What room does Spencer like?

" I like the livirm beekuz it haz my vido gamz. I like my vido gamz."

Spencer, March 09

what we've been up to...

...not much, just living our lives...hehehe...school, playing outside, bike riding (Spencer is a pro now!), t-ball, just enjoying the spring. Looking forward to next weekend: Joe and I are heading to SF to see Steph's show, Muni, and have dinner with her beforehand. A grown up evening! Yay! Hope you are enjoying your spring!

Spencer: LOVES riding his bike, reading more, getting a little more "attitude" as he nears 6-gotta nip that in the bud, but still so sweet and (usually) appreciative

Cooper: has become much more social: talks to everyone! Afraid of riding his bike since he fell off :-(, still drags "mine" (blue blanket) eeverywhere, lately only wants to be in his underwear...

Kendall: happy, smiley, loves milk, not quite walking, still waking once a night, sooo cute in her summer clothes

That's our update for now!

giveaway alert!!!

since many of you love photos like me....check out this giveaway...super cool...a great site, too, to bookmark! wish me luck!

Hello there...

Click here for photography tips and see Baby Kendall!!!! Though she's technically not a baby anymore....(waaaaaahhhhh)....pretty cool site, huh?
Be back later to update...didja miss my regular posts? :-)
We're enjoying the sunshine!!!

More money stuff

Now sometimes you need to spend money...sometimes quality trumps price! For example, I tend to spend more on safety items. The kids' carseats are Britax, which are pricey, but so worth it. (Spencer is still in a carseat now...and will be until he is 10...just kidding, but until he refuses to sit in it...he complains, but does sit in it for me...)

That being said, I've always scoured the internet for good deals on them, and have never paid full price. I've also never been a fan of the real cheap umbrella strollers. Pay a little more and get the umbrella stroller that has the 5 point harness. You don't need a full on travel system stroller when the baby is little. Skip that, buy the stroller frame that you snap the carseat in, and invest in a good umbrella stroller that the baby can sit in at about 6 months. I like the Chicco one, which has been stolen twice from me! I actually don't have one for Kendall right now, just using the bigger stroller I got when Spencer was born. And that's fine. Make do when you can and save money!

I also spend a little more on baby care products. Especially when you learn about all the toxins in our products...how could our government OK all the chemicals and toxins??? Spend a few minutes on the site "Skin Deep"....it's very informative!

I like the California Baby shampoo and body washes. (Target has a $2 off coupon out for them right now!) (Be careful...just because it says it's organic, doesn't mean it is!) I bought the sunscreen a few weeks ago, but someone who starts with a C, squeezed it out all over the backyard! ....ugh...I am going to buy the TruKid brand now...it's cheaper and got great ratings, too! And I'm going to keep it somewhere Cooper can't find it!

My favorite wipes are Seventh Generation. Did you know many wipes have parabens and other things that you don't want near your precious baby's sensitive skin?

So, anyway, just so you don't think I'm such a frugal mama...

Enjoying our sunny days....loving the weather and dressing my kiddos in shorts. Kendall has so many cute summer outfits! I'm excited to dress my little doll...er, I mean little girl! Hehehe! That's the fun of having a girl!

fav tips for saving money

OK, so I thought I might share because I like to share...

1. Best tip: don't go to Target! Seriously! How many of you have gone to get a pack of diapers...that's it...and walked out with $100 of stuff...because it's cute or on sale or I might need it...Target is bad for my wallet. Luckily, it's a 10 minute drive for me now, so I don't go that often. Or if I do, I take my mom and her wallet. Not kidding. LOVE you, Mom!!! :-)) ***Some of you might insert Costco for Target...luckily I just got a card, so that place is not one of my downfalls...yet!

2. Take any and all hand me downs...I love them! My kids have tons of hand me downs. Most are pretty cute, too. I got lucky...friends/relatives with good taste. But the best thing is, then if you spend money on your kids, it doesn't feel so bad because you're not having to buy as much. :-) Kendall has the cutest shoe collection...only 2 pairs were purchased for her specifically! I love passing along, too...see me if you need any 2T's boys or baby girl 9 months.

3. Ebay is your friend. I buy a lot of my kids clothing on ebay. I tend to get only gymboree, baby gap, janie and jack...the nicer brands that hold up well. Most of them look brand new, some still have the tags attached, at a fraction of the cost. I've gotten a few things for me, too, but let's face it, it's so much more fun shopping for my kids. (Though I'd love a mall gift cert for my birthday b/c I do need clothes! hint hint...and not the Merced mall, either...) And selling on ebay is super easy and a nice way to build up money in your paypal account so it feels like "free money"...

4. Whenever you need to buy something, do a search online for sales or coupons. sites I start with are bizrate.com and couponcabin.com. I get almost everything discounted or free shipping. It takes only a few minutes, too.

5. Make a meal plan for weekly dinners and stick to it! I'm not the best at this, but I am trying. This way food does not go to waste. Crock pot meals are usually cheap and easy!

6. Make no spend days. Just don't go out anywhere you need to spend money. I haven't spent money in a few days...

7. Visit the library. I save a ton on books that way! Learn how to search for books online at your library's online catalog. Put them on hold, and then go check them out when they are ready. This is the only way I get to the library with 3 kids. :-) Storytime sometimes... Your library might also have DVD's and CD's!

