You know you're a mommy when....Preschool edition

I wrote a blog like this 4 years ago when my boys were babies/toddlers and I laughed when I re-read it today because life is just so different now that the boys are older! Also, I laughed when I felt the need to "justify" my feeding Jonathan mac and cheese by saying it was organic....Oh, poor, naive Katy of 2012...if you only knew what your kids eat now.

So here is my updated "You know you are a mommy when..." list. 

1. You instantly recognize the "click" that the seatbelt/carseat makes when it is being unbuckled. You have also perfected the look of death that you give each kid in the rear view mirror. This nearly always suffices and they buckle back up.

2.  You often wonder if shows like VeggieTales or the educational ones on PBS Kids really count towards screen time. I mean, they are learning at the same time, no? So basically, you can let them watch another episode of Wild Kratts and not have to do "learning  time" that day. Win-win! 

3. Your ideas on what constitutes "a clean room" have totally changed.  All you want is for them to clean their room up on their own. One less room for you to clean up, make the bed, put things away etc...So if it means that you accept a bed that is disheveled and made up only to the point that their stuffed animals are tucked in and "sleeping," so be it. At least you didn't have to do it yourself. 

4. Food time is a battle. Every. Single. Day. Thankfully, you have learned the secret weapons of your most stubborn and are now prepared when he makes himself throw up so that he doesn't have to eat vegetables. You know his tricks and he will NOT get out of eating. You have also developed a much larger tolerance for throw up. "Oh, you think fake gagging on that pea will save you today? Joke's on you." 

5. Speaking of food, you have significantly lowered your standards. That's all that needs to be said about that. 

6. During the summer, we all try to keep their brains from turning to mush. Sometimes we do great and they do some work out of a workbook or our older kids practice reading to us. Other times, you give them a 100 pack of straws and a pair of scissors and they "work on their fine motor skills" for an hour while you check Facebook.

7. At this point in your mothering career,  obviously you have learned to tune them out, but you have also learned the difference in their screams.  A few of the favorites in our house..."He stole the remote control and won't give it back!"..."Matthew punched me in the eye and I'll never be able to see again!".... "Superman will save you from the terrible Squidman! Pow pow pow!!!"..."Mom, I'm not screaming! I'm practicing my songs for school!"

8. You have learned to gauge whether your grocery store trip is an "I'll have to buy them donuts to get through this" kind of trip or if you can get by with a free cookie from the bakery. You have also taught them to remind you to pay for the donuts at the end of the trip...

9. There are 2 words you fear more than any others during the summer... "I'm bored." 

10. Finally, you know you are a preschool mommy when you fluctuate between two emotions at any given time; desperation for your kids to grow up and be more self-reliable, and total depression that your kids are growing up so fast. Kindergarten is the most terrifying of all the parent things. They are gone from you SO long, they are under the influence of all the terrible things that go on at school... but it is also so nice to have a little more time to yourself. And it's pretty cool to see your kids growing into real little men. 

I little story about a flood.

So, in case y'all haven't heard or noticed, it rained a little this spring. I mean, it rains a lot in Houston normally, but one night in April, we got 14 inches in about 5 hours. It was....fun. Let's have a little chat about that night, shall we?

Around 12:30, we woke up to the sound of hail on our skylight. Our main concern was that it was going to shatter because that crap was LOUD. Luckily, the skylight held on and the hail dissipated. We then turned our attention to the back yard, where we discovered this little gift...

So, being the calm and rational person I am, I dealt with it the only way I know how. By freaking out. I literally just stood there shaking my head and saying "oh crap, oh crap" over and over. Luckily, Zack can handle his emotions a little better and grabbed a bunch of towels and started trying to clean up. The boys were already in our room, cause, you know, thunder...so I checked on them and made sure they weren't floating in a puddle yet. Finally, around 1:30, the rain tapered off and the water receded. We figured we were home free and headed to bed. We are such stupid dummies. It rained ALL NIGHT LONG. How does one even go to sleep when their house is flooding? 

