Smoothies

Do you like smoothies and don't like to pay $5 for them? Well Tropical Smoothies has this promotion that if you text 839863 and type in Tropical (text tropical to 839863), you can get a big smoothie for $.99. You just bring in the text code to a Tropical Smoothie location to redeem your cheap smoothie. I just showed the cashier my text message. I got a smoothie for $.99 (I did have to pay tax on it.) You can do it twice a month! I love deals!
Ipuna

Birthday Girl and Jy turning 11 months

This little guy turned 11 months. It's crazy to think he is going to be a year old soon! He is so sweet. He is crawling every where and pulling himself up on things. He hasn't figured out walking out. He just started giving kisses selectively :). He loves trying to get into the toilet water (yuck) and he just figured out how to open drawers. He can't eat too many table foods because he chokes on everything still. He hasn't figured out how to use his 6 teeth yet. He is a bundle of joy.

Xayla had a birthday! She turned 4! I can't believe she is already 4. She loves cheerleading for Kobi's football team. She takes ballet classes right now as well. She is excited about starting soccer soon. She loves school and loves to read. She listens very well but is very stubborn when she wants to be. She is REALLY into princesses right now. She is so girly (I love it), but she is really competitive when she plays sports. She loves to do everything I'm doing. I love this little girl!

Valentines and stuff

Xayla is really into imagination. She talks to herself and reads (her reading) to herself. This is how I found her one night. What a princess.

Took the kids to the Atomic Testing Center on Flamingo. I had a coupon from the Entertainment Guide book, Kobi was on track break, and I wanted to do something educational. It was fun.

This hat is so out-of-line! I love it. It is so nice that we could dress our little ones the way we want and they have no idea. So funny.

This boy is getting sooooo busy. I think my mellow child is going away :(.

This little girl loves to throw her hair side to side. I caught her on camera during ballet class.

So, I think the best part of Valentines this year was that Kobi told me about 3 weeks ago, "Mom, I think I want a Valentine this year." I said, "Really. Who?"

He said, "Don't tell anyone. Lexi."

He really didn't want me to tell Dad because Dad is such a tease. He asked me almost everyday to buy something for her. He asked me constantly if Valentines was here yet. I gave her mother a heads up because I wanted to make sure Lexi was home when we came by. We had the camcorder and the camera. He wanted us to stay in the car, but oh no...we took the WHOLE family. It was soooo dang cute. Lexi looked adorable and Kobi came from basketball. He was too anxious to change. He wanted to come in a suit but did not want to change at the last minute. We are trying to grow his hair like Corbin Blue from High School musical. It's a lot of patience.

Lexi made Kobi (OK we ate almost all of them, sorry :)) cookies.
His first Valentine. So cute. She is soooo smart too. Got to love that! Thank goodness he doesn't read my blogs. He would KILL me. He gets embarrassed so easily.

Kobi's gifts.

Kobi loves football right now. He plays corner (I'm not good with the terminology) right now.

He has been loving basketball as well. He is a fist pump after making a basket. He is hustling down for defense.

So we went to the Rebel game for Valentines. K.C. ate at Chipotle's and I picked up some food from a Japanese restaurant and met him at Chipotles. So funny. We had a good time. It was so nice of K.C.'s parents to watch the kids so we could have some one on one time. I got my camera in the mail, now I just have to figure out how to use it!

K.C.'s idea of a perfect Valentines and Xayla

So Xayla started ballet. She loves it! She is so funny. She gets so jealous when K.C. and I hold hands. Here are some of her lines:
"Mom, you and Daddy can't hold hands in the car because you are going to crash and die."
"Mommy, you can't get married today (she keeps thinking we are not married) because your ring is not sparkly yet (you have to have a ring that SHE thinks is sparkly to get married).

Her latest:
"Mom you can't get married today because the leaves are still green. When they are not green you could get married.

"If you get married, I'm going to get so really mad."

"When you get married, I'm going to hide behind a tree. I'm going to shake the tree and make it fall right near you and Dad."

"Pick, love me or get married."

She is one determined little cookie. K.C. tried to tell her that we both love her and we love each other, but she did not like that answer.
The perfect Valentines spot?

So K.C. comes home yesterday and says "What are we doing Saturday night?"

I said "Nothing, that I know of."

He says, "It's Valentines."

I said, "Why don't we just put the kids to bed early, have a nice dinner alone, and sit down together to watch a movie."

He said, "No we will get a sitter."

I said, "And go where?"

