Pattern testing.

So FB is great for a lot of things and one of them is finding people who love what you love.  A friend of mine follows a page that give you the chance to test patterns for her before she puts them on the market.  She always comes up with different ideas and needs testers for them.  Every time I volunteer she already had 15+ people in line so never got a chance to do it until now. Last week she posted a picture of some cute PJ's and I noticed there only 4 comments so I took advantage of it and let her know I was interested in either size 2T or size 8 for boys.  I got an email the next day with her e pattern and I was asked to work on size 2T for girls.  I cut the fabric last night and finished sewing it this afternoon.  The pattern is pretty easy and not hard to follow.  The one thing that I know would have helped is having a serger, knit material is kind of hard to work with on a regular sewing machine, not impossible but a little hard at time.  And here is our little model, the cost to me $1.00 only because I already had the material except for the ribbing.  I have to say that I learned a new technique with this pattern and I like it.  Also I used my double needle to sew almost the entire thing and do the top stitching.  I love it. 

First day of School 2012-1013

And here we go again.  I am going to make this sweet and short.
Shayna had to be reminded to take a shower, Victor didn't want to help Aaron get to his classroom so he wouldn't get lost, Tristan was bouncing off the walls way to early in the morning, Aaron was not feed breakfast by his wonderful mother because she was suffering from what we think was the West Nile Virus and dad left for work early....

 Tristan and Aaron, the most excited of the bunch.

 Of course the naked baby had to be in the pictures, she was awake bright and early.

 The famous fake smile.

 The "too cool for people to see me being photographed" preteen.

In the end they all had a wonderful day.   Tristan helped Aaron get to his classroom, Aaron made two new friends and learned a new version of the ABC song, Shayna is excited about all her new classes (more to come on that) and Victor thought it was cool to have 4 teachers.

 Right after FHE we did a final picture of the kids with their respective chalkboard sign.  I saw a cool idea on Pinterest and wanted to do the cool pictures in the morning but there was no time, energy or desire to do anything.  They all have the grade they are in and Kahlan's says "I stay home" but she didn't want to hold it and instead banged it on Aaron's board.

Don't you love the look on Shayna's face?  It says to me "Mother do you really have to take a picture of everything?" and the answer is YES!

Olympics 2012

I have to say that we really look forward to the Summer Olympics around here and we had big plans for it this year but we never found the time to get all of our stuff together so we just enjoyed watching them and did our little Olympics this week.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything that has to do with gymnastics and specially this year for us was supper exciting to know that a little girl from Guatemala was going to be representing them in that area. She was actually really good but I think the nerves got the best of her.  I of course could not see her on TV because who cares about a little country from Central America right?  I did find a couple of routines on a Latin channel but that was it, the rest was online.  She managed to move to the finals but that's where she has trouble and went home with no medal.  It was just as exciting anyways.
Another guy from my country though did very well and got  a Silver Medal, the first one ever in the history on Guatemala.  I was so excited when I read about it on FB, that is how I was keeping up with the information and saw his picture there, could not believe it and the kids were wondering what was wrong with me when I started to scream and jump up and down. Of course they also joined me in the celebration after I told them, we were hoping he could get a second medal on the bigger race but he got disqualified, sniff sniff.
I think the fact that we got a medal will probably encourage more people back home to train and get better and maybe send more people to the Olympics next time, I am sure there is a lot of talent back home.  I know the guy got a huge reception when he got back and they had concerts and all kinds of stuff.  We are very proud of him.
My kids and I really enjoyed sitting on the couch and watching the Olympics for a few hours every day, of course they did their chores before so we didn't feel that lazy.  I did miss a few things because my recorder does not have enough space for all the events I was recording so we missed the synchronized swimming which is a must see for me and the rhythmic gymnastics too. The one thing we didn't enjoy was the opening and closing exercises, who comes up with that stuff?  I can't wait to see what Brazil comes up with in 4 years,  wish I could go there... maybe I can contact my uncle who lives in Rio De Janeiro and go visit him around that time, yeah like that's gonna happen :)
So we went to the park this week and did a few events of our own there.  It was kind of funny and silly but the most important thing is to just have fun with the kids. Here are a few pics of our Olympians.