Around 6:15, Jonathan woke up and walked into the kitchen. All I could hear from my room was, "Oh my goodness. I DID NOT DO THIS!" Interestingly enough, I didn't come running. I already knew what I would find when I walked out there and I knew it would suck.  Sure enough, we had nearly an inch of water throughout 70% of the house. Again, I freaked out. I just stood there laughing this ridiculously creepy laugh. Cause, I mean, what else could I do? You cant clean that up with a couple of beach towels. All in all, we had water in the master bedroom, closets, and bathroom, the living room, breakfast room, Jonathan's room and closet, the guest room and closet and all along the large bar in the kitchen. 

Long story short, it just kept raining. Every road around us was flooded, so we couldn't get any teams out to help. The water remediation crew couldn't come out for 2 days, and the carpet was already starting to smell everything up, so Zack and I had to tear it all out ourselves. Let me tell you, that was an adventure. Honestly, I think we both kind of lost it at that point. Zack turned on the Beach Boys, and just went at it with a heavy duty box cutter. Seriously....the Beach Boys? How does a grown man come to the conclusion that the best music to listen to while you demolish your house is the Beach Boys? To each his own, I suppose. We ended up spending the entire week at my in-laws because our house wasn't safe and you know, it was full of flood water. Ultimately, we got the carpet and flooring removed, the crews finally made it to our house and tore out a bunch of walls and baseboards and then left us with 30 fans/machines running day and night to dry everything out. 

The best news of this story is that we have flood insurance. Now, in case you didn't know, no matter who carries your flood insurance, it's backed by FEMA. And let me tell y'all....FEMA is THE WORST. We are nearly 3 months out and haven't received our payout. We have no floors, partially completed walls with drywall but no paint (which means everything in our entire house is coated in fine white dust,) all our stuff is packed into any room that didn't have damage, everything is dirty and everything is dusty. I'm not even going to act like it doesn't bother me. It is terrible. And you know what, chances are high that I will continue to whine until it is fixed. We talked to our adjuster yesterday and he said everything is submitted for our claim, but it could still be 2 months before we get the final pay out. 2 MONTHS. That would make 5 months of living in disarray. I can't even deal. 

Now, let me end this by saying I know it could have been so much worse and I pray daily for the families who had more damage or lost everything. God surely did protect us and our home. But you know what? That doesn't make me any less ticked off that this happened. And I still hate FEMA. So, if you are wondering why I haven't invited you over for a play date or dinner....it's cause I don't have floors, or access to toys, or a table to feed more than 4 people...One day you can come back, friend. 

We are back!

And just like that, we are back in business. It's just time, friends. 

                                

I won't go into a long and lengthy "catch up" post, seeing as most of you know what's going on in our lives. But for those I don't see on a regular basis, here is the bottom line. Jonathan is 6 1/2 and about to start 1st grade and I still can't talk about that without ugly crying. Matthew is 4 1/2 and about to start his last year of preschool. I'm telling you, it's a cruel world. I still teach my 3 year old preschool class and it is very nearly Heaven. Seriously, who wouldn't love a job where you have an army of little humans following you around, thinking you can do no wrong? I mean, they might argue this point when I make them clean up or take a nap, but for the most part, I think they love me. Finally, Zack is still working for the man. Lots of hours, lots of weekends, lots of late nights. But still, he trudges on. Thankfully, because as it turns out, taking care of an army of little humans is amazing, but doesn't really help put food on the table. Know what I mean?

Things have changed in the years since I stopped writing. Some things were good, some were amazing and some were not so amazing (I'm looking at you FEMA) but in the end, we are the same, crazy Ley family. I often think that it's my kids that change the most and, obviously they do, but I truly think it has been me that's changed the last few years. I have found that I am much less serious. I just don't care about the same things I did a few years ago. I am much better about comparing myself to others and trying to achieve their perceived level of "success." I have tightened up my circle of friends, letting go of unproductive relationships and renewing friendships that are fulfilling and fruitful. I find myself caring less about what others think of me and just going about my day doing what needs to be done. I just feel wiser. And old. I feel older. Which sucks. But you know what, sometimes getting older means you learn a few things that make life a little sweeter. That's where I find myself. Man, if I know all the answers at 33, think how smart and totally amazing I will be at 40!

