Six for Saturday

It has been another hectic week, hence very little blogging has gone on, but here are some tidbits from my week.

1. I still haven't conquered the beast that is couponing, but I did actually have some of the coupons I intended to use with me at Wal-Mart on double coupon day, but since all but one were for $1 off and they don't double dollar coupons that meant I really only benefited by saving an extra .45 cents on string cheese. But the joke is on me because I saved $7 total with my coupons and still spent $99 and left there feeling like I wasn't sure what happened to me.

While walking down one of the aisles at the store this darling little girl (maybe 3 years old) was on the phone with someone and said, "Oh just couponing with mom." It was so cute and oh so funny. My 3 year olds never learned the word couponing.

2. Landon is going to be a rock star for Halloween so we really needed to find him some shades with attitude...mission accomplished.

3. We are still enjoying this mess each day as we come and go from home...yes, it's a pleasure.

While sitting in the construction waiting for our turn to go we saw this Pac-Man Pumpkin decoration in somebody's yard, it made us chuckle.

4. Our ward had a Fall Festival this year (we've never had one before) and these are some of the amazing pumpkins submitted for a contest. I was so impressed! I have no vision or patience for pumpkin carving, so whenever "we" do it that means Randy does it and I breathe out of my mouth for an hour. We don't have anything festive in our house at all this year!

5. I had to leave early the other day so Randy wasn't up yet to make my lunch so I ended up buying school lunch for the first time this year. I had to sneak a bite here and there in-between the busyness of the front office and I never got to eat the roll or apple slices that came with it.

6. I had an appointment with the dermatologist this morning to have him check out a suspicious white patch on my cheek. He ended up numbing that part of my face (which affected my eye too) to biopsy (an alarming word) it. I couldn't feel the pain of that but I could hear the scraping...not pleasant. I couldn't believe how weird my face felt afterward (and still does) or how shaky I was. It wasn't as horrible as it appears to be in this picture but was a little scary all the same. It's kind of messing with my Saturday a bit because I don't want to go out in public like this (apparently I'm fine to post it though...go figure).

I found myself flipping through the Botox info pamphlet while waiting for my appointment. I've never been particularly vain, but this fissure on my forehead really bums me out. I heard a woman (maybe 27) at the hair dresser last month talking about how she got it done on her forehead and can't believe how much better it is. We don't really have a Botox budget, but maybe we should start one.

**How was your week?

Have you decorated for Fall/Halloween?

Ever had a skin biopsy?

Do you use coupons?

Botox?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I've been planning on the costume party all week and even got a doable idea but my face is a mess and I don't feel great, so we may not go. Lame.

Good Mail For Me and You--Coupon Edition

I've received a bunch of good mail lately so it's time for another good mail post and a chance for you guys to win some good mail from me by leaving a comment.


Missy Claudia sent me this card which involves a Japanese proverb translated into French...only Claudia!


Esther sent me this thank you note for the birthday mix cd I sent her.

Jenn sent me a postcard from her cruise.

Nikole sent me this cute thank you note for the blog prize notecards I sent her.


Kristi sent me a note with a bulging envelope full of coupons (precut!) and several $2 bills to off set the $2 off coupons...so nice.


Kacey sent me a couple personalized notepads to celebrate the season, and I've already been putting them to good use.


Claudia sent me this cute note recently and labeled all the ornaments on the front, they say merry, work, simplicity, surrenderness, gratitude, love, service, open, faith, selfless.


Rebekah kindly sent me a big envelope full of coupons along with a thank you note for the cleaning mix cd I'd sent her, wow that was nice.


Melinda surprised me by dropping off this fabulous roll of polka-dot wrapping paper (I love it!).


Kristi sent a follow-up envelope of coupons a week after she sent the first load.


Elizabeth sent me this note thanking me for the birthday mix cd I sent her.


Nikki sent me this cute thank you note for the birthday mix cd I sent her, and included a sheet of winter stamps (sweet!).