8. Redbox for movie rentals. Most grocery stores have a redbox now. $1 a movie/per night. AND sign up at redbox online and get FREE coupon codes...free movies!!!

9. Sign up at mypoints.com and get points for clicking on websites (that's all) and spend the points on gift certificates....I've redeemed 2 restaurant certificates!

10. Remember what's important to you...is it things or people? Does it really matter if you have the newest car out there? Will it make you happy? I'd say no. How many times have we bought something because we think it'll make us feel better? Maybe it does, for a few minutes...but not in the long run. We don't have a lot of things, and yes, sometimes, I wish for a new TV or a newer car, but I also appreciate not having to pay for it. Or be in debt for it. Just my two cents...

Anyway, just wanted to share....have any tips for me????

And can't post without pictures!!!! Aunt Jenny & Spencer playing!

Love having girl toys around...Kendall's first tea set, birthday gift from the Fergusons!My Kendall girl...getting so big....Playing a FUN game...Cranium Hullabaloo (I think it's called)....Picture of the day...

Happy hoppy Easter

The Merced Gang...minus a few...

The cute Ferguson Fam (minus Mom).

The kids with the Easter Bunny (Steph's brother, who was a great sport! He really got into it!) Not sure what my boys are checking out!

The Easter bunny entering the party...and trying to hide!
Croquet...my boys loved it!

Just the appetizers...yum!

someone's feeling better!

Grandma and KK!

Our tradition is to go to Steph's for Easter...usually our parents are out of town visiting family , but this year we actually had family at home. Still...we went to Steph's for the afternoon for

Easter fun and food and then to my parents' house for another dinner...yummy yummy!

hospital pics

Of course, I had to document these experiences...here ya go! The ones in the green gown are from Valley Children's Hospital and show a very perky girl...just glad she's better.

she's better!

Little K is doing much better...after another night spent in the er...I got home at 4 am...ugh...basically she has a very nasty virus...no pneumonia (thanks to our local hospital for their incorrect diagnosis). She hasn't thrown up in over 24 hours, so she's on the mend...thank goodness. It has been a rough week. Plus I'm so sad that I hardly got to hang out with my sisters when they were here...:-( we took Jenny to Pleasanton yesterday, to the bart, and Meg picked her up in Oakland and took her to the airport. Miss my sisters...better go, it's hard to type with a sleeping princess in my lap...just wanted to give you all an update!

Please pray for Kendall!

In a nutshell, our little miss has been sick with the stomach flu since Friday! She's tiny...she weighs about 17 pounds, so all this vomiting and not being able to keep anything down is not good for her. Yesterday, Day 5, I tried to take her to the doctor's, but they couldn't see her, so went to UrgentCare. They sent us the ER of our local hospital. 8 hours later...we left after she had 3 hours of an IV, antibiotics, and a chest xray that showed that she also has pneumonia...poor baby girl was poked and prodded numerous times. Well, we went home, she slept pretty well, and then at 7AM, threw up again and again! Ugh...we're off the doctor today, so we'll see what happens today...anyway, since I'm not sure why she isn't getting better and why she can't keep anything done, please say a prayer for Kendall.
I did take pics in the hospital! When I upload them, I'll post one. Is that awful?

Happy birthday to my sweet girl!

Last year today we were sharing the good news that Miss Kendall had joined our family...has it really been a whole year????

Anyway, here are a few pics to tide you over...between 2 sick kids (including the b-day girl) and tons of laundry...this is all the time I have...our sweet, serious girl on her birthday party...no smiles, she wasn't feeling well...she looks so big sitting on her Grandma's lap! The cake was made by Cousin Maddie and Aunt Amber....so sweet!

And praising God for my Aunt Emese's safety in Italy after the terrible earthquake! She was supposed to have moved into the area that got hit hard, but she never did...God's plan!

XOXO

this week...

...Spencer learned to bike without training wheels...yippeee!!! He seriously learned in about 3 minutes...boom...he was off! We found out later that Jake told him that day that it was time he took off the training wheels...he was ready!

...T-ball continues...lots of fun! Spencer tried being catcher!Jake joined the team...this kid cannot take a bad picture! He's so photogenic!And of course, neither can this one...here she is watching the t-ball practice! Cooper and Kyle were off to the side playing together. Note to self: bring plastic bat to practice for them to play with. It was scary seeing 2 3-year-olds playing with a metal bat...didn't last long! I had to take it away before someone got hurt!

Today Cooper had his visitation day at his pre-school he'll be attending next fall (Spencer's old school). He loved it and can't wait to go back! It helps that he knew some of the kids already from dropping off Spencer last year and playdates.

And our little miss...was sick today! She threw up a few times and wouldn't eat anything! Poor girl! I don't want her to be sick for her birthday! Can't believe last year at this time I was waiting...a little impatiently...for her to be born! Can't believe it has been a whole year...where did it go? I'm a little sad that I don't really have a baby anymore....and my oldest baby is on his downhill slope in kinder...8 weeks until he is a first grader...wait, what??????

Mamas, go HUG your babies right now...