Today's Secret Word Is...

"POOP!"

We just heard this from the living room. I'm thinking that Ryan has been watching too many Pee Wee Herman episodes...what do you think?

For all of you who are not familiar with the secret word, Pee Wee doesn't use THAT word in any of his episodes...that was ALL Ryan.

Ready for towing and street-legal too

It's taken long enough and although I could have hitched the trailer and towed it around, it would have been legal. No we're officially ready to hook-up and tow/move/load things.  Next up will be to take the trailer to our friend and mechanic (Jim's) for him to do some welding and install a new receiver and safety chains to complete the entire project. I still have some cosmetic things to do like hiding some of the wiring but other than that, it's ready.  Thanks again Gordon and Mom for your help and encouragement and for Marnell's patience. Of course, Ryan had to help too with attaching the plate.

On the Job Training

Who knew that following the Verizon FiOS guy around for 6 hours meant that you were ready to do it yourself!

Ever since he left, Ryan has been plugging things in, out, and all over the place. Maybe he has a future in electronics?

We've been FiOS'D ! Hooray!

We've made the jump to Verizon FiOS and the transition is completed.  We now use Verzion for phone, iNET and TV. After some cost analysis, we get more "stuff" for what we were paying for Cox Cable and Vonage combined. We now have DVR, digital music channels (which we missed), KBYU and many more kids channels including Ryan's favorite, Noggin. Now, we've jsut got to learn how it all works and adjust to thinking differently about how we watch TV/DVR.

Score @ CVS and Walgreens!

Yes, I admit it, I'm a coupon geek. It's a game to me to see just how much I DON'T have to pay to walk out of stores with their products! Today was an exceptional day at CVS and Walgreens! Ready for this?

CVS
First, they have a sign out front that says "Check out our Coupon Machine" (or something like that.) It was a little kiosk between the double doors that you wave your CVS card by and it spits out a coupon. At least it did for me! A whole $5 off my next $25 purchase! :) YAY! I'm already ahead of the game! (Though I wasn't planning to spend $25 this time, I'm counting it as savings for this trip.)

This is what I purchased (All based on Memorial day sales and ECB's* back)

2 - Post Trail Mix Cereal (BOGO Free + $4 in coupons - each box was .39)
1 - Revlon Nail Polish ($3 ECB's back + $1 coupon - they paid me .01 to take it out of their store)
1 - Playtex Tampons (18 ct) ($3 in ECB's + 1 Coupon - again, they paid me .01 to take it out of their store)
1 - Clearasil Face Wash (Sale price was $3.99 with $3.99 in ECB's - so it was FREE.)
1 - Glade Candle (Regular price $6.99, save $2 + $4 coupons = .99)
1 - package of Marshmallows (.99)
1 - 8k of Hershey Bars (1.50) (We decided to have S'Mores last minute with the kids!)

Total Products (sale prices): $24.24 (Would have been 35.34 without the sales!)
Total in Coupons: $10.00
Total paid with tax: $14.24
Total ECB's (including $5 coupon for later): $14.99

I MADE a whole 75 cents! Woo Hoo!

Walgreens
Just a little different here, I didn't realize that I couldn't have more coupons than items (now I know) except for stacking store coupons with manufacturer coupons. Otherwise, I would have come out better here.

Essentially, I would have paid just $4.56 for 4 packages of Velveeta Shells and Cheese and 2 9V Energizer Batteries and a package of 4 Energizer AA batteries. Instead, I'll use my $6 register rewards from a shopping trip last week next time!

Next time, I'll know! :)

----------------------------------------
By the way, those of you in the Warwick Ward - if you are planning to buy soda to donate to the YW Gaspee Days Sale, 12 packs of Pepsi products are 3.33 right now at Target - you can print $1 coupons (as many as you need, just put the number in and print) from this website - so each 12 pack would be just $2.33. Bonus! (There are other coupons as well, AND you can stack these with manufacturers coupons at Target - have fun printing!)


*ECB's are Extra Care Bucks, basically a coupon that you can use as cash next time you shop there.

Just Overheard in the Kids Bedroom...

As Ryan climbs over the crib railing...

Ryan: Ow! That hurt my weenie!

(Sorry if it's TMI, it was too funny NOT to share!)

Random Pictures and Random Captions

The Point of Exhaustion
(This happened no less than 3 minutes before Daddy got home from work.)

Another Exhausted Kid
(Oh yeah...it's the same one. What did he have to eat?)

Megan...being Megan...

(Would you believe that Ryan took these pictures of her? Just found them on the camera today!)

Mom's Survival Kit
(72 Hour Kit, extra H20, Stroller, Four 12-packs of Diet Mountain Dew, and four packages of diapers. That should do it!)

Chocolate, it's what's for breakfast.
(And all over your nightgown, and diaper, and face, and hands...)

Who dresses this kid?

(Wasn't Mom, he did that himself after deciding it was warm enough to run through the sprinklers. Yeah right!)