That poetic monologue aside, I still have so much crazy built up in this head of mine. And hopefully I can come back to this space to let some of it out for your enjoyment. And pretty soon I'm gonna need to have a cathartic moment about my house flood that is STILL not resolved. But that's another post for another day. 

It feels good to be back, friends. 

My Crazy Boy

Jonathan's 4th birthday has come and gone. It was a wonderful weekend full of family, friends and lots of fun. We went to the Katy Rodeo on Friday night, where Jonathan actually went out and rode in the stick horse race! I was so proud of him for doing it....a few months ago, he would have been too scared. Saturday morning we watched the Katy Rodeo Parade and collected a ridiculous amount of candy and Mardi Gras beads....(side note) Who decided those beads were a necessary "treat" for a family parade? Also, nobody likes Double Bubble....so please, stop throwing it out of your float. Late Saturday afternoon, we transformed our neighborhood park into a Super Hero Birthday Party!! The kids had a great time and I was just happy that my jeans and (Captain America) t-shirt were deemed socially acceptable attire for the hostess. 

My boy is pretty amazing right now. He is kind, smart, loving and brave. At the same time, he is crazy, frustrating, Cranky Pants most days and can scream bloody murder at the drop of a hat. But, most of all, he is strong and healthy. And right now, that is a gift that I am NOT taking for granted. 

My Newest Obsession

Many people (as in....a few) have asked me to share what I am doing to save money at the grocery store and/or Target. Those of you who have heard these stories a million times already, feel free to log off....I can admit that I have been a little annoying with my coupon success stories lately, but I am pretty proud of myself! So... I have a few rules and routines that I have been following over the last month and they seem to be really making a difference in our grocery budget!

1. Grocery circulars come to my house in the mail on Wednesday. Typically, I focus on HEB and Randalls, but if Kroger or Sprouts has an amazing deal, I would be willing to head there. However, so far, they haven't had anything worth going for. I sit down and circle all the great deals, things I think I need, things I might want etc...I then get out my coupons and try to match up as many as possible. THEN I make my meal plan. That has been a big money saver....I plan my meals based on what is on sale or what I have good coupons for. Sometimes this means typing a new cut of meat into Pinterest to find a recipe that I think will work! As far as coupons...We receive the Sunday paper (you can get a Sunday only subscription!) which is where I find a ton of coupons, I print quite a few from this coupon site and Coupon Mom, and I make sure to check the circulars carefully for random coupons.

(A note about Randalls....) Most people write Randalls off because they have typically higher prices. I urge you to look more closely! This week alone, I saved $67 or 44% of my bill! Randalls has a great rewards program online that allows you to automatically add coupons to your Randalls card and receive specialized prices on items you buy regularly. They also put store coupons in their weekly circular. The key here is that they allow you to "stack" coupons. Meaning, I can use a store coupon, a manufacturer coupon and a special personalized price on the same item. Also, they double coupons up to .50 at my store (this varies per store, so check your coupon policy!) So, for example...this week, they had:

Nature Valley Granola Bars on special 3 boxes for $5.

I had a $1.50 off one manufacturer coupon +

2 .50 manufacturer coupons which doubled +

.75 off one Randalls coupon.

= 4.25 off price.

Since I bought 3 boxes, I was allowed to use all 3 coupons and stack the Randalls coupon. I got three boxes for .75! My boys love these bars, so it was a major score! Now, you aren't going to find fabulous deals on everything there. You have to find the deals you can stack or use high value coupons. That being said, you will often find amazing deals on ground beef ($2.99 a pound for lean ground beef this week!) ice cream, soda etc...Just watch!

