One day at a time...

Gas, or Gold??

I heard it today- the dreaded 'DING" of the gas chime.  Gone are the days of just driving to the gas station and filling up- I had to research who had the cheapest gas in town. I found it.

$3.97 a gallon.

I paid $59.75 to fill up my Chrysler Mini-van.

                                                    

We are going to be walking everywhere from now on. Seriously.  Where is my bike?   

Gas is becoming a luxury item, for sure. 

I'm interested in knowing what the cost of gas is around you- please chime in!

Freecycle, or Dictatorship?

Well, now I'm a bit, um, perturbed. You see, in honor of Earth Day and all that, I decided  that rather than sell the wonderful Race Car Bed that Aedan is replacing with a loft bed (HUGE shuddering sniff of sadness- my baby is getting so big!)  I thought we'd Free-cycle it. Of, Free-share, as only the people of Westchester can call it. Yes, I could really use the $100 or so I could get for the bed (It retails  for $399!!!) but i believe in the Free-cycle message, and we are getting the loft bed for free, and I just know I can make another little boy happy with this. I remember how tight things were when Aedan was a baby, and I want to make some other little boy (and his Momma) happy.   So, I type out the offer, and  submit.  Here's the offer:

Oh, how we LOVED this bed! It was my son's first bed after his crib. It has lots of storage in the front space (under the hood, as it was) it holds lots of shoes or LOTS of Pixar CARS Cars. I loved that the slats could be moved up and down, changing the height of the bed. It was very helpful at first, when the mattress was lowered to the bottom, making the sides kind of like "side rails", keeping him safely in the bed! As a matter of fact, it was MANY night of my son, my daughter, and myself sleeping in that car bed! (I didn't say comfortably!, we were SQUISHED!)

One little thing, from many nights of Momma, Sissy, and Brother sleeping with through thunderstorms and scary noises, and some serious bed jumping, there is a crack on the TOP plastic slat support. It was fine with just my boy sleeping in the bed, but when a lot of us climbed it, the top bed slat board would fall to the next support row. Works fine on the 2nd row of supports, no trouble at all!

photos under Allynesma on freeshare site.
PLEASE TALE ALL, MATTRESS, TOO. Pickup asap, please.

Look at the e-mail i received:

MESSAGE NOT APPROVED: Offer: Little Tikes RACE CAR BED- MY CITY

Please resubmit this message after changing the word OFFER to full caps.

Thanks ADMIN

Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME??? You're REJECTING ME FOR NOT PUTTING THE STINKING WORD "OFFER" in ALL CAPS?

Sigh.

No wonder I give a lot of my stuff away on Craigslist.   I would rather do it on Free-cycle, it is other like-minded people, but puh-leeze. Really. Can we say POWER HUNGRY LITTLE PEOPLE moderating that forums?  Jeez. Makes me think twice about putting it on the curb to take up space in a landfill. Really now, people.

grr.

American Girls...

Yesterday, a group of Moms an I  took our daughters, (nieces, cousins, ) to American Girl Place to see the Circle of Friends show.  One of our own, Danielle, a 4th graders with Ally and a child n our church has the part of Addy, so we all wanted to go and see her.  So, we planned a trip a while ago to spend a day together.

36 of us went. 36 giggling, laughing, squirming, wide-eyed girls traipsing through New York City on a perfect spring day. There is magic walking down a Manhattan sidewalk (5th Avenue, no less)  laughing with your daughter about the  costs of Fergamano shoes( $420 for  sandals, Mom? They're not ever cute!! )  Thankfully, we reached American Girl  quickly.

I absolutely loved that it put wonder and innocence back into the eyes of some jaded 9 an 10 year olds.  There were 3 floors to wander thru, looking at amazing at all the fun stuff - yes, dolls are still fun!   Ally bought a bunch of books, my bookworm girl, and  Coconut the doggie. Unfortunately, at 9  1/2 years old, and 5'2', and being quite pudgy, she doesn't fit into the "matching"  girl and doll clothes.  I saw her looking at the clothes,  and saw when she realized that it wouldn't work for her. (more on that on another post- Disney World and Princess dresses and sizes)  After a bit we wandered into the theater section to get ready for the show. 

Poor Danielle. Of ALL the days that she performs in the show- yesterday she was ill.  I'm so sorry we missed her, but VERY glad we saw the show.  The Circle of Friends is sweet, and tells Friendship lessons that needed to be reminded to some of the girls in our group. My girl, in addition to being tall and chubby, is also very much an individualist,  who likes to make up her own mind, and   speak her own mind (gee- wonder where she gets that from!) The willingness to go against the crowd also keeps her from always being a part of the crowd she likes to be with. Her feelings are also easily hurt, so she spends much time weeping to me- Mom, why can't they speak/act/behave nicely?  That old popular girl sets the stage thing- I'm sure that you know what I mean.

