Kung Fu Panda Birthday

Like I said in my last post, today is Gabriel's 8th birthday and with us moving in just a few days we decided to keep things simple and not do a huge party. He got to have a lunch and shopping date with gramma and as usual she spoiled him like crazy!

Then after Josh got home we headed off to watch Kung Fu Panda in theaters. Today was opening day and there was hardly anyone in there. Maybe because we chose to watch it in 2D, I bet there were more people in watching the 3D version. Anyhoo, here are some more photos of our day...

Po was finding his inner peace on the dinner table along with some take out boxes from the Dollar Tree.

We had Chineese food at home for dinner, I wanted to go to either Panda Express or Panda Palace in the Sunset area, but haven't heard anything good/bad about either. We decided not to risk it and just picked up a couple different kinds of Chineese food from Haggens to share.

I couldn't find any party supplies for Kung Fu Panda 2 in the stores, so I used a lot of printables from the movies website. In addition to the Po 3D thing above we had activity placemats that looked just like ones from Chinese restaurants, paper airplanes that look like some of the characters, a dragon warrior scroll for his bday card and these little cupcake picks I made.

Not my best work, but all my scrapbook/crafting stuff is packed. So these are the best we were getting today. The only snack I could find for the treat bags, with the characters on it were fruit roll ups. Seriously, I could have anything I wanted with Cars 2 on it, but Kung Fu Panda 2 stuff was no where to be found. =(

Gabe had a fun day and the movie was very enjoyable, you should go see it!



On the move

Our time to move has come and we will be moving into our new apartment. I've told some of you already, but this will be mine and Josh's 12th move and something like 23 or so for my own lifetime (and I'm only 29). Even though we are seasoned movers I've really struggled with being content during this whole moving process. I think it might have something to do with the fact that this is our first move that is not self gratifying. In the past we've moved for more space, less rent, new location, etc. But, this time around we are moving so that our church can sell their properties and move into a bigger location. Which I'm totally willing to do and am super excited for. Still, I keep having feeling of not wanting to deal with moving and frustrations start to build up. So I've been trying to focus on the positives of this move. For example; we'll have less space to clean, I'll have my own bathroom again (well I guess I'll share it w/ Josh, but he doesn't make messes like the little boys do), everything will be on one floor (no more having to bring all the laundry from upstairs all the way down to the basement), no yard to care for, we'll still be close to the new church and many others. Thinking on these things helps me to regain focus on what really matters. Am I glorifying God in all I do? Am I setting a good example for my children on how to handle a situation when you don't really want to do what you have to do?

I love this old house. I love being close to the lake. Having the chance to have chickens was awesome. Having so much living space and a basement shop for Josh was a dream. Walking to church was such a time and money saver, we were able to participate in much more than before.

Then God in his great sovereignty gives me situations like this little guy I found in my kitchen halfway between me and Elizabeth.

Yep! I'm ready to move!

It's Gabe's birthday today, we'll be off celebrating and the official move in day is Saturday. See you all next week! I'll be at my spider/mouse/rat free apartment! ( i really hope it is spider/mouse/rat free)

Wait...Did I ever blog about the mice & rats here? It's an old house we've caught 4 mice & a rat got into the attic during the winter, but he was caught and disposed of. ;-D

not quite extreme

Most people by now (at least those with a TV) have heard of the TLC show "Extreme Couponing" where each episode features some shoppers using coupons to leave stores with carts overflowing with product that they paid little or nothing for. I actually haven't seen a full episode of it, but some of the stuff people were coming home with just churned my stomach! Does anyone really need 150 Butterfingers even if they are free? Don't get me wrong, I love free stuff and would not pass up a free candy bar. But is it really in our families best interest to have so much junk stored up? Which brings me to that verse "do not store up your treasures where moths and rust destroy".... can those people really use all that stuff before it goes bad? Yes, I know some of them donate what they don't use, but still it seems a bit much to me.

Anyhoo, I'm getting away from my point of this post. I've been couponing out of necessity for probably as long as Josh and I have been married and about a year ago I started following the blog Thrifty NW Mom and she always posts these amazing deals that she and other readers are getting on items using coupons. Her blog is also where I learned about the TLC show. She gives examples of combining coupons with sales and other coupons to get the best deals on things you buy everyday. So, I decided to give it a try. Slowly but surely I was finding better and better deals. Then this week my sister sent me some of her Albertson's doublers (coupons that double the value of a manufacturers coupon up to $1) and I combined them with some other coupons and sales and this is what I came home with....

• 2 boxes Honey Nut Chex on sale for $1.88 each ($3.76)- printable coupon $1 off 2 boxes combined with the Albertson's doubler= $.88 each!
• 2 bottles of Sierra Mist on sale for $1.67 each ($3.34)- $.75 coupon off our Little Cesar's Pizza box combined with the doubler and a $.40 off peelie coupon (the ones stuck onto the products)= $.72 per bottle!
• Tub of sour cream on sale for $2- $.40 off manufacturers coupon from the newspaper insert combined with a doubler = $1.20 <-not the best deal but I needed some.
• Oral-B toothbrush on clearance for $1.49-$1.50 coupon from paper insert = -$.01 <- made $ off that one!