2. Target. I freaking love Target so much. This is where I first got the coupon bug. First of all, you need to download the Cartwheel app. It provides unadvertised deals on hundreds of things throughout the store. You add the deals you want and then show the barcode on your phone to the checker. There are TONS of deals on Cartwheel. Second, you can stack a Target coupon, manufacturer coupon, and Cartwheel deal. Also, I have a Target Red card (the debit card) which saves me an additional 5% off the total bill. That's a LOT of savings on each item! Also, Target often provides gift cards when you buy a certain number of a specific item. You can't use the gift card on the immediate purchase, but you can use it the same day. I usually just do two transactions so that I can use the gift card on the rest of my items. So, for example....A few weeks ago, I got this amazing deal on shampoo and conditioner....

Loreal Advanced shampoo and Conditioner.

I bought 5 shampoos and 1 conditioner. =$24

3- $5 off 2 Loreal shampoo/conditioner manufacturer coupons

Target Cartwheel 10% off

Target Red car 5% off

Receive a $5 gift card when you buy $20 of Loreal products

Total: $3.00 (and some change) for all 6 products! (which is lower than the normal cost of ONE!)

Also, Target is very good about putting things on clearance and all deals/coupons can be applied to clearance! I have found shampoo, body wash, toothpaste etc....for GREAT deals because they were already half off, plus coupons and Cartwheel deals! So far, I have had no problems with the cashier taking my coupons or not deducting the correct amount, BUT, I have heard that some stores will give you a harder time. That being said....be choosy when you pick a check out line. Look for friendly faces, cashiers you have used before etc...don't go to the teenager who doesn't look like they give a crap or that might be brand new. This seems stupid, but it makes a difference! Also, be kind! Don't be all annoying about your coupons. If you irritate them, they won't help you out if a problem arises.

So....there you have it. Am I an extreme couponer? NO WAY! I have never had a zero balance, but I have gotten a few things for free! I have only done this for a few weeks, but I am hooked. It takes me about an hour a week to organize deals and plan meals, but it is so worth it. I love feeling like I am saving our family money and doing my part to contribute to our car fund!

Observations.

1. My little baby turned two this month and it was tough. Watching your kids grow up is both amazing and yet, totally depressing at the same time. I want him to grow up and be a big, strong boy. But I also want him to be my baby forever. I want to sing him to sleep (he only wants books now) and I want to hear him say he loves me all the time (he usually says "no" when I ask him if he loves me) and I want him to wake up from a nap or in the morning and just want cuddles (now he immediately yells, "watch Cars!!!") I basically want him to stay this little person who sleeps on nap mats covered with bulldozers FOREVER. Blah... Observation....Time moves too fast.

2. Trying to copy birthday parties that you see on Pinterest is both exhausting and expensive. I threw Matthew a Cars birthday party and, while it turned out great, it was exhausting. And I spent more money than I wanted (but lets be real...I am turning so cheap lately, spending ANY money is too much!) Honestly, I do this crap because I want to. I like doing as much as I can to spoil my little guys on their big day and make them feel special. But really.....it's stupid. Matthew didn't really care or notice and none of the other little kids did either. Observation.....This is all for me. Not even for my friends or the other parents....All for me. And that's okay I guess. (I wish I had taken better pictures of the table...the names of the foods were pretty cute!)

3. My parents drove in for the party, as almost all  grandparents do. However, my dad come in the middle of his seriously busy season (he owns a CPA firm) and with terrible cedar fever (they are from Austin) and my mom didn't just show up empty handed....even though she was a guest in MY home, she brought dinner for Saturday night (homemade taco soup!) AND helped make delicious dips for the party, decorate, entertain the boys and get everything clean and ready before our other guests arrived. Observation.....my parents beat your parents.

4. Jonathan is still three. Matthew is now two. For nearly two, very scary months of the year, they are much closer in age than I would prefer. Matthew woke up on his birthday as if the "terrible twos" fairy came to him in a dream and taught him everything he needed to know. Jonathan is still in the throws of the "even more terrible threes." I swear they have competitions every day to see who can be lose their brains first. Observation....those of you with kids closer in age are saints. I don't know how you do it.

