You just had to bite the apple, didn't you?

The power of the mind never ceases to amaze me.  The ability to remember minute details about some events and to block others out almost completely is astounding.  For instance, I can remember what we were doing when I went into labor with each child.  I remember what my husband was doing, I remember what happened immediately after the birth, but the pain has been blocked.  For some reason, I always walk into it blindly.  
Don't get me wrong - I know it will hurt.  I remember pain, but the intensity is totally lost on me.  Selective memory?  Memory block? Whatever it is, it's required for the human race to survive. Otherwise, women would only have one child and would probably work to convince their friends not to go through it.
Now, each woman's pain tolerance is totally different and their are many pain management options out there for those who choose to go down that path.  I, however, tend to develop this warrior attitude that demands that I push through without.  Why? I honestly don't know.  Perhaps I need to channel this attitude toward something non birth related - like the iron man. Actually, I'm not sure all iron men could make it through birth without pain meds.  Some definitely, but not all.  Birth is intense.
This time (final by the way), I found myself thinking of the comedy of it all.  This was my first induction and the relative calm that preceded the total hell of active labor and delivery was, well, comical.  We watched CSI episodes and munched on popcorn in between contractions.  Seriously.  Oh, and the biggest loser - last week's episode as I had been hopeful to be in active labor during the real show and didn't want to miss some of it.  As it turns out, I totally could have watched.  This lulled me into thinking that it really wasn't going to be a big deal.  I could totally handle it.  I am woman - hear me roar.
Then my mind wandered to the portrayals of births on television  and in movies.  The woman is either totally blissed out and unaware on medicine (those videos scare me) or is screaming at their husbands - something along the lines of "you did this to me!"  I experienced neither of these reactions.  In fact, my reaction this time around caught me by surprise.  Amidst my praying for a quick, healthy delivery and the strength to get through it all, I found myself thinking "you just had to bite the damn apple, didn't you, Eve?"  
Seriously, what would labor have been like if she didn't?  Can you imagine a labor without pain? All I can say is that it had better have been one hell of a juicy apple - honey crisp maybe? - to make this all worthwhile.  Personally, I would have an easier time forgiving her if it had been chocolate.

Fun Target Finds

This week there are a few good buys at Target.
First up - Archer Farms bakery.  There is a Target.com coupon for $1 off a bakery purchase (muffins, croissants, etc are $1.29).  My kiddos loved going there for a 29 cent treat!
Market Pantry sandwich bread ($1.39 for Wheat), get 50 cents off with the Target coupon.

Huggies wipes.  1.99 each, buy 3 (use 3 - 75 cent off coupons from Target and stack with $2.50 off of 3 from smartsource.com - make sure it takes off $2.50, they are having computer issues company wide with coupons, so it will likely take off 1.99 unless you say something.  then the cashier can manually enter in the correct price).  Grand total for 3 packages of wipes $1.22!

Feeling Rebellious

Why is it that when someone says you can't do something, that little switch goes off inside and says "I want to do that."?  I know I'm not the only one with this interesting switch.  In fact, I witness it in my children all of the time.  If I say "no" to going to the park, they become fixated on going to the park.  A "no" to having ice cream, prompts a meltdown.  More interestingly, though, is when it's something they don't normally desire to do.  For example, I was sick a few days ago and my 4 year old asked me to work on school with him.  I said, "not right now."  This caused him to bawl because he really wanted to do school.  This also prompted my 2 yr old to bring his school book to me and ask to "please do school mommy?"
In any case, the switch is there and has once again been flipped.  I've been feeling rather lazy the past 2 weeks, only working out a handful of times.  This meant nothing, however, until my OB told me to put my feet up and rest - no working out.  Now I can't seem to get the gym from my mind.
Even though I know it is best for baby and I right now if I rest, and I am resting... there is still that little part of me that wants desperately to go for a walk or better yet, hit the elliptical.  Will that switch stay flipped when the baby is born and I have the all clear to work out again?  I hope so, though I doubt it.  There is something extra special about doing something you are not supposed to do.  Come to think of it, maybe I should go tell me kids they are not allowed to clean their rooms.  I wonder how well that would work... :)

WOW! Get to Sentry Deals!

