Thirty Days Has September

I know this is not a very original post title (as you will understand soon), but...

I just finished a book that my sister-in-law gave me for my birthday, Thirty Days Has September, cool ways to remember stuff. It was fun to read and will probably serve as homeschooling wisdom for later. It covers topics like grammar, history, geography, math and general knowledge. Different formulas, dates, and rules are made into rhymes, songs, or mnemonics to ease the remembering. I sure wish I had had this book back when I was teaching middle school math!!!

88 cents

at CVS and Walgreens a couple of weeks ago

Weekly deals

If you are in the market for:

• Diapers
• Body Wash/Shampoo
• Contact Solution

...then this week's shopping was for you. I have been trying to keep up with the "drugstore game." It has been pretty rewarding. I do think I will tear my hair out at Walgreens though!!! No official coupon policy and it changes ever day and with every different store you go in!!! I have been getting so many groceries with about $2 out of pocket every week for close to $20-30 of groceries. Items like diapers, deodorant, candles, windex, shampoo, hair clips, wipes, body wash, razors, toothpaste, medicines, etc... I generally only buy the items that are free or money makers each week. (other than diapers) The picture below cost 88 cents for all items!

Today...CVS- 1 big box of diapers ($20), and 2 power bars ($1 each) for $7 but I got back $12 in store credit. Walgreens- 2 containers of Gilette body wash/shampoo ($4.50 each), 1 big bottle of contact solution ($7.50) for $2 and got back $12 in store credit there too. Both money makers...not to mention things we use.

For those who need diapers, here is how the deal worked. I printed a $3.00 coupon online (Coupons.com) for the Huggies Diapers. I had gotten a $3.00 CVS coupon by scanning my CVS card at their booth. I used a $4 off $20 purchase (buy one power bar (free after ECB) or other small item to put over the $20 since the diapers are $19.99) I used the $4/20 first. Stacked with the CVS coupon and the online coupon. You get back $10 ECB with Huggies box diaper purchase. This meant free diapers after other coupons and store credit!!!

PS this post is dedicated to Suzi! :)

Motivated by fear

I have been thinking a lot about how "we" respond when motivated by fear. It can prompt us to do all sorts of things we would never do otherwise. My parents told me about an Afghani friend of 4 years in SA who just chased my father away, never to be seen again. He even reminded my dad he could turn him in to the authorities for proselytizing. Fear over his own plight if it were discovered that he had been discussing Christianity in an oppressive muslim world?
Backtrack 60 years. I just finished a book, Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay. It was recommended recently by one of my friends. It is a thought-provoking read. (note: definitely some adult topics addressed and from a non-Christian perspective). It is a historical fiction book that takes place in Paris during WWII. The historical part is the tale of the Vel d'Hiv Roundup that took place in July 1942. This roundup was done by French policemen, under the orders of Gestapo. However, apparently, they rounded up the young children too, not part of orders. There has been criticism toward the French for this. Their actions were deplorable and wrong. Imagine, however, the fear these Frenchmen experienced. Probably the great motivator.
Perhaps this is why I John 4:16-19 says, "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us." Jesus alone provides that perfect love to drive out our fear, enabling us to respond with peace and love in the midst of frightning circumstances. There but for God's grace and love, we could all make those same horrible choices when fear overtakes us.

T-minus 2 months

Dear 22 month old,

My how time has flown!!! I still wonder when you first started growing up, but subtly as it has been, it is happening. (and yeah for more fun ahead!)

This past month there are a few new things to note.

1. You have been teething like crazy--it is really hard to keep track of how many teeth you have now, but there are at least 2 new ones on the bottom and some more back molars coming in (I can feel the bumps). Your whole hand has been in your mouth much of the time, but not much complaining. Sweet boy!
2. You have started eating like more of a grown-up. As you have become a bit more adventurous (sometimes yes, sometimes no), we have begun eating together as a family. You have mostly eaten what we have eaten. The same veggies, fries, beans and rice, mac and cheese, steak, chicken, etc... This makes mealtime quite a bit easier. You are more fascinated with eating food that comes off of Mommy's plate. So depending on your mood, either I will be starved to death shortly or a tub-o-lard eating your portion too (still often the case, little fickle eater).
3. Cars are by far your favorite toy. You will tear through the house on your dump truck ride-on toy. (all ride-ons are favorites) You also love your matchbox cars and will play with them for hours. Along with the basket of easter eggs that get dumped on the floor several times a day. Your hand/eye coordination is getting better though as you practice putting the eggs back together again.
4. This month, we headed back to the neighborhood pool for the first time this year. Your first several times you clung to me for dear life (even with a floaty on) and were pinching me so hard I almost cried. You have since calmed a bit but still far more cautious than last summer. You do enjoy the small pool with slide we bought for the backyard.
5. You have worn Huggies diapers mostly this month. They fit much better than Pampers and so you can even wear size 5 overnight (vs. size 6 and constant leaks). We have begun talking about potty training. You have let me know several times after you have gone potty in your diaper. First step. And the second step of getting you used to sitting on the potty has been accomplished too. Many more steps to go though.

