We're moving

Glen got a job offer with Wells Fargo 2 weeks ago in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We took a quick trip this weekend and spent 3 days looking at houses. At last we decided on a house. By popular demand here's the pictures of the house. We'll have more space, which we're all excited about. Now instead of looking jam packed, we'll be able to spread out. Glen starts on October 4 so will take off next weekend. It will be sad to have him gone. We'll come after we pack up and close on our new home.

Spaghetti Night

Spaghetti night! Yummy! I love the messy face pictures and Connor was sure messy. What you can't see in the picture is that his right ear was itching him so his that ear and all around were covered in sauce. I had to get a parsley flake from the inside folds of his ear during bath. He was a happy camper though, even happier when I gave him his green beans.

The big day arrived

Yesterday was the day Kate and Rachel have been waiting for, for a long time. They got their ears pierced. They've been working hard to earn the special treat, especially Rachel. Both of them were very brave and no one cried. I was grateful for that. Rachel was quite nervous, surprising because she is usually my tough one. After they did the first ear, she looked at me like, "that is it?". I'm glad it is done. Rachel woke up this morning still thrilled at she has earrings. Very exciting!

the last month

Yes, it has been a while since I've blogged. I keep meaning to write, but just haven't done it. Connor started walking a month ago. It is still so much fun to see him go all over. He's grown up so quickly. This video is of some of his first steps. The countdown has begun for summer vacation! I can't wait!!!

The last day of school in Hamden is June 17. Kate and Rachel will be home for a couple of weeks before they start going to summer school three mornings a week. I was hoping they wouldn't get into the program, but they did and they really want to go. They'll be studying ocean life. Hopefully I can go on some of their field trips with them. I'd love that!

Still no news for Glen on the job front. I'm trying to be hopeful. A job will come up that we think he's perfect for, but nothing happens. There are two that he is really working on right now that he'd be fantastic at. We're hoping and praying that things progress soon, very soon if I have my wish.

Good deals of the day

Get a free box of mac and cheese:
http://cheesyexplosion.young-america.com/Register.aspx

Great new walmart samples:
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-free-samples.aspx

P&G have their new quarterly samples and coupons online:
http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/pg-brandsaver-samples-coupons.jsp

Samples and Deals

More great deals and samples to share! Happy saving!

Samples:

Try the new Pampers Cruisers! I'm a huge fan!
https://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/pampers/brandsampler-login.jsp

Kashi, your choice of sample. I got my granola bar in the mail yesterday and loved it.
http://www.kashi.com/healthier_year/sample/select

Anyone else with heartburn? Priolec OTC sample (also has a coupon on site):
https://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/potc-brandsampler.jsp


Free Products!

Dove body wash: Tell Dove what you think of their body wash in a short video and they'll send you a coupon for a free product! Find all the info at:
http://www.dove.us/#/challenge/default.aspx

Free Olay Quench lotion! I love free!
http://www.olay.com/Club_Olay/march2010/images/Quench_Form_Club_Olay.pdf


Great Deals!

Great deals on two new products when you shop at Target. At Target you can use a manuf. coupon and Target coupon on the same item, saving you even more money. The next three items are double coupon deals at Target.

Neutrogena Clinial kits. For this kit, you can actually do three things to save $$$$. You can use the $5 manuf. coupon, the $5 Target coupon and use the $15 rebate form to get a great deal.
$5 manuf. coupon and rebate form:
http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/specialoffer.myntg?segment=women&fcaID=W2fcaF1SpecialOffers
Target coupon use link below.

Aveeno facial kit. Same thing, use the $5 Target coupon found on link below and then go to this webite to get your additional $5 coupon and $10 rebate (they were also in Sunday's paper if you got one).
http://www.aveeno.com/vitality

