Do you Freecycle?

Does your community have a freecycle organization? Have you used it? This is an awesome organization. It is an online community with one goal; pass it along to someone who could use it so that you don’t throw it away. The goal is to keep perfectly good things out of the land fills.First you join the group at http://www.freecycle.org/. Then you are set up to post items you would like to give away, or items that are wanted. You send an email and then it is sent to everyone in the group. People then email you if they are interested in your item or if they have an item they would like to give to you that you have requested. Everything is FREE and no money is to exchange hands. I have seen in my community people give away furniture, TV’s, appliances, clothes, you name it I think I have seen it. I have never requested anything but I have given away a few things and it is so simple. Once you post the item, those interested send you an email with an interest in the item. Finally you get to decide who gets the item and they come pick it up.This is such a novel concept and bravo to the person who thought of it. Finally I thank all those that participate and who act as moderators to keep such a great thing going.

Paperless Coupons

Coupons are one of those things that I love and I hate. I tend to clip them all the time and then I either forget to take them to the grocery store or forget to use them. Then it never fails when I have them to use they have expired. Recently I found a new thing called Proctor & Gamble E-saver. I am a Kroger shopper and some of you might not be familiar with Kroger but P&G had other stores that you could load your coupons to if there isn't a Kroger in your area. On the Kroger web site you can go in and select P&G e-saver program, sign up and pick your coupons. You don’t have to print anything out you enter your Kroger card number when you sign up. Then you select the coupons that you want or will use and they are saved to memory on your Kroger card.Now when I go shopping I can’t forget my coupons because they are already attached to my Kroger card. I love this!

The funnies of a 5 year old

My son Luke seems to be a very witty and funny kid. He keeps me in stitches regularly with his comments and his choices of words. The other day we are in the car after his t-ball game. He received his game snack and it was the Yo-Go’s yogurt. Now Luke does not like yogurt and I didn’t think he would eat these. He opens them up and takes a bite and here is what happens next:

Luke…. "Wooo! I didn’t see that coming. Those are surprisingly good."

Now we are just cracking up in the car because of how he says this. Now, I was surprised by his choice of words. Later I figured out exactly where he got these crazy words. On TV there is a commercial for KFC and a girl tries there chicken wings and says this very saying.

I think my son has had a little too much TV time here recently. It was still very funny to me.

Do you tell your family you love them enough?

Yesterday we did our annual trip to the county fair with the kids. My mom, aunt, cousins, sister-in-laws and my brother all go with all of our kids. We are one large and crazy group. The kids have a great time every year and it is really fun.
This year it was a little sad and I did a lot of reflecting yesterday about life. My cousin recently lost her husband in a tragic accident. She has been left behind with three kids and a fourth on the way. He was the family provider and she home schools her children. Anyway, she was with us as she is every year and you could often see the hurt on her face as we went about our day. You could just tell she was think of him or something reminded her of him. A few times she talked about him like he was still around. I am sure you can't just change gears and talk about them in the past tense. It really made me very sad!
As I was driving home with my two boys in the back of the car sleeping the radio was playing. The song from Garth Brooks came on "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and this really made me start thinking. I rage on my husband often and I don't give him enough credit and since my second child has come along I really don't tell him how much I do love him. Would he know how much I really do love him if I was gone tomorrow or will he remember me yelling at him and telling him I am running away from home because he is no help.
I think we get so caught up in our everyday lives and all the things we need to do, places to go, etc.. that we just don't stop and appreciate what we do have.
Every night I say a prayer to the lord and I always thank him for my family, kids and husband and the blessed life that we live. I have been doing this for a long time now but I don't tell my family how I am feeling.

Sick Again

This has been one really long weekend. My baby has been sick all weekend long. I took Thomas to the pediatrician Saturday, and he is now on antibiotics. I don't know what they put in Amoxicillin but both my boys love it and it is the easiest medicine to give to my kids. If only they were all this easy.
Thomas has had really high fevers, he can barley eat or sleep with any comfort because he is so congested. Thomas is a kid on the go all the time and the last three days he wants nothing but his mom and their is no putting him down.
I called in sick to work again today because Thomas is still running a fever. They come and go but they haven't stopped.
Here is just another case of why I shouldn't be working. I have already missed 10 days this year from illness and only one of those was a day where I was sick. I think if is very unfair to my employer. My husband always says he will take off next time but every time next time comes around he can't for one reason or another.
The good news is I have a very understanding employer. I don't know how employers can't be understanding these days especially when both parents work. I still think I am being very unfair to my employer but until my husband sees it that way or I get fired nothing is going to change.
What do other working moms do?