You're so Good for Me!

Our trip to "Galoon" enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

T-bird Time

We took the awesome opportunity to go to the Air Show at Hill AFB this year. We have gone before and used to be able to watch the show from our front porch. This year we went with our friends the Satterfield's. We had an awesome time! We will miss them dearly (even though I know we abandoned them first) when they move next month to Idaho where Trevor gets to continue his career as a doctor. It is true they are "Movin' on Up." We have spent several nights trying to figure out how to move with them.

Free and Almost Free Friday

This was another great shopping week!

3 boxes Quaker Delights FREE

2 Mars Candy Bars FREE

1 Quaker Oatmeal Pancake Mix FREE

3 1/2 Gallons Over the Moon Milk .49

2 Grey Poupon .68

6 boxes of Jello .33

2 GiGiorno flatbread melts .27

3 California Pizza Kitchen flatbread melts .68

2 Country Time Lemonade canisters .40

4 8oz blocks Kraft Cheese .81

2 8oz bags shredded Kraft Cheese .36

2 boxes Premium crackers .68

2 bottles Kraft bbq sauce FREE

2 boxes Planters nut bars .68

3 boxes Triscuits .14

5 boxes Wheat Thins .11
2 boxes Ritz .68

1 McCormick Grinders seasonings .59

2 jugs Treetop Apple Juice .48

1 32oz jar Miracle Whip .34

1 1.5 qt Dreyers Icecream FREE

1 16oz all beef Oscar Mayer franks FREE

2 6 double roll packs Angel Soft $1.65

Total saved at the grocery store $333.47!!!

I also got:

1 Redbox Code FREE
6 pairs of jeans for the boys for BTS $5.29 each from Crazy 8

Metamorphosis

If you were to ask me what word(s) described my Parker it would be free spirit. From the beginning of his life he has been a free spirit.

It took us 13 months to finally get the good news that he was coming to earth. He is my only child that came on his own without an induction. He weaned himself from nursing overnight at 8.5 months old. Cold turkey! It was a killer I tell ya! Although it was a relief because I was working it was kind of sad too. 2 weeks later at 9 months he was walking and 2 weeks after that he was running. A running 9.5 month old is pretty scary!

He was a terror as a toddler and into everything. He destroyed more things than I can even count, like blinds, curtains, chairs. . . He climbed everything and jumped off it. He is our only child to have multiple black eyes, stitches and staples in the back of his head. I'm sure a few broken bones will be next.

Parker is also the child I have the fewest memories of. (Obviously I remember the bad stuff see the previous paragraph.) I was teaching, I was Primary President, and the most of all Brandon was sick. Every day was spent focusing on doing jobs and taking care of Daddy. I did manage to keep my children alive and I know we did lots of things but I have no memories of holding Parker, nursing Parker, reading to Parker, playing with Parker from about 4 months old - 3.5 years old.

Soooo. . . 2 summers ago when Parker had just turned 4 and the opportunity presented itself I decided to teach preschool to Parker and 6 other children his age in the ward. We transformed our family room into a preschool and I just knew he and I could make up for lost time. Although overall it was a positive experience Parker was the worst behaved child in the class. He spent multiple days in his room in time-out. It was really discouraging. Plus during this time he was also the worst behaved child in the church primary and I wasn't even a primary worker. Seriously ask around the Roy 31st Ward they will back me up.

Parker also has a later birthday, May 19th. As a teacher I know most of the time it's the older kids that have the easiest time in school. Parker could barely write his name by the end of preschool, only knew a few letters and a few sounds. Developmentally he just was not there yet. I told several friends I wished his birthday was a little later even June because I could have justified waiting a year.

Brandon and I were bracing ourselves for a long hard year. I knew the reading and fine motor stuff would come along but the behavior issues seriously concerned us. One day my mom said, "Steph, he'll be fine. He just needs a really good kindergarten teach to break him a little from his free spiritedness." Now I've worked with a lot of kindergarten teachers and there are good ones and not so good ones. Christian got a not so good one. She was on her 5th year of teaching but had no classroom management besides shoooshing the kids 3 million times a day. I used to sit in the back of the room weekly correcting papers just cringing. It was so bad. She also had the children at their desks ALL the time doing a dozen worksheets a day and then they brought another dozen home for homework each night. I honestly considered going back to work just so I could take Christian with me. Christian did fine but I knew in this environment Parker wouldn't.