5. Last week, some of my closest girlfriends and I committed to hold each other accountable....in life, in our marriages, as parents, as Christians. We have been a group for years, but getting together and actively praying for each other has often taken a back seat to everyday life. But last week, we were honest with each other and all decided to truly hold each other accountable about meeting face to face. I think this is CRAZY important. It is easy to say, "I'll be praying!" over email or text.....but there is something so powerful about praying for each other face to face. You know, the whole, "where two or more are gathered in my name..." thing. Observation....I have the greatest friends in the world and I am pretty sure they will slap me in the face if I try to say, "I'm really tired tonight, I can't meet." And that's exactly why I love them. 

6. Observation...not working on Monday is so incredibly amazing. It gives me time to stay up late and write blog posts :) I leave you with some cute pictures of cute kids :) Oh, and another observation....I eat too much birthday cake.

Confessions....that prove I have some serious issues.

Let's just jump right in, shall we?

1. About 2/3 of the way through my school day, I started looking for my keys (which are connected to my wallet....) Not sure why I felt like I needed them, I just did. After a thorough search of my bag did not turn up the keys, I started to worry. I figured maybe I had locked them in the car, so I walked to the parking lot to search for them...mentally walking through my conversation with AAA about why I needed them to come out and open my car. The good news? I hadn't locked them in the car....the doors were all unlocked. The bad news? The keys were still in the ignition. With my wallet hanging from them. With all the doors unlocked. All. Day. Long.

2. This week has been tough. Going back to school after a long break was really tough for my boys and they have been exhausted every night. But Tuesday? Tuesday was a freaking doozie. The boys were in child care at the church while I had inservice, and Jonathan didn't take a nap. And boy, does brother still need a nap. So by the time 7:30 rolled around (and Zack still wasn't home) we were all losing our brains. I am ashamed to admit that Jonathan and I had a scream-off. Face to face, loud as we could be, both so stinkin' mad at each other...For the record, I won. He couldn't hold a straight face. Amateur.

3. Monday night I ate chips and dip for dinner. With a piece of cake for dessert. In my defense, the chips were Veggie Chips. Which are totally, 100% healthy and basically count like negative calories. Oh, and they are a legitimate vegetable serving. So...bam. (for some of my pyscho, health nut friends...I am being sarcastic....you get that, right?)

4. My New Year Goal of being healthy and losing weight hasn't really gotten off the best start. Please see #3 for reasons why I say this....

5. My other goals however, have been going well! I have been trying to touch base with at least 2 friends each week and let them know I am thinking of them. I am learning (in the 1 week this little project has been going on) that I really like to email/text with people, but I am not as easily persuaded to make plans or commit to getting together. I crave relationships and prayer partners, but not necessarily hanging out all the time. I am also learning that I am incredibly selfish in this department. If something is my idea or fits perfectly into my schedule, I am all for it. But if hanging out means I have to rearrange things, miss time with my family, stay up later than normal or get out of my comfort zone, I am not as cool with it. Thus, the goal for the new year.

6. I am really depressed that my book series (The Yada Yada Prayer Group and the Yada Yada House of Hope series) are done. Like, really depressed. I feel like I have no closure from good friends who moved away without warning. I need a movie. Or like 5 more books. Hmm...I wonder if there is a correlation between this nerdy side of me (getting too attached to book characters) and my issues stated in #5.

7. Finally, I have done AWESOME saving money so far! I am killing it in the coupon department, especially at Target. Today, I triple stacked coupons and save like $4.50 on toilet paper. I was seriously excited. Also, I scored 3 boxes of Multigrain Cheerios for .88  a piece. I was so proud of myself I made Jonathan and Matthew give me high fives. Yes, I will FORCE my kids to be proud of my skills.  Mama needs a minivan.

Hope you guys all had a great week! And what the heck? Hardly ANYBODY gave me money saving tips. I know you guys have some....hook a girl up!!!