 Everybody went on the beam but Aaron fell right at the end, the funny thing is that after he fell he still did his little salute (picture below), we also have a video of Shayna falling during her routine, that was priceless.

 Victor did this awesome jump and he got fold for it.

 Of course we did some training before we started full force.

 Can you see the look on Kahlan's face?  She was freaked out by the loud airplanes going over the park, poor baby.

 My awesome and valiant boy Aaron, he had no fear going up and down that thing.

 Shayna was nice enough to help Tristan complete a couple of things, I love it when they look out for each other.

 Aaron got mostly bronze medals on all the events but he didn't care, he was just happy to hear that he had gotten a medal.  I love my kids.

There's a lizard in my shoe!!

Just before we were on our way out to the store I hear my 10 year old son say to me "mommy there is something in the bathroom that's really gross",  I could only imagine what it was so I said to flush it and get done in there.... little did I know when he insisted that I came in to see what it was that I would be finding this interesting little guy.

It was a baby lizard that he had found on his shoe, it was bothering him but didn't know what it was so he turned his shoe upside down and there he was.
The poor guy seemed like he has suffered a lot in that shoe and he looked pretty fresh so we know he wasn't in there for days.  What I think happened is that the lizard came through the back door at some point and ran into his shoe and soon after Victor put it on and killed it.
At first we didn't know what it was and we only had a few minutes to look at it before Kahlan  tried to come and pick it up.  We ended up flushing it down the toilet and Victor did not want to wear his shoe anymore but I convinced him that it was OK.

That was defiantly a first.

School Supplies.

OK so I checked my numbers again and added some other items that we had not been able to find before so my grand total was $43.69 but still a pretty good total if you ask me.  Considering this year we went with a lot of brand name items that I usually stay away from. Here are the pics and the explanation for anybody who is interested in shopping this way in the future.... yes I go to several stores but it is done over 3 weeks or so and I don't go to every single one on the same day.  It is a waiting game mixed with the use of coupons and a lot of patience.  I think it works for me and a lot of people ask "how do you do it with 5 kids" my friends let me tell you that there is no other way!
I have 4 kids in school so the school lists are very different every year, two of them wont be using back packs but will use binders, I don't like to add the backpacks price into my total because they are actually an investment for future use, we just trade them in a couple of years.  Aaron of course got a brand new one this year because it is his first official year at school and Tristan seemed very happy with a $5.00 back from the 99 cent store.  My kids are learning young :)

 I hate getting these folder but they are good quality and since they are supposed to last all year then I didn't mind getting them this time around.  11 of them for 0.40 cents each at Office Depot

 Walmart had notebooks on sale for $0.17 so I grabbed 8 of them

 A local dollar store has all kinds of school supplies and are cheaper than other places, all these items were $3.00 total.

 Dollar Tree has the manila pads for $1.00 each

 This pic has a mix of pencils from previous years. The highlighter were $0.15 and the three bottoms erasers were $0.25 each.

 Kroger had a great sale on these pens 6 for $1.00

 Office Depot had filler paper for $0.25 each, glue was free, eraser and pencil sharpeners where $0.25 each but the sharpeners were an unnecessary buy, since the kids were with me they begged me to get them and I could not resist.

 Office Max had pencils for 5 cents each (we got 20 since that is all we needed), the glue was 1 cent and the Purel hand sanitizer was great deal with coupons. My total for these purchase was $3.00

 Walmart (this was my first buy of the season for school items) the construction paper was $2.50... not the greatest price.  Glue and scissors were $0.25 each.

 Kroger and probably one of my most awesome buys: Klennex tissue boxes were on sale for $0.99 cents each when you buy 10 items and I used a coupon that took $0.50 off when you buy 3, the Hefty bags were also $0.99 and I used a coupon that took $1.00 off when you buy 2 which made them $0.50 each!!! I am still doing my happy dance.

