We can live without 2, but not 11!

So we finally got the digital converter box set up in our house (yeah, I know, we are probably the only people in our generation without cable) only to find we don't have channel 2. Bummer since we do love The Amazing Race, but that's the only show on CBS we watch. Then today Charlotte wanted to watch Martha (as in Martha Speaks-a dog that talks, not Martha Stewart.) No problem! Oh but wait, we don't have channel 11 either! (My first thought was how could this be? Charlotte must have watched TV this week since we installed the box!) Oh crap, NOW we have to get cable for:
1. Mommy breaks
2. Friday date night (since we can't afford to go out we go out vicariously through Check, Please!)

Good thing this conversion doesn't happen until June now, because I just turned off the box and Charlotte was able to watch Curious George for the above mentioned mommy break! I do have to focus on making dinner after all!

My Target Deal

We were in desperate need for diapers today (Eli was wearing a size 6 diaper this morning) so a Target trip was in order. And boy did I struck gold! The Huggies jumbo pack was on sale for $9.99 (which I usually do not buy because the jumbo pack is the one with the least amount of diapers so a higher cost per diaper.) However, I had a $1.50 manufacturer coupon, plus a $2.00 Target coupon (you can stack store coupons and man. coupons) to bring the cost of the diapers to $6.49. Yes, a pretty good deal, but it gets better! When I picked up the diapers, there was a coupon attached for getting a container of Huggie wipes for FREE (normally $2.39). So diapers and wipes for $6.49-not bad!

On the other hand, I did spend $10.99 on special Nature Baby diapers, because Elijah has a NASTY diaper rash that will NOT go away and we are willing to do anything and everything to help it heal, including spending $10.99 on 34 diapers that are all natural with no chemicals.

Ultimate Game Night

On February 7, we welcomed friends into our home for our 2nd annual Valentine's party, which was an Ultimate Game Night. 28 people were there (and Jason and Roxanne, you were there in spirit!) We had a fabulous time eating yummy food, playing fun games, and Greg and I had an especially fun time since we won third place!! (can't help but mention our competitive spirit!) Special rockstar shout outs to Kimberly for creating the trivia so Greg and I could participate, mom for making and shipping her oh so delicious truffles that Charlotte loves (by the way, I asked Charlotte what she wanted for breakfast today and she said truffles! Forget the fact that they were gone by Sunday afternoon!), and Rebekah and Swen, our host and hostess who made the evening so much more fun for us. Save the date for next year's party, which will be Saturday, February 6, 2010!

Hurt

As we were enjoying dinner tonight Charlotte said to me, "I don't like you very much. I like daddy." OUCH!!! I didn't even think I heard her correctly, so I asked her to repeat herself. And unfortunately my ears were right the first time. Then, I didn't even know how to respond to her. She's 2, not 12 or 16, so I was not expecting that at all, especially since I think I'm a pretty likable person/mom. So I explained how she hurt my feelings and that I love her very much. Then Greg asked me how my day was and I started crying! (Still hurt by Charlotte's comment, especially since I thought we had a likable day together-playing with playdough, cleaning together, reading.) Even writing this I'm getting all teary eyed, and I don't even know why. Surely Charlotte does really like me. Now I'm gonna go and call my mom and apologize for all the times I told her I didn't like her (which I'm pretty sure happened in my teens and later.)

My $0.31 purchase

Today at CVS I bought:
2 Colgate toothpastes
A Colgate toothbrush
A 3 pack of Irish Springs soap
2 Softsoap hand soaps
1 bottle of Softsoap Radiant body wash
all for $0.31! Yes, that is 31 cents!!

So, I'm trying something new after reading about CVS and their extra care bucks on other websites like centsiblesavings and iheartcvs, thanks to Greg's cousin Sara whose blog introduced me to these money saving tips.

So CVS sells things that earn you Extra Care Bucks (ECBs or "paper money.") The key to using the ECBs is to spend it on things that give you more ECBs, so you are always rotating paper money, and of course this works better too when you stack manufacturer's coupons on top on these already sale items.

Now, I'm still learning the drill and didn't do too well, because I spent 12 ECBs and only earned 5 back, so technically I spent 7 paper money. When I get really good at this, I will hopefully buy things that give me more ECBs than I use to pay for my purchase. I'll keep everyone posted! And darn it that I had a $1 off man. coupon that I forgot about, so instead of spending 12 ECBs, I could have only spent 11, ugh!

A 2 1/2 year old's logic

Me to Eli: That was a nice catnap you had there.

Charlotte: Oooh, Eli's a cat now!?!

A God Story: Not for the Faint of Heart

So, we've been working with Charlotte for quite awhile potty training. We are of the belief that it will happen in her own timing with no pressure from us (OK, so maybe we give her a little pressure.) We always follow her leads, and occasionally we'll ask her if she needs to go potty and occasionally have her sit on the potty right when she gets up. Now, when I say potty training, I mean strictly peeing. Pooping has been an entirely different story as she often does not want to sit on the potty when it comes to her pooping. (As I write this, I realize she is going to hate me years from now when she realizes I have shared with the world about her potty training.) Anyway, Charlotte is very good about telling us when she just had a bowel movement or she has even told us as it is happening, but we can never get here to the potty in time (until today). I asked her a random question, not even about going to the bathroom, and she said "I just pooping," so I rushed her to the bathroom and sighed a huge sigh of relief when I realized we made it to the bathroom without any sign of poop. So I sat her on the potty and she promptly says she was all done, which I know wasn't true. So we decide to talk and wait it out briefly. I'm telling her it is OK, sometimes it hurts, etc.
Me: "I'm right here, it's OK."
Charlotte: "Jesus is right, too."
Huh?
Me: "Do you mean Jesus is right here too?
Charlotte: "Yeah, Jesus is right here too."
Me: "Do you want me to pray to Jesus and ask him to help you poop?"
Charlotte: "Yeah."
And we grasp hands and while I'm praying she pooped.
And then she got her 4 M&Ms.