**Have you sent any notes lately?
Do you have these winter stamps?
Do you have wrapping-paper envy?
Do you need any coupons?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I've been avoiding headaches by making sure to drink enough water early in the day, woohoo!

12 on the 12th--December Edition

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01. I woke up at 7:40 this morning and found Landon showered and ready for the day. He's got a good thing going with his early-rising ways.
02. Our yard looks strangely Fall-like for December 12th!
03. I dropped Landon off at the Bishop's house for a Morningside with all the Youth from our ward.
04. I'm not always keen on the sight of 4 huge Sunday papers waiting for me to sort through them for their coupony goodness. (It can be overwhelming.)
05. I had a bunch of white-chocolate encrusted dishes to wash because I made this for our family gathering Saturday night.
06. Whitney and I "made" cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
07. I spent some quality time on the computer loading photos into Smugmug and doing some blogging.
08. The kids spent some time looking at photos on the computer. They love being able to look back on years of photos and videos.
09. I sorted through the newspapers and pulled out all the stuff I need to look through and cut out.
10. I spent some time in the cozy reading this great article from the December Ensign.
11. We had a good afternoon at church.
12. We watched part of the First Presidency's Christmas Fireside for Family Home Evening, and later watched the finale of The Amazing Race.

**How was your 12th?
Will you be joining the
12 on the 12th project in January?
Do you get the Sunday paper?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I needed another Saturday this weekend, dang it!

Five for Friday--Bullet Point Edition

This week has been delightfully busy for me, the kind of busy that involves lots of friends and fun activities; not the chock-full of obligations want to disappear kind of busy (thankfully).

• We celebrated Randy's birthday.
• I had two visiting teaching appointments.
• Landon went to the High School Band Competition.

• I went to book club.
• We had Whitney's darling friend Madison here to play 3 times this week.
• Whitney and Madison went to Activity Days.

• Landon had his 2nd to last Flag Football game.
• I went to a Presidency Meeting.

• I had a great lunch with Brooke.
• I went to the dentist for the first time in 3 years! I watched 30Rock while they cleaned my teeth and ended up getting the giggles even though it was an episode I've seen at least 20 times. (Jack Meets Dennis from Season 1..."Technology is cyclical")

• Amie, Crystal and Michelle (aka "The Ladies") came over for a couponing tutorial from Amie while we cut out coupons.
• Our phone got disconnected (not by choice).
• I got the call (on my cell phone luckily) about a job interview with the School District.
• We went to an Elder's Quorum Social and experienced a chilly Fall night with the added delight of fireplace warmth.

• We had Bella and Tess sleep over, and they gave Whitney her birthday present (her birthday is the 18th) which involved squeals of delight from all 3 girls, plus Madison the next day.

• We spent a couple hours at the park with Crystal and her cute kids.
• Landon got up at 4:10am to go to the Temple with the youth and then had breakfast with them. He is such a champ and does this on his own (weekly) while we are sleeping. He's home before we're even up!
• My gimpy left heel split open, ouch!

• Landon, Whitney, Bella, Tess and I had dinner with my parents Thursday night at their house, then the girls stayed to sleep over.
• My mom told me I should let my hair go gray...what the?! I'm 39, can you imagine if I actually did that? I may as well just pack it in now and started looking for government subsided assisted living centers! (This advice probably stemmed from a money-saving mindset, but surely she can't be serious.)
  
• Landon and I went to Amie's house to hang out with them until 11:15pm.

I have been ridiculously close to tears for a few weeks now (that could be a result of going off Zoloft though) and we're still struggling financially, but I have felt strong spiritually, hopeful, active and very blessed. As always, I find that documenting the minutia of my life helps greatly in seeing the good around me and keeps me from dwelling on the ugly presents that have come my way.

**Does blogging your life help you feel better about things?
Did you do anything fun this week?
Do you cry very often?**