 These notebooks were probably the cheapest buy, all together $2.55 at Office Depot.  The sale was for composition books at $0.25 each and the folders were 1 cent each and we were allowed to get 3 notebooks per person and 10 folders as well.  I went to the store once and before the week was over Dan went with me and got two more sets, making it 9 composition books and 30 folders).  So worth it. Just one composition book can be priced at $2.00 and you are lucky to find them for 50 cents anywhere else.

Target deals Total of $10.00 it was a while ago so I don't remember the details but the Roseart products were priced at 25 cents, 50 cents and up to $1.00 I had 3 coupons to use that took $1.00 off when you buy 3 items so I got some free crayons or inexpensive markers for that we only got what we needed.  The pens were also bought with store coupons and manufacturer coupons, got 3 notebooks and 2 pencil bags at $2.00 each for the Shayna and Victor.  I could have found cheaper bags at the dollar store but I was tired and Victor really loves the Angry Birds.
And that my friends concludes the adventures of the Brown household purchasing school items for the year 2012 except of course when they get their clearance items and we can stock up for next year that is of course if we can get them for really really cheap!

PS.  I still need 2 or 3 bottles of hand sanitizer (the bigger size) but I am waiting on a good deal for those and since they probably wont have anything before school starts we will end up going to the dollar store during the weekend and spend $2.00 or $3.00

Almost time to go back to school.

I have to be honest here, the fact that my kids will be going back to school brings a little bit of excitement in my life.  Now don't judge because everybody is entitled to their own opinion and here is mine.  I LOVE that I got to spend lots of time with my kids, they are fun, smart and very cool to hang out with but there are so many of them (just kidding), the noise level will surely go down when they are gone, the TV will be off for most of the time and lucky for me the Disney shows and commercial will cease to exist during the day.
The messes will be minimal when they are gone because there will be NO messes period, the fights will also stop and the constant whining and screaming will also be gone.
I think back now on how my summer started and the things that I was going through and I am so glad that it is over and didn't seem to take that long for me to get back to being old me.  We spent lots of time playing, going to the pool, making crafts and playing the Legos.  It was basically busy days filled with joy and all the other stuff I listed before.  I didn't get to finish a lot of my projects because I was busy taking the kids here and there and entertaining them all the time.  I do have to say that they did get a lot of reading done, specially Victor who so far has read the most books this summer, followed by Tristan.
I will miss them of course and they will miss me but as always I can see signs that THEY  are ready to go back to school too.
Now for the most wonderful news this summer, Aaron has stopped sucking on his thumb!!!  He finally realized that school is soon going to start and I have threatened him that they wont take him in unless he stops sucking on his thumb. After 2 years he finally got it.  He came running to me the other day to show me that his scar on his thumb was completely dry after a whole night of not sucking on it.  I could see how proud of himself he was and of course it was followed by "Now I will be able to go to school mommy"  Funny but oh so exciting.  He will probably have to wear braces in the future to fix the damage but the dentist said it wasn't as bad as we think it is.... good.
We are pretty much ready to go back, got a few clothing items for the kids to wear to school, got shoes for the two oldest kids, backpacks for Tristan and Aaron and lots of school supplies for a ridiculous amount of money but that will be a different post with pics. Seriously every year I do better and better in the school supplies purchases.  I remember when I got excited for getting all the school supplies for $70.00 4 years ago and I think this year I didn't go over $30.00 for all 4 kids.
I have enjoyed getting up late every morning but beginning next Monday we will be going back to normal school schedule and that's gonna be a challenge for me, I think that it is only fear that I give myself a little break during the summer time and sleep in every once in a while, it feels good.
The next exciting thing for me is that I will be able to go back to my exercising and walking routine I used to have.  Can't wait to continue with my weight loss program.  Having the kids home was a challenge in that department because they are always hungry and since I prepare the food it gets easier to eat more with them... But seriously I can't wait to start my normal schedule again.
Hope everyone else is having a smooth transition in their back to school activities and that their kids have a successful school year!!!