Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Regret or Foible?


Came across this photo of Joe...pre-verbal skills...and Sam and Ben. Must have been 6 and half years ago. I would have been pregnant with Ty or he was a newborn?...I think he was born by then...lol...I don't remember! Regret that! How could I not remember? Hold on....Sam was just over two...now I remember..he had HAIR! LOL! Ben would be about 7 and Joe about 4. Okay..Ty was born and would be new..lol...Funny how your mind works.

I keep seeing all these posts on Face book about Life is too short...Don't have regrets....blah blah blah..and I think...Where have you been? Where have you been living...or what the hell has someone got you to believe? I'm not saying hold grudges..or be sulky..I'm saying life is just that...full of regrets that you have to forgive yourself for every now and again. Maybe that is the message...poorly conveyed...but to hold yourself to perfection is ludicrous. Of course you say this or do that or forget this and forget that...which brings me to a CONFESSION! I forgot my sister in laws birthday today. We have been dear friends for 29 years. She used to help me torture my brother in high school...and then they got married! LOL! Been together 22 years and still going strong and if it wasn't for face book I would have forgotten. BAD! But not really...LIFE! I don't know...when I think regret I think BIG problems....maybe we should have a new phrase...like FOIBLES! A minor eccentricity...not a game changer...just a foible! And foible is kind of fun to say..."I didn't forget your birthday..I merely missed the day...these darn foibles of mine." ;)

And do have to confess to Halloween shopping. Got Joe the COOLEST costume...CREEPER JESTER. Paid way too much but it will fit the other two..hahahha...and he loves it and have never bought him a new costume before. He just didn't get it until now. Halloween is supposed to be scary...fun scary..and Joe doesn't even want to trick or treat now..he just wants to scare the kids to death with his costume...lol...I don't think he will go all the way...jumping out of the bushes etc...but he is getting the concept of scary, creepy, fear. That is HUGE for a kid on the ASD spectrum. It's NOT literal..it`s conceptual. He comprehends more than the school gives him credit.....but I don`t REGRET that at all...maybe it`s a foible of mine but I think the more they believe he needs help the more they will give him attention....the attention he has needed to finally understand Halloween!

So we are 28 days in 10 and half months of retail......it`s getting hard with Xmas approaching. Any ideas to avoid retail are WELCOME!

Foible Big Momma love to you ALL! XO

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Farming, Coupons, Rubber boots and Pokemon!


A mine road where my husband works in Mexico. See the road behind him? It leads to the mine. He was coming down and saw this couple in their field and had to stop and talk to them. He remembers farming this way when he was young. I look at these photos and it reminds me that a lot of this world still farms with animals. A simple way of life but gruelling.

I don't live that way. But I do have to think about saving money. Started researching coupons and went into a tizzy about it until I realized that Canadian stores do NOT accept US coupons and vica versa. And in Canada we don't have nearly the choice that the US has. That show Extreme Couponing had me convinced that I could feed my family for peanuts....Ummm.....not true. Maybe if I lived in the US but here there are more rules and way less coupon choices. I have saved a lot though. By getting coupons from various sources and the backs of cereal boxes I have managed to save some money. If the UPC codes on the coupons are different you can use multiple coupons for one product. Got bleach, laundry detergent and Febreeze candles for almost free. But I find most of the coupons I will not use. So I trade them for ones I will. Or give them away. Formula and diapers coupons I always give away. So I really suck at couponing but am still learning! Not going to the US to shop even though it's half an hour away. With GMOs and growth hormones and all the other pesticides they allow I'm leery of their products. Silly to some...I understand. I am a bit of a freak about it.

Pumpkin Patch field trip came up and Ty grew out of his boots. Found a great pair at The Cottage downtown for $3 and he loves them. Real Black farmer boots with the red soles..lol...He's farming now! LOL! Helped supervise and LOVED IT! Pouring rain...but I like rain...and the kids were so cute. I actually supervised Sam`s class. Put a bunch of quarters in the feed machines and off they went to feed the goats. Not one of them was really scared so it`s nice to see that all these kids have had a chance to see animals up close and know how to feed them. Sam had grown out of his boots too but my dear friend Shannon came to the rescue and loaned me a pair. Thanks Shan!


I do have to declare some shopping....the kids are really into Pokemon...gag! But I did promise cards for them if they all did their homework, chores and a few extras for Canadian Thanksgiving so I caved. I think my last score was 26 days of retail so will declare another. I will go back and check and fix the stat if I`m wrong. So we are 27 days of retail out of 289. But Christmas is coming up....GULP! Have bought a DS system used for Joe...and looking for more such deals. Sam got one for his 8th Birthday that I got used and they love it!

Sorry for the uninspired post. Just wiped out with Thanksgiving and work and kids and hubby gone 5 weeks now. I always hit the wall at the 5 week mark. 10 more days until he comes home...I can`t wait! I get to go to Cabo San Lucas with my best friend for a week. Already have the 6 books I`m going to read ready to pack..lol...I know...I`m a Geek!

Geeky Big Momma love to you all. XO

PS. We all really missed Grandma this past Thanksgiving...actually both Grandmas. A few tears by all. It doesn`t get easier when holidays come up. It gets sadder in some ways as the losses mount up. That is why I have been so quiet on the blog as of late. Just need time to think a bit...and cry a bit. We will all be okay. I promise. xo