Pow Pow Power Wheels

We decided that with our tax return we would drop $200 for a new toy for the kids! Yeah Right!! This is one of those toys I swore my kids would never have. I don't understand kids riding around on such expensive toys when a bike is faster, doesn't need charged and gets more use. Lucky for my kids the neighbors gave this to them for free. Now when we are out for walks with it I hope people don't think I am crazy for giving that thing to my kids! Maybe I will put a sign across the back "Got for Free".

Happy Birthday Babe!!

Dodd is 32 today!! We had family over Sunday to celebrate. Jake wanted to make a Star Wars cake, so we came up with this Death Star cake. We are so lucky to have such a great husband and Daddy! We love you!!

Snowday

Yesterday the kids were off school so we went up the mountain to find some snow. We have done this a couple years in a row and always have a lot of fun playing in the snow for the day. We had to drive a couple hours and then I was getting really worried because there were only a few patches of snow. Luckly at the very top of Frazier Park there was snow! It was more ice than snow, but it was fun. We borrowed a snow suit from the neighbor for Kelsey. She was the cutest thing ever in that thing!! Here's some more pictures.

Coupons

One of my new year's goals is to be a little more thrifty. I wouldn't say I am a big spender, but I hate when the month is over and my budget is blown and I am not sure where it went. So I have hit the thrift stores a couple of times and found great outside toys for the kids, joined Freecycle which I am not sure I will be using, and I got out my stack of coupons that I collect but never use. Dodd is very supportive of the coupons and teases me that it turns him on when I clip coupons. And he has no problem watching all the kids and letting me go on a long shopping trip to the grocery store, if there are coupons being used. Today was one of those days and I was very happy with the outcome. I matched my coupons up with the sales at the store using the coupon mom site (www.cutouthunger.com) to save the most. I spent $109 and saved $111! $34 was from the coupons and the other $77 was the store sales. I might have to keep this one up! Dodd will be so happy!

Freecycle

While talking to my neighbor about getting a toddler bed for Kelsey she mentioned that I should look at Freecycle because she has seen them on there before. So being curious I signed up online as a member of the Ventura Freecycle group. I was so surprised by all of the transactions that go on everyday with people swapping junk. The posts are emailed to me every time someone offers something or something is taken. I get about 30-50 a day. I read through them and delete them and wonder who these people are. I haven't found anything good enough to take... I am waiting for someone to offer a diamond ring. But a couple of days ago someone offered "old/unusable lingerie". What??? You could throw that away, don't offer it to us. Luckily I haven't seen that one taken yet. I really wonder if I have joined the right group.

Emily and Mike

My sister and her husband left to go home on Saturday, after being here for two weeks! We were all so sad to see them go... we had so much fun with them.

We played lots of games and ate lots of food!! That's what we do the best!

Mike spent lots of time with the kids working on this puzzle! They were all so happy when it was finally finished!! Especially Mike!!

Thanks for coming to visit! We love you guys!!

Geocaching in Ojai

Last week we went to Ojai to hike the Ventura River and find some Geocaches with my family. It is one of my favorite things to do. I don't know why finding boxes with rinkydink toys in them is so fascinating for me, but I love it! My kids really enjoy finding a couple of them and then they start whining and want to go home, so they make me stop. Here are a couple pictures from our trip. I love the picture of Cody carrying Kelsey in the back pack! After the hike Dodd agreed we could name our baby Cache. I like it! We don't have any names yet, just silly nicknames like Cache and Storm. I asked Jake if he liked Luke, as in Luke Skywalker, and he said no that he wanted Emperor or Storm Trooper. Storm Stolworthy has a good ring to it!!