"We could go to Chipotle (I do not like very much) and go to the Rebel game. (I looked at him crazy because he looked at me as if it was supposed to be the best idea ever.) What? It's cheap. All the other Dental wives thought it was a great idea (Yeah right!)."

Well, I did finally get the camera that I've been wanting
CANON EOS REBEL XSI 450D +HUGE KIT 3 LENSES 4GB (coming next week in the mail). I'm so excited because I wanted to learn how to use it so I could take Jy's 1 year pictures in a couple of months. Xayla is also turning 4 March 1st, so I would love to take her pictures as well.

I decided that I know he would LOVE to be at the Rebel game, so we will do that for Valentines, but I will get another date without kids to an event that has nothing to do with sports. :) Don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to sporting events, but I do not like it to take up EVERY SINGLE date.

Got to love my honey. By the way, he has been doing well in school. We are just trying to figure out where we will be. Here are somewhere else. I will be sure to post when I know what we are doing :).

Oops

Bad Mom! Jy is 10 months today! I need to take his 10 month pictures!

Busy Busy update

OK, reminder, if you want to go to the coupon class on Tuesday, let me know.

Update: My computer broke so I have been a little lost and finally uploaded my pictures now that I have my computer back. K.C.'s Mother started a new tradition of pajama's and bingo. We played bingo for money or presents, made gingerbread houses, and ate reindeer sandwiches. It was so much fun. I love traditions. I truly have fantastic in-laws.

Took the kids to Adventure Dome.

Jy was Santa for Christmas :). I love DI. I got that outfit at Halloween time at DI for $2. So cute! We had our traditional Christmas program at K.C.'s sister's house, Eryn, this year. It was a lot of fun. We ate our traditional soup bowls. Yummy. We tried to sing Christmas music using chimes. The kids acted out the Nativity with me trying to narrate. It should be even better next year when Jy and Keatyn are older. Jy was Jesus in a Santa outfit. Funny. Keatyn was the Angel,

Kobi was Joseph, and Xayla was Mary.

Kobi started playing basketball for the Winter. He is having fun, but he says football is his thing. We signed him up for football in the Spring, but we had no idea they would start practicing in Jan! We have practice 5-6 days a week! Xayla started ballet and we signed her up for Spring soccer. Needless to say, we are busy busy. As you can see, Jy is wasted from all of our practices.

Another note: I love his little hands! He turned 9 months. He will be 10 months tomorrow. Crazy! He is crawling and pulling himself up on things. He finally got his first tooth and then5 followed quickly after! He was in some pain, but is doing much better now.
Oh, and I cut my hair. I like it for now, but I definately like my hair longer. Eryn did a great job on the cut though.

Hosting a Coupon Class

So mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 6:30 pm. I went to a coupon class in November and since then I have been saving 50-70% at the grocery store. I waited to have a class because I wanted to make sure it worked for me first. I have talked to some of you guys about this class I attended. I can't explain the details nearly as great as this hostess can. She has saved me so much money, and I am actually building a large food storage for less then I used to spend at the store. I had no idea there was this underground secret coupon world. It is not as hard as you think. If you are like me and want to save money (I spend so much on household items and food!), this class is for you. Don't worry, there are no hidden agendas. I personally am not trying to sell anything. I just wanted to share my great experience with all of you. If you want to attend, please respond to this blog entry or e-mail me at ipunaa@msn.com. I need to have a head count by Feb 1st. If I have your e-mail, I will e-mail you my address and a reminder. If I do not have your e-mail, e-mail me and I will send out a reminder. Bring a friend that wants to save money!

Here is one example (I have this receipt and I will show it at the class, so you could believe me:)). I went to the Albertons this week. My total value for some food and household items (paper towels, laundry detergent, baby wipes, etc.) was $317.64.
From using the grocersmarts website and what I learned from the class, this was my savings:
Preferred savings $113.54
MFG coupons $36.25
Store coupons $8.6
I paid $159.25 for my shopping trip AND I got a store credit for $60 for my next Albertson's visit! The lady at the cash register said "Man you hit the jackpot" when my store credits kept printing out.

See you Feb. 3rd!

Like to go out to dinner for cheap like me? No cooking, yeah!