At any rate, the show stressed the importance of being a good friend how to share your hurt feelings, how not to shut people out. I'm so glad they saw it together.

After the show, the actors were waiting to give "autographs" . We had to pass through the pajama section to get there- when I saw Ally eying something. It was Felicity's nightgown, a voluminous, billowing, lovely white gown with a matching dolls gown. I could tell in an instant that she would be able to wear it- a perfect gown for her, so, I told her we could get it. Her eyes lit up, and my heart sank when I saw the price; $54 for a the set! OUCH!  But, we got it for our Mother Daughter Book Club meeting that is a pajama party/sleepover this time. All the girls will bring their American Girl Dolls, and have a silly sleepover after book club to celebrate Spring Break. 

Afterwords, we went to this really great pizza place and had pizza and wine (well, the moms, at least)  and great conversations on a rare outdoor patio in Manhattan. Bliss!  28 of us, and it was again, perfect- a moment that makes wonderful memories.

It was a wonderful trip. We had such a great time. It rejuvenated the bond between  we mothers and our daughters, and the bond between friends.  And that can be nothing but good, right? 

Bloggy Giveaway and my contest....

I just heard about this cool Bloggy Giveaway!

I'm going to give away a $25 gift certifcate to Target for this one! 

You can earn one entry by leaving a comment on this blog, but you can earn an EXTRA entry by leaving a comment on THIS POST. You see, I entered a contest  writing about  what I wanted to be when I grew  up- (see post below) I wanted to be a SAHM my whole life- and lo and behold, I was chosen as a finalist!  The Business Week blog chose STAY AT HOME MOMS as a type of profession- so I'd love for one to win!   Feel free to send this or the one below to all the SAHM's you know!

Thanks, and Good Luck!

What do I want to be when I grow up?

I read of this contest where you could win by simply stating on THEIR blog what you wanted to be when you grow up.. Hmmmm- what do I want to be?  You see, I  haven't grown up, not at all- I've grown older, somewhat wiser, (Some may beg to differ). I spent a few minutes thinking about myself, and this is what was my answer:

What do you want to be? What do your kids want to be? How do childhood experiences affect your career?

All I ever wanted to be was a Mom. A Stay at Home, Milk and cookies making, PTA President, Class Mom - Mom. Maybe because my Mom wasn’t able to be that when I was a child, and I so wanted her to be. I was almost not able to do it, I was wrapped up in the let’s make money and give the kids all the STUFF they want game, then I got and beat cancer, twice. The whole world became crystal clear at that point for me, and I quit my job, successfully had another baby and beat cancer. Then I settled down to Mommydon and all the glory it meant to me. I am a NEVER HOME stay-at-home-Mom, exhausted more than I have even been in my LIFE, and enjoying every single second of it.

It’s not the right choice for everyone, but it was the right choice for us, and I am so happy with the ‘job” I have!

I forgot that I wrote it, and I then I got an e-mail today saying I was a finalist- the one with the most comments wins (You can VOTE FOR ME HERE, if you would, please)

Then, I reread the post:  "This entry was chosen as one of the best for the Business Channel “Take Your Sons and Daughters To Work Day” contest" The business channel.  Wow. Not to get into a debate about working mom, vs stay-at-home moms,  of business people vs Mommies, but recognizing Mothering as a "career" .  Hmm. Why, yes, it is. It is. A very hard, very challenging, very lucrative career, paying in kisses rather than paychecks.

I get that some people simply MUST work , staying at home isn't an option, ever, to them. I know one recently single Mom who bemoans the fact every day that she needs to be at work to proivide for her children.  My Mom was one of them. They are the Super-Moms of this work- getting it all done. But for those of us who choose not to - choose to give up a career, of a healthy 401K, in order to be full-time Moms, this s a huge boon!

The prize isn't very large for this contest, but, somehow I feel like I've already won-   Someone has recognized that Moms  (and Dads) who stay home raising their families work just as hard as others in their chosen profession. 

I think I'll be smiling all week as I "take my kids to work week" since it's spring break, and they be spending the whole time with me! :)

Coupons??

Those that see me often know I am a coupon junkie. I love coupons, and the loads of money that I save with them!   So, when I saw this article about Paperless coupons on WalletPop- I had to check it out!

Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to  have a card that had all the coupons I needed on it?  I wouldn't have to get multiple papers, harrass friends for their coupons (well, they're going to throw then out anyway---) and no more Grocery Game!

Wait a minute-- I love plaing the Grocery Game. I save, on average, 45-55% on my groceries. I've made enough to donate lots of food that I am able to get free or almost free.(and take my family to Disney World)  Besides the fact that is WICKED FUN!

If you have a yearning to try Grocery Gaming, you can try it for $1- and PLEASE,  say I referred you, so I'll get a week or two free. Use the e-mail allynesma@aol.com as the referral.   But, watch out, it's  ADDICTING!