Need lightbulbs? Great deal when you use both a Target coupon and a manuf. coupon.
Ge Coupon:
http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/coupons_offers/
Target coupon:
http://coupons.target.com/mcp/pd.cfm?encp=gvCf54gZb0gnNwjLPYVEcoloYGazpnsYpHO1nTNIZiLpmut4idI3p87LzUthUBukyBugL72Ub%2BP8%0D%0AQbTZB1GaI%2BtATy%2BguohB%2Bwg2T2hhx%2FSraQpXS93hI82hXGs5eaWSgNLcsuTLvcmqzqxDTcD1SLa3%0D%0AG6DRMXrnMZvCmjGEsWD7uX1akgD%2BA61pWTPVyINXXAYkCC78Z1CBFiAHtYLrMcVXMVfXIF%2BQAaSN%0D%0Ab%2BqZzwk2vsB7Rx9DuTdHsfLjrvoTF67rMlPzErX5t89eaAL4BmyAq6VeWj482biH2fvHkZv9uUd1%0D%0A1LsPFC4P0z%2F5dYhrCQfQBDOf6SBdxubChAtxDZBL1S%2FctkKx2qtBmPYR0D51mnQLGqSd0Ai98A%2FK%0D%0AZGAvJCQ3j8Sq3a6HQp1V%2By7LaXGN%2FMEiropLed4YoHkZy3DSlckIC0k8cUKIH8CtpJtKDB7fLsy%2F%0D%0AcIYpcHEfSnV26r0ZOUleIxDqSgHI9SoLHEw%3D

Free Samples

So, now that I have so much more free time at night and Glen is gone, I spend my time online looking for deals and free samples. Nothing brightens my day more than getting my free samples in the mail. I've been doing this so much lately that I get a surprise in the mail almost every day. Since it takes so long for the sample to get here usually (the exception is walmart's samples - they come fast), I have forgotten what I've registered for and it is so exciting to get a treat! I know, I'm lame, but it is fun for me. Tonight I thought I'd share. One of my favorite thing about free samples is they usually are accompanied by coupons, another game for me. You might want to use a separate email address for your freebies. A lot of time they'll sign you up for their newsletter. I have an old email address I have everything sent to.

here's the list:

L'Oreals new shampoo (tried it already and love it):
http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/?page=top{userdata//d+d//diagnosticmain:mylorealoffersmedia:_blanknavoverlay:_blank}

Olay new body wash:
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid84212.aspx

Tide with Febreeze:
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid84220.aspx?advrtid=WMTProctorGamblePG01_PNG_11180_TidePlusFebisn135x100

Crest Whitestrips:
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid84184.aspx

Kotex samples:
http://www.ubykotex.com/samples

YoPlus coupon for a free 4 pack of yogurt (also tried and loved):
http://freeyoplus.yoplait.com/YoPlus2010/

Dove hair treatment sample:
http://www.dove.us/#/haircare/free_sample.aspx

Purex sheets (link on bottom left of homepage):
http://www.purex.com/

Sample of Better Oats oatmeal:
http://www.betteroats.com/taste.php

Dinner with the "mushymushies"

Elder Tanner, Kate, Rachel and Elder Wesson

When Kate and Rachel were little, they called missionaries mushymushies and the name has stuck. We've had some great mushies serving in our ward, Elder Tanner and Elder Wesson. Sadly Elder Wesson is being transferred tomorrow. One little five year old girl (humm...Rachel), has quite the crush on Elder Wesson so we squeezed in a quick early dinner before Glen left for work. I recorded them singing tonight with Kate and Rachel. Rachel is already planning on making pictures to mail to Elder Wesson.

Sorry the video is not the best quality. I had to compress it to get it to fit on the blog.

Rachel the Brave

Rachel is such a trooper. We got to the hospital at 10am this morning. Rachel brought her special bear with her to the hospital, Yellowie. When Rachel was being admitted, they gave Yellowie his own ID bracelet too. Rachel loved that. Surgery wasn't scheduled until 11am. It must of been our lucky day though because they were ahead of schedule and she went in for surgery at 10:20 and was done at 10:50am. I could not believe how fast they were. They let Glen go in to the OR with her until she went to sleep. He said she did fine until reaching the entrance to the OR and then she got a little nervous, but he carried her right in and she did great.

The surgeon said that her tonsils were inflamed, which we already knew. He also said that her tonsils showed that she has had some tonsillitis, which I didn't know. Rachel never complains so I never knew she ever had tonsillitis. When we went back to the "wake up" room, the nurse told me that she should sleep for 1.5 to 2 hours. Rachel woke up less than ten minutes after we got back there. She started asking to go home first thing. I was impressed that she talked! I didn't talk for a couple of days after having my tonsils out. Within the hour she had some apple juice and a popsicle too. The doctor decided though to admit her for the night rather than let her come home. He said he'd rather error on the side of caution and keep her since she has asthma and sleep apnea. Rachel wasn't too happy about this news.