6. You love to be tickled. I will tickle you. You will laugh. We take a breather and then you say "'gain," and the game starts all over again.
7. You are such a big helper (sometimes). You will often take trash and throw it away for me. You love to pick things up that I have dropped. You even, unbidden by me, got the laundry basket from the other room and picked up the dirty clothes that were on the laundry room floor! You love to help mop and vacuum too. What a sweetheart!
8. We went to the church 40th anniversary festivities this month. You enjoyed the kiddie rides a bunch, not a huge fan of the bouncy house (did your daddy give you a warning on the dangers?), and tolerated the pony ride before a complete meltdown and bedtime.
   
9. You LOVE to read books (or have them read to you). You actually mostly listen intently and look at the pictures and point out "balls" and such as we go. You have read some of your books back to me though-- single words on each page memorized and repeated back (without prompting) as you turned the pages.

10. You love to order us around- "out" or "bye bye" when you want to go somewhere, "down" when you want me to sit down and play with you, "up" when you want me to get up and go somewhere with you, "milk" or "juice" when you are thirsty. Sometimes you will add "please" or "thank you." Sometimes you do just mean to inform us that you are "running off" as you say "bye bye" and make certain we respond before you toddle off into another room or your hiding cupboard. Your language has begun to blossom--you often surprise me with new words, including many animal sounds that I did not even know you knew.

What a joy you have become! We love you so dearly, silly little boy!!!

apple bobbing champion

What prompts our children to do what they do? His first plan was to stand up in his chair and double over to get the peas. After Mommy put a stop to that, he stretched out as far as he could while remaining seated to do the same.

the mysterious case of the open dryer

Yesterday, I was quite sure that I had closed the dryer and turned it on. It read 76 minutes left. I then left and went to run some errands. Upon returning home, I left David in the car to put a few frozen groceries away. I came into the laundry room to find the dryer door open. I was puzzled. I rethought the situation. I was sure I had turned it on. Sure enough, the dryer was "paused" and now read 42 minutes left. What had happened? Do you think that a cat once gotten in could get back out? It seems more logical that David opened it, but I could have sworn that I had my eyes on him the whole time for the very few minutes before we left for errands. Certainly I was not at the house for 30 minutes before leaving? Are dryers built to be "cat escape friendly?"

Oh, and PS this is not our kitty...ours would never allow themselves to be caught in the act.

PSS when I asked David about opening the dryer, here's what he said, "Keey cat, nauhey." Which translates, "kitty cat, naughty." Hmmm...wonder if there is something he knows we do not.

a date or two

the first being an Astros game several weeks ago attended by several other couples in our Sunday school class, and my bro and wife.

the second was last Friday night when Michael planned our date, dinner and entertainment at the Aquarium restaurant downtown.

The calamari was good, but the dinner was quite possibly the worst I have had in a long time. I ordered one of the "favorites," as advertised both by the menu and our waitress. It was a soggy lettuce salad that was absolutely, positively bland...a few kernels of corn, even fewer black beans, tasteless avocado, and bland wonton strips were all that were in this salad. The shrimp on the top were edible but also very bland, despite their tortilla out-crust. (and anyone who knows me, knows that I prefer my food more bland than heavily seasoned...that means this was BLAND) Michael was equally unimpressed.

We agreed that some of the fish were interesting. Our favorite was the Shovelnose Guitarfish, which had an irridescent snout. Sorry the pictures are so blurry...camera phone.

the bent of man

I know all man is born into sin, but it has been never more apparent than recently. David has picked up a new word "Mine!" And this I think I can safely say he has not learned from us (since we rarely use it and never in the context he does!) What makes a child grab a toy (his or otherwise) and yell "MINE!" at any threat to his own desires?

Proverbs 22:15

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Jeremiah 17:9

“ The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

And what is the solution?

Jeremiah 24:7

Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

Ezekiel 36:26

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Only in Jesus' power!

Fashion sense

You tell me...do David and I match? When I look at the pictures, I suppose it is harder to tell how different our outfits were yesterday, but honestly! We had 2 separate people comment on how we were wearing matching outfits! (his was blue plaid and khaki shorts, mine black and white checked and black top).

Barbies and GI Joes

I woke up this morning (as I often do) wishing that I were a doll whose waist twists. As soon as I got my legs comfortable, my upper body was uncomfortable but as soon as the back was flat and comfortable, the legs were not. Why can I not just twist my legs one direction while maintaining a rigid upper body???