Bike

Hero has learned how to ride her bike without training wheels.

Coupons

I have a thing for coupons. I inherited it from my mom. She is the all-out queen of coupons.
For example, if I save $6 on an item that costs $10, my mom will outdo me by getting the item for free (with a rebate) and getting more money off by using a coupon. Better than free. She's got me beat. So, for everyone who is not as coupon-smart as my mom, I offer some tips:

1. Double coupons
I shop at Vons. They'll double your coupon up to $1
2. Sale
Only buy items that are on sale. Be on the lookout, while in the store for items (especially toiletries) that are "reduced for quick sale." These make your coupon savings stretch farther.
3. List
While making out your grocery list, (yes, you should be making a list even if you don't have coupons) include the size of the item along with the quantity that the coupon requires. Do not buy anything not on your list unless you can get for more than 75 % off.
4. Organizer
If possible, bring all your coupons with you. Many items may be on sale but not in the Ad. If you can't (my Mom has a box full of coupons) only bring coupons for items you know you will use. If your family doesn't like Cheez Whiz, there is no point in buying it even if it only costs 50 cents.
5. Brands
You may need to buy a brand you wouldn't normally buy.
6. Stock Up
Buy items you know you will always use, such as toilet paper and toothpaste, when they are on sale.
7. Don't Fall for It!
Many of the coupons you get out of the Sunday paper are for "new" or "improved" items. Before you buy into these, make sure that the item is something you will actually use, does not cost more money in the long run (think refillable air fresheners), and there is not a cheaper, comparable item.

Clipping coupons is not for the faint hearted. It does take a little effort and planning but it is worth it when you see how much money you save.

Water

We recently put a hand-held shower massager in our children's bathroom. It works great in the kid's bathroom and it allows me to rinse out their hair quite thoroughly without them leaning back under the faucet. Last night I used it on Hero's hair, but when I went to put it back, I didn't face it the right way. (There was water on the floor by the tub, I had socks on, and I had to stretch to put the shower head back on while avoiding the aforementioned liquid.) Of course, I didn't think that this was much of a problem, because I would be the one to take it off again anyway. I left Hero in the tub and went into my room to put things away. The water was still running from the faucet due to a need for a satisfactory amount of bubbles. Well, two minutes later, I hear Hero yelling. I also hear water coming from the shower. I run into the bathroom only to be sprayed in the face with pelting H2O. Hero had leaned her head back under the faucet and when she sat up, her hair became entangled in the knob that turns the shower on. Needless to say, I got my socks wet.

Sunday

Okay, so I know that it is Thursday already, but this post is about last Sunday. I arrived a little before the first service so that I could sing with the choir. I only had Ransom with me. The other two would come later with Daddy. When I went into the nursery to drop off the baby, I was relieved that one of the workers was already there. To my surprise, she was down on her knees praying. This was a great encouragement to me because, not only was she watching my youngest child in the nursery, she would be teaching Jericho's Sunday school class the next hour. I was thrilled to be reminded that not only were my children in her capable hands, they were also in God's.

Fourth Month Check-up

Wow! Ransom is already four months now. He is getting to be such a big boy. He now weighs 15lbs 2oz and is 25" long. This is just above average in both categories. He got three shots today, so he is a little grumpy...I don't notice much difference really. Unfortunately, the hydrocele that he has had since birth still has not gone away. The doctor gave us a referral to a urologist. He will probably have to have a minor operation, but will go home the same day. Other than that things are going just fine baby wise.

Telephone lines

As we were driving home today, Hero noticed some men working on the telephone wires. She said that maybe the reason our phone was out (on Saturday and Sunday) was because someone had been working on the wires and they forgot to put ours back in. While this wasn't exactly the case with ours, I was amazed at the way she had thought this all through. She then proceeded to tell her brother that the phone lines go all the way up to Oregon, and that is how we talk to Meredith.
On a side note, our phone was out because the line that links our street to the phone line was severed. Funny thing is, only our house was affected?! We received our Verizon bill today. It has a little note on it that says, "Our 99.99% reliability for voice service means you'll probably never need to call us." How do they come up with 99.99% when my service has been interrupted twice? Oh yes, if you ever need repair service from Verizon, they will show up between 8Am and 8PM the next day. How convenient. Just give them a call...

Shorse

When Hero was doing her school work today, she accidentally misspelled "horse". I said, "Hero, you're so silly, there is no such thing as a 'shorse'." Her reply, "A 'shorse' is a short horse. That's so funny, it would tip over!" So, there you have it, a shorse.

Mmmmm...

...sweet potatoes