A Day In The Life

A few glimpses of our daily excitement.

These two keep me busy while Carter is off at school learning and loving all they do here in Kansas. Carter goes to a wonderful, challenging school....with much less homework than we ever saw in Colorado.....more focus on reading instead of busy-work assignments. Love that.

So, lots of people give me a hard time for not sending the toddlers to Mother's Day Out. I could....I know....and I do see the benefits. But, I would rather keep them here with me until Preschool begins.....this fall for Jack and next one for Lainey. Then, what will I do?

Back to the day......we often walk in the morning, for the most mundane of reasons or for no reason at all. Sometimes, it's just good to get out and see what the little world around our house is up to.

We find all sorts of discoveries. Like this. Some kind of fruit that falls from our tree. Jack is disgusted by it. Lainey wants to eat it. Such very different personalities.

It's been raining.....so naturally, the kids find a puddle....and, naturally, I scream at them to steer clear!

And, then we walk.....well, I walk. They skip and jump and run. Oh, to be a toddler again.

Jack checks the mail. I know. This is getting exciting, isn't it? Yep, it's our life.....our fabulous life.

"What's this, Casey?!" He still doesn't call me, "Mom", often.....but has changed "Case" to "Casey". Not sure why.

So, back to the fire hydrant.....I explain what it is and how it keeps us safe.....and then we hear a siren in the distance....and for a brief moment, everything makes sense in their little minds.....and I feel very lucky to witness that. The small, seemingly insignificant parts of life explained by me. What an honor.

Feeling blissful, I let those two crazy kids jump in the puddle. And, they're ecstatic.

Home again.....lunch time.....nap time......errands or time at the park.....and then the magical bus arrives with the kids' hero walking in each afternoon. It has to be a huge ego boost for him - the way they squeal when he comes into sight.

Family dinner.

Baths.

Homework and reading.

And early bedtimes.

(Merrilee close your eyes now.)

And, since I've been cooking a lot lately, our kitchen often looks like this. Not for long....I'm way too nutty to let dishes sit.

Finally, 3 kids are in bed and Blake and I start breathing normally again.

So, it's not a totally glamorous life. But, it's one that I love.....monotony, chaos, puddles and all.

Game Day

Hope your Saturday is going well and that your team is winning (unless, of course, they're playing LSU).

College football has officially kicked off at the Starnes house. Lots of good food.....a game on non-stop......I'm enjoying it now.....in a week, I'll be over it.

Britney got this cute platter for me a couple of years ago and I love it!

Our 3 decked out in their gear. Wishing Lainey didn't have such an important call during the photo.

We took a trip out to the zoo this morning before nap time. As we were driving, I was reminding Blake about what a good wife he has.....with all the food I had planned......his response?

"Yeah, you're totally right. I mean, how many guys are lucky enough to be heading to the ZOO right now?"

Brat! Our games aren't even on until this evening.

Love our little purple punkin boys sitting together.

And, the leaves are starting to fall.....

Kisses for Daddy.

Lamar's donuts (KC's version of Krispy Kreme) put on a special promotion today....."Lamar's with Lemurs"....and handed out free donuts. They're pretty good!

Sweet, messy, Laine.

On Politics

So, President Obama is scheduled to speak to students next week. Cause for panic? Probably not. Do I agree with his stance on most issues? No. Will I encourage Carter to listen to and learn from his speech? Absolutely.

While my views differ from the president's in many cases, I show nothing but support and enthusiasm when discussing such issues with Carter.

Frankly, I'm over the notion to hate Obama simply because I'm a Republican. This very behavior was everpresent during George Bush's two terms and I feel my party is in a frenzy trying to equate the same lack of support.

Our nation is a mess right now. People are struggling on many levels and while I don't think Obama is on the right track to fix our problems, I don't see how making our kids panic over a speech is helping anything. My role as a mother is to raise an independent child fully equipped to think for himself, thus deciding on his own whether our government is succeeding or not. And, you know what? He doesn't care. He's an 8 year old boy. His mind is focused on soccer practice and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. And, I prefer to keep it that way.