Okay, Sentry is awesome this week!!!
Here's my trip today:
3 packages Rhodes frozen rolls (get $1 off coupon from Redplum.com and they are free!)
1 Yoplait Strawberry splits yogart 2.59-$2 = .59
2 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel 4-1 = 3 (not great, but nice to have sometimes)
2 ball park franks - 3 - 1.50 = 1.50
wholly guac 2.99 - 2 = 1 (get $1 off coupon on Smartsource.com make sure you print the coupon off of one, not 2)
1 campbells healthy request soup 2.19 - 2 = .19
3 muir glen canned fire roasted tomatoes 4.50 - 4.50 = free!!! (print coupons on allyou.com)
1 campbells soup V8 Soup 2.50 - 2 = .50

berio olive oil 3.98 - 2 = 1.98

smuckers preserves $2 and Jiff peanut butter to go 1.89 = 3.89 - 2 = 1.89

pepperidge farm goldfish 1.66 - 1 = .66

3 lbs golden apples 2.49

1 pint blueberries 2.00

Buy 10 participating products and get additional $5 off My total for this portion = 5.79
3 nature valley granola thins 7.47 - 4.50 = 2.97
2 betty crocker lemon bars 3.98 - 1 = 3
2 betty crocker fruitsnacks 3.98 - 1 = 3
2 progresso soups 2.66 - 1.00 = 1.66
1 betty crocker microwave brownie delights 1.66 - 1.50 = .16

I chose to donate my bag refund, otherwise would have saved another 40 cents
Grand Total: $21.72

Bonus: Catalina printed out a coupon from Gen Mills for $1.50 off of my next trip too!

Ever have one of these?

Well, though I often hear myself say "it's been one of those days." in response to the simple "how are you?"  Today, the sentiment is true.
Imagine "waking up" (is that really possible since I tossed and turned all night and barely slept?) to go teach an aerobics class.  Oh, did I mention that you have to get up early enough to nuke the heating pad and let the heat soak in long enough to move your pregnant back?  Then teaching, coming home exhausted, showering, repeating the heating pad, load of laundry and parenting 3 kids...  Making the decision to run errands with the younger 2, (which of course resulted in high pitched screams of "don't hurt me mama!" in Target when my youngest threw a temper tantrum and I carried him, kicking, back to the cart).  Let's see, oh yes, back home.
By the time we returned home I was emotionally drained and my back was seizing up again.  Repeat heating pad, prepare lunch, attempt to rest.  Listen to kids fight, hear screams escalating.  Resting done - parenting needed.  Clean up lunch, send kids upstairs.  Bake cinnamon roll dough (craving, no explanation)  While dough is rising, rest. More fighting and call for help from oldest.  Run to stairs, find youngest descending stairs with dangerously black hands.  Oldest exclaims "he put his hands in his diaper and there's poop all over!".  Carry youngest to bathtub, scrub thoroughly, let soak while scrub bedroom, bed, floor, hallway, stairs, walls, etc.  Start first load of this laundry (he made 2 loads).  Rescue youngest from tub, diaper and walk away.  Take trash out, change clothes.  Fold laundry (from dryer from morning).  Finish cinnamon rolls, let rise.  Step on grape.  Oh no, see grapes all over, clean grapes up.  Play with kids, phone call.  Try to convince loan officer that a $3500 loan (for a much needed mini-van because 4 kids won't fit in our vehicle) really is not unrealistic.  Realize how sad it is that your debt to income ratio is bad enough for the long pause.  Finally work out loan.  While calling husband to inform of the good news, walk into living room to find salt all over. (picture white grains on carpet, leapster, cars, table, couch and big brother).  Ask husband to hurry home.    Retrieve vacuum cleaner and begin.  Look at the time and panic.  Prepare for class, change and speed to work.  Breathe, teach 2nd aerobics class, shower, go home, repeat heating pad, eat supper, bake cinnamon rolls from earlier.  Indulge, finally breathe.  Kids in bed. Blog.
Yup, it's been one of those days!

Yummy freebies!