Glen is with her at the hospital now and assuming all goes well, she'll be released tomorrow morning. She is so brave and strong. I am so very proud of my little girl. Everyone at the hospital was telling her what a fantastic patient she is and how strong she is. She really is. Right before I left her throat was hurting more so the nurse gave her some more tylenol 3 with codeine. I'm hoping that she is napping right now.

Thank you for all the prayers and support for Rachel. We appreciate it. I'm excited to have my Rachie Baby home again tomorrow!

Surgery next week

Rachel's surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday. Less than a week to the big day. My options to schedule her surgery were this coming Wednesday or March 22. I chose March 3. We need to just get it over with. She had her pre-op appointment at the hospital this afternoon. I must say that I've been very impressed with the children's hospital each time we've been there. They are great. After the nurse and nurse practitioner came in and got all of Rach's background info, etc, a child life specialist came in to talk to her. She spoke just to Rachel and told her all about what was going to happen. Then she brought in a teddy bear and let Rachel hook the bear up to the heart monitors, oxygen monitor, face mask and showed her the iv. Doing that helped Rachel feel much more comfortable. They can add a scent to the mask when she goes to sleep and they let her pick the scent she wanted. I had told Rachel before that I had a watermelon scent when I had my tonsils out so that is what she chose too.

It is actually nice that Glen is not working so he can be with us at the hospital for the day. Hopefully it will just be for the day. Since she has asthma she is at a higher risk for anesthesia and has the possibility of having to stay the night. We won't know what time her surgery is until the day before. I just hope it is first thing in the morning. I don't want have to wait all day. It will be a long enough day already! I'll post updates on how it goes.

Happy 1st Birthday Connor!

We celebrated Connor's first birthday yesterday! How can my little baby be one? Time goes by too quickly! We had a fun little celebration. The girls and I made a fun little train cake. However, Connor would not even touch the cake. I was hoping for some good messy pictures, but nope. I broke off a little piece of cake and put it in his mouth and didn't quite get the reaction I was expecting. He cried and cried. He was fine once he took the cake out of his mouth and put it back on the high chair.

Opening presents wasn't his thing either. He was more than happy to play with them once Kate and Rachel opened them for him. He is too funny! We are so blessed to have this sweet baby boy!

SuperBowl

Glen and Connor had a great time watching the SuperBowl together. These pictures were just too cute!

the results are in....

Glen and I have been concerned for two years about Rachel's snoring and tiredness. The pediatrician has looked at her tonsils at her 4 and 5 year old check up and said her tonsils were red, but not really enlarged. When Connor was having all his ear infections and at the Ears Nose Throat doctor I asked him about Rach. So, Rach went in for a check up. He agreed that her tonsils are red, but not enlarged. He said they are actually small. He put the scope up her nose and said her adnoids were a little large though. On December 20 Rach and Glen spent the night at the childrens hospital and she did a sleep study. I finally got the results this morning. Finally. Rachel does have sleep apnea. This would help explain why she is so tired and may contribute to her sadness. Also the ENT said some doctors believe enlarged adnoids can make asthma worse. We are going back for her follow up on Feb. 23 to disucss removing her tonsils and adnoids and other possbile treatments. Poor baby. I'd like to get it done though while we are here and have the Yale children's hospital. They've been very good to our two babies this year. I'm curious to see what the doctor will say. He said this morning he was surprised that she has apnea, apparently it is very rare in little children. Honestly, nothing surprises me this year.

Happily we get to celebrate Connor's birthday today! I can't believe our baby is one year old! I'll post pictures on the blog tonight of his birthday party. The girls and I made him a really cool train cake. I'm curious to see if he'll eat it. We've tried giving him nibbles of cookies and ice cream lately and he won't touch them. He is too funny.

Quack

Connor said a new word last night...quack! It was so cute! He loves playing with his farm and said it while he was playing. He's been so proud of himself today he's been saying quack all day. I tried to take a video of him playing this morning. As you'll see, he loves the camera and tries to get right into the camera every time he sees it. He did say quack a couple of times though.

New Haircuts for the girls

School got out early last week because of bad weather. Yeah! Perfect time to stop and get a haircut. They had so much fun going to Snip-Its and getting a new do!

Connor's first tie

Connor wore his first tie on Sunday. He looked so cute and so grown up. I gave up on trying to keep his shirt tucked in though. I'm sure that will be a battle for years to come. You can see he loves to have his pictures taken. Love this boy!