Overheard this AM

Ryan: Mommy, I want something to eat (translation: I'm bored)

Mom: What would you like?

Ryan: Peanut butter crackers

Mom: OK, do you want square crackers (Triscuits) or round crackers (Ritz)?

Ryan: Round crackers, like the shape of Megan's head.

Whew! Good thing Megan isn't a square-head!

Not to be outdone...

My incredibly smart daughter KNOWS her stuff!

She was asking for a DVD, which is usually one of 3 or 4 different ones: Baby Signing Time, Blues Clues, or old Pee Wee Herman Episodes.

So I asked...

Mom: Do you want Baby Time?

Megan: No, Baby Bach.

Ummm...OK, Baby Bach it is! (From Baby Einstein if you aren't up to speed with kids DVD's)

What's in a Name?

So I have to say...my kid is wicked smart! :)

I'm sure that every parent says that, but I'm sure mine is smarter than yours! hehe

We've been working through a preschool workbook that I picked up at Job Lot (LOVE THAT STORE! In fact, I've picked up quite a few workbooks and stuff that we can do at home together.)

He's learning things like writing his letters, getting ready to read, math prep and stuff like that. It's just amazing to see what he really comprehends and can figure out himself! (I'm sure he gets it from me - heh!)

So today, he was practicing his name - and he wrote it by himself for the first time rather than following my patterns! I love how the "R" is upside down and that his "n" has an extra piece!

Can you tell I'm a proud mom? :)

Overheard in the hallway...

As Ryan is using my double stick tape on the wall..

Mom: Ryan, what are you doing with my tape?

Ryan: Wasting it.

Mom: Why are you wasting it?

Ryan: Because I have to.

Verizon here we come!

A few years ago, Verizon FiOS became available in our area. We were die-hard cable fans, complete with our digital cable TV channels, including the music channels! (LOVE THOSE!)

So...when the sales people came door to door, we told them that we were in a contract and couldn't change (we really were) and sent them on their way.

Time passed, and we needed to cut back, save our pennies, and stuff like that. So, we canceled our phone service through Cox and went with Vonage. We also downgraded our digital TV to "Basic/Expanded" and gave up the music channels (*sniff*) - not to mention Noggin, a channel that Ryan LOVED!

It hasn't been THAT bad going without, and we really had no intention to change.

But the other night as I was seeing the Verizon commercial (for the ump-teenth time) with the cable guy who's watching the FiOS guy through the window (Off topic - did you know that the guy (Matt McCarthy) who plays the cable guy is from RI? Anyhooo....) I mentally went through what we are paying now for Vonage and our Cox Cable/Internet. The result? The price we would pay for Verizon services (phone, internet, digital channels/music) would be the SAME if not just a little cheaper! AND - we're able to include a DVR in the package!

*happy dance*happy dance*

So, the decision was a no-brainer since we don't have a contract with our cable company anymore. We'll be paying the same money, for more services. Why not switch? :)

The REALLY cool thing about this is that now we will have BYU TV! No more streaming General Conference over the Internet or plopping ourselves down on someone elses couch! Also, I don't have to change email addresses because I have my own domains. But...

*Housekeeping Note*

If you are currently using Ric's cox email address - rcl1 (at) cox (dot) net - change over to ric (at) thelevetts (dot) com so that your messages don't bounce back once the switch is made!

So, there you go, Verizon here we come!

Overheard in the Living Room...

So Ryan decides to take it upon himself to take off Megan's diaper after she pooped. The problem was that it wasn't a "clean" poop, if you know what I mean. It ended up ALL over her. I got her cleaned up and sent her on her way. A few minutes later, she comes to me and says: 'Mommy, Poop!" While pointing to her leg. Now I have to find the origin of said "poop."

Mom: Megan, show me where got the poop on your leg.

Megan: Right there. (Pointing to her leg.)

What I meant was...where did you sit/slide/move to get poop smeared all over her leg! Serves me right for asking the question, she answered it perfectly! :)

Curls curls curls

The more Megan's hair grows, the curlier it gets! I love it - but it's just unruly right now! Enjoy the random pics!

Hi Daddy...

I've taught Ryan some things that are important...

1) He knows our home address.

2) He knows that he should look for cars when he crosses the street (though he often still forgets)

3) He knows how to call Daddy at work...oh boy...

For safety's sake, I taught him the buttons to press to call Ric at work (the number is stored in the phone.) Now he just does it for fun, because he can. How do I teach him that he should only call when I say it's OK or if there's an emergency?

Sorry Ric, I think you'll be getting a lot of "Hi Daddy, What are you doing?" calls in the meantime! :)

Piggies?

Today Ryan was saying..."this little piggy" and it went something like this:

This little piggy went to bed...

This little piggy checked email...

This little piggy had none...

Among other things that piggies did. Such the comedian!

Overheard in the bathroom...

Ryan: Mommy, I don't liked you anymore. I just liked Daddy. Never mind you.

*sigh* I hope that means that I'm doing something right!