I recently joined an on-line community called Kraft First Taste and was pleasantly surprised to find coupons for free items in my mailbox.  They send these free offers for new products to get feedback from consumers.  After trying them, I just had to fill out a short survey saying if I liked it and would recommend it.  Here's my verdict on the freebies:
Ritz Crackerfuls - We tried the four cheese variety.  The kids loved them.  In fact, I didn't even get to try one!  They are individually wrapped and large.  Think granola bar size.  They were perfect for our car trip up north to visit family.  I definitely recommend these.
Kool-aid Fun Fizz Drink Drops - The concept is pretty cool, you just drop this little alka selzer type tablet in water and watch it fizz into a drink.  Give a quick stir or shake and you're set.  My kids love watching and hearing the tablets dissolve, but are not fans of the taste.  I tried the lemon version (they are only 5 cals) and was unimpressed. I'll stick to my Crystal Light for flavored water drinks.
Kraft 100 Calorie Cheese Bites - We love our cheese. Seriously, if I let him, Ben would eat a pound in a sitting!  Thus, I was very excited to try this product.  Individually wrapped packages of cubed cheese.  What could be easier?  Great idea, but maybe 100 cals is not enough.  The kids and I found it unsatisfying. The cheese itself is good, but you need 1 1/2 packages minimum for a nice snack.  And for the price, they are just not a good deal.
Kraft Homestyle Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese Kit - The idea behind this is that you can have a "quick" mac and cheese that tastes homemade.  Debatable.  It took a lot of effort on my part to make this. As far as convenient, I'd rather start from scratch.  The taste was okay, but not quite my cup of tea.  The kids hated it.  It looks nice and smells good, but is a lot of work for little reward.
DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza - Wow.  This one was adored by the kids.  So far, they only come in individual sized packs :( and take about 15 minutes to bake in the oven (there is a microwave option, but with only one free coupon, we chose the oven).  The crust was flaky and thicker than most pizzas, the sauce had a great taste to it and the cheese was your standard pizza cheese.  I cut it into tiny wedges for the kids and they thought it was the best snack ever.
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved Meats - This is your typical sandwich meat.  We chose one of the ham varieties (sorry folks, I'm preggos so this was all for my hubby and I don't remember which one we bought). According to Husband, this was great sandwich meat.

I highly recommend this program.  The enrollment process will take a few minutes because there are some surveys to complete, but getting all of the above for free was pretty awesome.  They are also affiliated with House Party, to which I also belong and will be hosting my first party in a few weeks!
I'll let you know how it goes...

BOGO Bad experiences!

Wow.  Tonight we decided to go out to dinner as a family.  Should be great, right?  Well, if the places you selected were Legends or Granite City Brewery your evening may be doomed.
Let's start with Legends... we did.  We had purchased a $25 gift certificate from Restaurant.com to go here.  They no longer honor these gift certificates.  So, we wasted time and money and left.
Next stop, Granite City Brewery.  After having told the kids we were going all out tonight we felt we should find a replacement "new" restaurant to try.  I pulled out my trusty Bucky Book and found Granite City.  We were seated relatively quickly, which was a pleasant surprise on a Friday evening.  This should have been our first clue.  The menu looked good and we ordered two bacon cheese burgers, the happy hour special of pretzels and Dan ordered a beer.  We had every intention of purchasing dessert, but by the time we got that far, we just wanted out.
The burgers were a drop and run.  Quite literally, she delivered them and left.  No "did you need anything else?" or even extra plates, hello, we have 3 kiddos with us!  Oh, and no ketchup.  Seriously, what kind of place serves a burger and fries without ketchup.  Then we discovered that our burgers were baconless to boot.  But our waitress?  Gone, gone, gone.  Eventually, the pretzels came out with frigid cheese sauce (a new waitress this time, who advised us to be careful as the cheese sauce tends to be warm).  Funny.   Still not a chance to request ketchup, plates or bacon.  Finally, by the time our burgers and fries were cooling, she returned.  Only about a 5 minute wait for plates, but the ketchup was forgotten.  We asked again.  This time took longer, but she finally returned with bacon and a small dish of ketchup.  Again, really???  Two huge burgers and plates of fries.  Whatever, we just wanted to finish up and go at this point.  We did not see her again until we were nearly finished when she finally came back to check on us (drinks desperately needed attention... I am preggos after all.)
Then the check.  Really, what else could go wrong at this point?  Incorrect pricing, that's what.  But, she disappeared, so we had to wait again.  At this point our kids were getting  a little stir crazy and Char was asking why we didn't just go to the Outback Steakhouse (good question, kid!).  She returned, was annoyed at having to fix the bill and was gone again.  When we finally were able to leave, we had to chuckle at the poor souls waiting for a table.  We would have gladly given ours up.  So so food + horrible inaccurate service = never again.
Buyer Beware.