I am loving how much this is saving me! Being part of the coupon savy blogging community has really helped me get the best deals on the things I'm going to buy anyways (not 150 butterfingers LOL) and that helps me be able to do more with less for my family. Which in turn gives me more to bless others with. Which makes happy. It's stewardship people! (I'm not yelling just really excited)

Have you had any really good deals lately? Also, on a slightly different note... would you follow a local couponing/ deal finding blog? As far as I know there isn't one for Bellingham or any of Whatcom/Skagit counties and I've thought about starting up my own. Good idea? Bad idea? Let me know?

Mmmm... Chocolate =D

I need to get started on dinner, but I have failed at my weekly meal planning this week and have no idea what I'm going to throw together tonight. Plus, I'm feeling a little something coming on that is making me just want to eat things like these;

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2011/05/cookies-and-cream-cheesecake-bars/

http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2011/05/peanut-butter-chocolate-bars.html

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/coffee-cake-literally/

You had to post that coffee cake today, Ruth! I've wanted it since I saw the pic on Facebook! LOL

http://www.bakerella.com/got-milk-i-hope-so%e2%80%a6/


My kids will survive one night of being fed chocolate cake for dinner... Right? I won't be scaring them for life will I? LOL

Pops, Guns and Fun

I hope all the mommies out there had a wonderful Mother's Day this year!



Cards and Flowers from the kids

 
I was spoiled rotten by my family this year! Josh was very busy with work and other things so my mom took the kids shopping for a present for me. Gabe picked out some flowers (the yellow rose is from my church), Joshua got me a cookbook and my mom got me this cakepop maker to go along with the cookbook.

Cake Pop maker from my mom



 I have been following Bakerella's blog for quite some time and have wanted this cookbook since it came out! I was at Target the night before the boys were supposed to go shopping and was messing with them by pointing at various things saying "I like this" & "I like that", etc. and as soon as I pointed out this cookbook, Joshua lit up and was so excited about it. I knew right then, that's what I would be getting for my gift, LOL!



Bakerella's Cake Pop cookbook

Look at those little owls! So cute I want to eat them!

 

Garden stakes painted by the kids

 These are not cake pops, but rather garden stakes that the kids painted at a JoAnn's crafting class. Well, I guess "class" isn't the right term for it. They had a table set up right inside the main entrance and the "instructor" tossed a bunch of paper on the table and said "ok kids make your moms a card" and then when it came time to make the stakes she put out the paints and let the kids go at them making a huge mess. Don't think we'll be taking any of the future classes at that JoAnn's. But, I do love my cards and garden decorations still, so I guess it was worth it. ;-D

 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

I had planned a whole brunch thing after church. I made scones, lemon bars, choc. dipped strawberries and a few other things to go along with an overnight egg casserole that I was going to bake. But, when I removed the casserole from the fridge the whole thing looked black and disgusting. When I threw it out I learned that because my egg mix didn't cover all the potatoes, they then turned black and ruined the whole thing. =(

So I told Josh I was cancelling my brunch and he could do what ever he wanted. So he chose getting some Port of Subs sandwiches and bring them back home to just chill and watch movies. We had all my yummy treats for dessert instead. But before all that we had to make one stop...

Josh really wanted to take me shooting, since I've never shot a gun before and we own like 4 or 5 of them. So, we headed up to a little spot off of a Forestry Service road and I got a lesson in shooting.

me being dorky with the glock

I have to say the guns aren't as scary as I thought they'd be. We started with teaching me to use a pistol. Specifically Josh's new Glock (I have named it Helga von Glockenspielen), which is a 9mm.

Josh decided to get out the big guns

Josh got out the AR-15 he built and shot a couple rounds with it and then insisted I give it a try. I was so nervous with that big gun, but I actually felt I had more control over it than the glock. I couldn't aim it very well though, I think I need a lesson in lining up sights and all that. I actually hit some of my targets by just shooting to see where the bullet would go then adjusting my shot that way.  

Me with the AR-15

Not many people can look cute while holding an assault rifle, but I think I'm pulling it off well.



Hi Kids... Having Fun?

We didn't have enough ear plugs for everyone, so the kids stayed in the truck while we were shooting. They did get out for a bit and explored around the woods a bit before we left.  

 I hope everyone else had a blessed day!

Linux Fest

This past weekend was Linux Fest Northwest , held every year on the last weekend of April at Bellingham Technical College. Josh has attended a couple times before and the boys even went one year when I was off at a Women's Retreat, but this was a first for me. I have to admit I felt a little out of place. Not necessarily because I'm not a big computer guru, but more because I'm pretty sure I was the only mom w/ four kids in attendance.



Getting candy using a robot

The festival is advertised as a family event and all the stations are set up with candy and other treats for the kiddos while the vendors/parents talk computers, but I could tell a lot of the other attendees were very upset with us being there. Too bad for them though we had fun and will probably be going again next year. 

 

Lesson in building a robot

One of the organizer's took a couple of pictures of Joshua and Zaccheaus using the laptops  at the Fedora booth and said "this is what it's [the festival] all about, teaching the kids". That was an encouragement to me as I was getting frustrated with everyone looking at my family like we were some freak show.



Daddy took over to make it work

The boys' favorite part was the robotics room (pictured above) where you could build your own robot using legos, use a robot arm to grab some candy and see various demonstrations of different robots. I think we might have some future engineers in the works, here!
The kids and I ended up coming back home so Josh could take some of the classes offered. We were going to hang out and just play outside but the rain was horrible Saturday morning. Come on Washington we are ready for Spring!