Brandon and I started praying hard. The new year started and we were in a new place and at a new school. Back to school night came and we went to visit Parker's new kindergarten teacher, Mrs. LaMont. From our visit I was impressed. She is an amazing teacher with an awesome philosophy! Parker thrived and had awesome behavior.

He has grown so much this last year. It's hard to believe he's the same child. SO. . .

Dear Mrs. LaMont,

Thanks for a great year. Thanks for loving and helping Parker. We will miss you! The world needs more teachers like you!

Love,

The Parish's

Sweet Summertime!

This should be titled Busy Summertime but I am looking forward to things settling down a little and spending some time with my kids.

I decided on a few goals for this summer:

#1 Do at least one fun thing together a week that is away from home.

#2 Reading time every day.

#3 Get out and exercise everyday.

#4 Work on one thing in Christian's scout book each day starting June 6th. He already has his bear and 7 arrow points but he earned 11 arrow points as a Wolf and I don't want his uniform to look funny. I know I'm selfish.

Achieving #1:

We did this a couple of summers ago. I wanted it to be a summer they would never forget and they haven't! So why not do it again? The tricky part is finding the funds but you know me I've been planning and preparing so I think I have it all worked out! The budget for "Fun Things" is $200. We will be taking advantage of many free days at a lot of attractions and discount passes and of course coupons. :) We are also planning a "Staycation" to SLC and trying to keep to $500.

Our tentative schedule will be as follows:

Week #1

Aggie ice cream Factory Tour

Airshow with the Thunderbirds at Hill AFB.

Week #2

Lagoon

Week #3

Swimming Lessons all week
Movie on Friday or Saturday

Week #4

Bluebird Candy Factory Tour

Roy Aquatic Center

Week #5

Cache Valley Fun Park - Soft Play & Rollerskating

4th of July parade, Willow Park Zoo, Picnic at the Park

Week #6

Day Camp for Christian
Ice Skating at the Ice Sheet
Star show at the Ott Planetarium

Week #7

This is the week of our Staycation. We are getting 2 nights hotel in SLC and SL Connect passes.

2 nights Hotel w/free breakfast $178

Connect passes $175.80

Remaining food, etc $146.20

We will use the passes to visit:

Day 1:

Hogle Zoo

This is the Place Heritage Park

Red Butte Garden (maybe)

Dinner at the Lion House included with the purchase of the pass

Day 2:

Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Utah Museum of Natural History

Clark Planetarium (one Star Theater and one IMAX Theater admission)

Discovery Gateway

Day 3:

The Living Planet Aquarium
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort tram ride

We will then camp for the Weekend in Idaho for our annual family reunion

Week #8:

Logan Aquatic Center for Family Night

Cox Honeyland factory Tour

Week #9:

Casper's Ice cream Factory tour in Richmond

Rockhill creamery dairy tour in Richmond

Pepperidge Farm in Richmond

Treehouse Children's Museum

Week #10:

Week's Berries of Paradise Tour

Union Station Museums

Ogden Nature Center

Week #11:

Dinosaur Park

We will also work in another camping trip one weekend somewhere, a couple trips to the farmer's market downtown, a trip to our family cabin which usually happens at the end of August, and we will be doing the school's summer reading program every Thursday at the school.

Then. . .

Summer's over. :(

May Savings Update

Since I know everyone waits with baited breath the hear how much money I have saved. Sorry for no post on Friday. I've got a life you know. :) I thought I'd update you all.

I hit the produce co-op again on May 30th! I picked up 2 shares, one for me and one for my sister. Each cost $15.75. Then I got a Mexican pack for myself. It's kind of hard to see in the picture but the Mexican pack inlcuded:

1lb tomatillos

10 key limes

1 bunch green onions

5 jalapenos

2 large yellow onions

3 garlics

1 bunch chilantro

1 lb corn tortillas

Not too bad for an extra $5.50

Again I don't think all this would have cost $50 if you take into consideration that most of this stuff is on sale this week but we definately saved at least $20-$25 again! The best news is is that they are coming to Cache Valley in the very near future!!! They have site managers lined up! I can't wait!

Today I used some of my produce to make Mango Salsa

I used:

1 mango diced

1/2 Avacado diced

2 tomatoes diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper minced

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 minced cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp lime juice

A couple tablespoons minced red onion (I eyeballed it)

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

SO yummy!

Then I used the other 1/2 of avacado and made guacamole.

So how did I do for the month of May anyway?

I spent $299.31 (just in under budget! YAY!)

This was for all groceries, houshold supplies, health and beauty items and even diapers.

I saved $775.58

For a savings of 72%!!!