Smart Shopping....Just A Little Out Of Order

Interested in saving money? Thought I would share a few tricks I've learned over the years.

The biggest opportunity has to lie in clothes....both for adults and children. I buy most of our kids' clothes the year prior and it saves us a ton of money. Right now, I'm waiting for summer to go higher than 50% off. I typically wait until it's 75% off to purchase....and then I stock up on basics. By the time the intended season rolls around, I have most of what I need.....no panic to shop before school starts and such.....then I add in a few fun pieces I love. If you shop like this, just remember to not buy distinct styles. Buy simple pieces you can add trendy touches to.

I've shared this method with a few people and they suggested they couldn't accurately predict sizes....especially in babies. True. However, once they're past the age of 1, I believe you can make a fairly close estimation based on their growth patterns. And, if you're still unsure, buy basics that you know you'll need. Coats and shoes are easy. You know your kids will need sneakers year round, so any size will do. Coats are flexible and can be off a size if you make a mistake....no risk in buying. Winter gear....gloves, hats, etc.....is easy. Lainey has a ski jacket for the next 5 years already lined up and I didn't pay more than $8 for any piece.

This does take some discipline and planning, but I promise you'll love it if you try. While everyone else was frantically buying school clothes and fighting the tax-free weekend shoppers, we were still enjoying summer. I bought the kids new shoes when they went on sale at Nordstrom in July (half-yearly sale...can't beat it!) and then a new backpack for Carter and he was set. Lovely!

Another option is shopping for school supplies. Right now, Target has theirs at 30% off. Too high! I wait until they go to 75% off and stock up for the years ahead. Crayons for $.04. Packs of pencils for $.15. You know they'll need them eventually.....buy them when they're super cheap and you'll save! I keep a bin in our basement full of these items and then as the kids need them, I have them. Then, with each approaching school year, I subtract what I already have from the list and add in what I don't.

OK, now focus on this one.....it's even hard for me sometimes. Buy seasonal items out of season. Pottery Barn has their large Easter baskets on sale now for $12.99, regular $34.00. That's huge!

And, one of my favorite things in our house.....our holiday basket. I have a liner for each season....most of which were purchased 6 months prior. Think spring time right now.....this Valentine liner is $7.99, regular $15.00.

And, when is the best time to buy Christmas decor? The week after Christmas.....or even a bit later. Don't fight the crazies the morning after.....wait a few days and go in at your leisure (child free works best) and choose items you'll know you'll use the years ahead. This is hard for me because I'm typically tired of Christmas when Christmas is over....but I still try to think ahead. Found light up wreaths on sale at Home Depot last year for $6 a piece, regular $30. They'll look so cute on the house this year!

My newest find....Circle E Candles (the hands down, best candle on the market) on sale, out of season. Paid 1/2 price for their holiday collection in March.....bought $26 candles for $13 each......purchased enough for me and to give as gifts....and got free shipping because I spent over $100.

And, finally......Christmas gift shopping. I do it year round! As I see things I like for our loved ones, I buy them. Some are on sale....some are not. Spreading out the spending over 12 months helps us stay on budget during Christmas and also allows for more holiday fun.....events around town and such. Plus, this gives me a chance to buy more meaningful and thoughtful gifts, rather than rushing out to get something just to get it.

These methods aren't for everyone....but they help our one-income family immensely.

I'm a planner by nature, so it comes easy to me....but, once you start, you'll see the difference fairly quickly.

Question Of The Week

On the trick-or-treat train....

With her big brothers....

Boo at the Zoo....

Being a brat....

Time out for a snack....(check out her dark hair!)....

Halloween night....


(Lainey, pink octopus, 2008....age 13 months....)

***Favorite Halloween costume as a child?

Details, please!