up with a plan, oh about a hour before I left to shop!We were busy all weekend and with Brian leaving in a week I just wasn't into planning. But cant go to the store without a list cause well I wouldn't know what to buy! So a quick check of what I had on hand and Viola!

This week for breakfast we will have cereal and milk, banana muffins and fruit, and today we had pumpkin cheesecake french toast bites from the Hungry Girl 123 book. They were yummy!

Lunch will be a mix of sandwichs, nuggets, and peanut chicken wraps.

Dinner

M - Left over buffet (have a few things from last week to eat up)
T - Chicken and cheese enchiladas
W - Chili and Cornbread
TH - Sloppy Joes and Mac & Cheese
F - Roast Chicken and mashed potatoes
S - Chicken Pot Pie
S - To be determined (Brian leaves that morning and it's halloween)

Shopping trip

Winco

Toaster struddles - 3.56 (1.00 coupon)
3 pints buttermilk - 1.14
egg beaters - 2.27 (.50 coupon)
montery jack cheese - 3.25
3 pounds ground turkey - 6.78
coffemate - 2.50 (1.50 coupon)
pizza dough - 4.16 (1.00 coupon)
butter - 2.00
v/8 juice - 4.08 (1.00 coupon)
2 red kidney beans - 1.36
white kidney beans - FREE
2 cans mixed veggies - 2.58
1 can corn - .58
2 cans stewed tomatoes - 1.16
mayo - 1.96
mustard - .91
cream of chicken soup - .72
tomato sauce - .48
2 cake mixes - 1.56
vanilla - 8.39 (1.00 coupon)
onion - .37
tomatos - .83
green pepper - .58
red pepper - .68
celery - 1.09
bean sprouts - 1.28
cucumber - .48
1.2 pounds cornmeal - .65
tortillas - 1.88

Total - $51.28



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Cookies for Grandma

We were going over to Great Grandmas house to celebrate Grandma Betty's birthday. So Eli and I made cookies for Grandma. Unfortunately they were not from scratch (sorry !)and came from the cookies dough I got to support Barret's ROTC program. They were still yummy and Eli was the best baker!

pumpkins,pumpkins everywhere

October just wouldn't be complete with out at least, I don't know, 3 or more trips to the pumpkin patches. We went the first time with Eli's preschool on a field trip, another time alone while Brian was at work just to bounce in the bouncy house and yet again with Auntie Sandra. Eli loves the pumpkin patch and asks to go at least every other day. I am sure we will be back again a few more times.

Pumpkins for Literacy Patch

Kai excited about the train ride

A little small, I might need to throw these back






Carlton Farms


Children of the corn

Kai loved the tube slides and tunnels!

Menu plan Monday and shopping trip totals

Okay so here I am a day late. Sorry, but with Kai's birthday things just got a bit busy and well here it is almost 10:00pm on Tuesday night and I am just getting to it. Went shopping today, the kids were out of hand so it did make me a bit rushed so maybe I wasn't as thoughtful as I could have been but still came in at a good number.

This week for breakfast we are relying on the old standby of cereal and milk, banana bread and melon and dad will make his usual big breakfast for us on Saturday. In fact that's what I went over budget on this week. Costco sells these amazing breakfast sausages (of course in a huge pack) and we were out. but with only 2 more Saturdays left with dad before he leaves till Thanksgiving I wanted to make sure we have all the necessary things. Lunch will be mostly sandwiches, chicken nuggets, salad for me and fruit.

Dinner

M - Turkey meatloaf never ate last week
T - Chicken chow mein (my recipe)from the freezer stash!
W -Crock pot potato chowder
TH - Crock pot lasagna
F - Big apple french toast casserole
S - Pizza
S - Tuscan beef stew

Shopping Trip
Winco

S&W chili beans - FREE
cream of chicken soup - .72
beef broth - .58
2 cans white beans - 1.36
4 cans chicken broth - 2.32 (.75 coupon)
2 cans tuna - 1.00
Tomato soup - .50
crushed tomatoes - 1.86
salad dressing - 2.78 (.75 coupon)
diced tomatoes - .98
applesauce - 1.43
tomato sauce - .48
ricotta cheese - 2.09
egg beaters - 2.27
bacon - 2.48
Parmesan wedge - 2.57
shredded mozzarella - 1.48
butter - 1.98
creamer - 2.50 (1.50 coupon)
apple cinnamon Cheerios - 2.48 (.75 coupon)
Cheerios - 1.78 (1.00 coupon)
Texas toast - 3.76 (1.00 coupon)
4.2 pounds sugar - 1.94
3.75 pounds flour - .98
3.8 pounds powdered sugar - 2.64
.50 pounds walnuts - 1.54
.25 pounds lasagna noodles - .32
4 pounds Fuji apples - .98
cantaloupe - 1.39
green onions - .38

total = $41.82

Costco

2 gallons milk - 3.96
salad - 3.99
Disney nuggets - 11.99
2 doz eggs - 2.29
sausage - 13.99
bananas - 1.32

total = $37.54

weekly total = $79.36

over by $9.36

boy does he grow!