We went to eat at a Thai place called Ping Pongs. It was soooo good. Our bill $42 with tip. We paid $18 inlcuding the tip (for four people!). How did we do that? Well, I checked out that coupon site I mention in my last blog. This is what we did:
1. Go to http://www.thecouponmom.com/ and click on "Restaurants Coupons". It's the 3rd link on the left.
2. Click on "Save 80% on Restaurant.com certificates and get a free certificate!"
Right now the code is "CELEBRATE". It changes. This is your code to get your $25 off certificate for $2! If you buy 6 certificates ($12) you get one for free. They will e-mail you the info. for the free certificate. You have 12 months to use the certificates. You can only go to each restaurant once a month, but you have one year to use it.
It is such a cheap way to go out to eat. Our certificate was spend $35 you get $25 off. Then you have to pay for tip (and remember your $25 off only cost you $2!) The 80% off is only good until Dec. 31st so if I were you, purchase certificates now because you can use them within a year. You can purchase more then one certificate to a place. You just can only go once a month.
We gave gift certificates to people for Christmas. We would have been better off paying $2 for a $25 gift certificate and giving them the $10 to pay for the difference (because they have to psend $35). This would have cost us $12, but they could eat $35 worth of food versus us paying the $25 for a $25 certificate. I love saving money and eating out!!!!
3. Once you buy the certificate, you can print it out from your computer to your printer immediately and you have one year to use it.

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN VEGAS!

 

What has been going on in Vegas? You know it is close to the second coming when it snows 3 1/2 in Vegas! We wanted to go to Mt. Charleston to play in the snow, but the snow came to us!

We went to Santa's Train ride. The kids and I had fun. K.C. tolerated the situation. I will admit, it is pretty cheesey. If there were just a couple of things added (Christmas music, a little more lights), it could be great. I would go again for $2. I would have to purchase the tickets in advance.

We went to Ethel M Chocolate Factory. I love looking at Christmas lights. I think it is so much fun. I feel like a big kid. K.C. does not see things the way I do. He sees things more like the Grinch we will say :). At least he is a good sport and comes along especially if it is free like Ethel M is. I love Opportunity Village during Christmas time but it is expensive. I know it is for a good cause though.

Baking, Baking, Baking! I am baked out! It felt good making goodies for others (and my family) because I hardly bake and it was a delight to see others happy for getting some snacks.

We ate at a place called Mustang Sallys'. It was really good. It's attached to a car dealership. I love using restaurant.coms' coupons to go out to eat. You should check out this blog: http://www.shopsmartinvegas.blogspot.com/
She telles you so many ways to save money. It has really helped my grocery bill. I will have to have a coupon party so she could explain how to use coupons. I never knew about the underground coupon world.

Diet suggestions??? (K.C.'s Post of course :)

Saturday morning I rolled out of bed at 6 a.m. to take care of some business in the bathroom. As I plopped myself on the toilet...SNAP! A nice crack right through the porcelain ring. I guess this means that I need to get my fat butt to the gym!

Thanksgiving and stuff

K.C. passed the boards he has taken so far!!! Yeah for him. He only slept about 4 hours a night because he was studying. I am so proud of him. He worked so hard! Today was the last day of this semester! Yaaaa! One more semester and K.C. graduates! It's scary because we have no idea if we will even be in Vegas. We are also looking into California, TX, and Arizona. I know it will all work out. I am just a planner! It's scary not knowing what's ahead, but I guess it is kind of fun as well.

These last four years did go by quickly. I know I complained a lot because I felt like I had a lot on my plate, (let's see, 3 kids, 2 jobs, a husband in Dental School!) but my husband put in countless hours in studying and still tried to make all of our kids' events (and never complained!). I am so glad this phase of our lives is almost over, but I am looking forward to the next phase.

This handsome boy turned 8 months. He is such a joy. He is still Nursing. The longest I ever Nursed my other kids was 6 weeks. I am so proud of myself:). It gets much better once they start eating solids.

The kids got to see Santa at the Ward Christmas party.

Football season is done. Thank goodness. It was not a fun season because the coach was a dictator and did not know how to let the kids have fun. Kobi did learn some things and wants to play again. Never again with the team we were on. He is playing basketball now.

Xayla just finished another soccer season. She is soooo competitive. I know where she gets it from (DAD). They lost the game before their last game and all week she said "We are going to win. They are going to lose. They are not going to score a goal. Only us." She scored 4 goals in the last game and got so mad when the other team scored. She would fold her arms in the middle of the field because she was so upset. I had to have a talk with her about sportsmanship.

Had Thanksgiving Dinner at K.C.'s parents' house. (Not sure if that's correct but luckily I'm not an English major.) It was fun. I complain about so many little everyday things in life, when in fact I have so much to be grateful for. I have such a great family. It was K.C.'s Mom's birthday as well.