Day one October 17, 2008

1st Birthday October 17, 2009

2nd Birthday October 17, 2010

Party time!

We had a party at our house for Kai's 2ND birthday and all the family came over. We had a great time and the little guest of honor could not have had more fun. His party was all about his favorite train "Thomas" and everyone was on board with train gifts. He is in choo choo heaven and couldn't decide what ones to take to bed with him last night. Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us and made it the best day possible!

Oh and never mind the cake. It started to melt in the heat of our house and the frosting was starting to slide off the cake. Didn't matter it still tasted good!

What a cake train looks like after it derails!

Kai is Two!

Happy Birthday my little sleepy head.
12:00am

Rice Krispie Treats

Eli loves to help me in the kitchen. Anytime I start the stand mixer he comes running from all corners of the house. Last weekend I needed to make some Marsh mellow fondant and he really wanted to help. I didn't necessarily want him in the kitchen with me at the time, so I made a deal. the deal was if he stayed out until I was done I would let him make a special treat all by himself.

He did stay out and in no time we were making rice krispie treats.








Here's the funny thing. As much as Eli likes to help me measure, pour, stir and bake, He really has no interest in eating the treats. SIGH, mom was left to eat the rice krispie treats.

Menu plan Monday and shopping trip roundup

breakfast - This week it will be more of the usual With quick easy on the go breakfasts for the week, Brian making his big breakfast for us on Saturday and my favorite Big Apple French Toast Casserole on Sunday for Kai's birthday.

Lunch - mostly just sandwich's but we have a few days where I still haven't figured out where we will be so there may be a few on the road meals (aka Mickey D's dollar menu)

Dinner

M - Left overs
T - Crock pot Ginger Chicken and stir fry veggies
W - Zucchini boats
TH - Kielbasa slow cooker soup
F - Turkey meat loaf, mashed potatoes and broccoli
S - Dinner out with friends
S - Kai's 2nd birthday party!

So this week I got excited about some sales, and even knowing better I stocked up and spent to much money! The Fred Meyer trip busted my budget. I saw a good price on progresso soup and went wild. I also made a couple stupid moves while at FM. I had 2 coupons for $1.50 off 1qt size coffee mate creamer. FM had 2 for $4 creamer. I saw creamer for $.50 in my mind. except the small print on their sale price was 1pt size! Thankfully they had the QT size on sale but I still could have saved a buck over all if I had purchased them at my normal store Winco. Also for some reason I had it stuck in my head the sale price on yogurt was cheaper than what it would have cost me at Winco. Again, it worked out to costing me $1.20 more at FM than at Winco even after the coupons! So lesson learned.

STOP SHOPPING AT FRED MEYER!

Winco

5.6lbs powdered sugar - 3.86
frozen veggies - 1.58
kielbasa sausage - 2.28
1.25lbs broccoli - .98
butter - 1.98
2 qogurts - 3.96 (.75 off coupon)
onions - .78
3 buttermilk - 1.14
1 red bell - 1.16 (overcharged $.58)
.26lb mushroom - .77
green pepper - .58
Knorr veggi soup - 1.47
Crisco spray - 1.98 (.75 coupon)
4 swanson broth - 2.32
Crisco sticks - 2.82 (.50 coupon)
2 diced tomatoes - 1.16
pinto beans - .58
3 cake mix - 2.64
salad dressing - 1.88
eggbeaters - 2.27(.75 coupon)
2lb carrots - .98

total = $34.42

Costco

peanut butter - 7.99
salad - 3.99
croutons - 5.35
bananas - 1.32
coffee - 9.99
milk - 3.98

total = $32.62

Fred Meyer

2 doz eggs - 1.98
2 creamers - 5.98(3.00 coupons)
10 soups - 10.50 (overcharged .50)
12 yogurts - 7.20 (.80 coupon)
toothpaste - 1.99 (.75 coupon)

total = $23.10 so ashamed :(


Grand total = $90.14 Oye, vey!



few lessons learned. Check your receipts, I hate overcharges. and I will say it again

STOP SHOPPING AT FRED MEYERS!


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Get ready to WIGGLE!

The Wiggles made another visit to Everett this year on their worldwide tour. Since the boys are older now and still Wiggle fans I snatched up tickets as quick as I could when they went on pre-sale. I was shocked however when I found out the same seats we had at our first show were now 100% more than last time. Don't they know that Americans are in a recession? So no floor seats for us this year we sat in the second row balcony. the seats weren't bad but it would have been a little more fun to dance up near the stage. The Wiggles were fantastic, and I am so glad we went. If I have to sit and listen to a kiddie concert at least the boys from Australia make it fun for he grownups too.