Blessings of Love

My son has had to wear glasses since he was 1. We go back to the doctor every 3-4 months.

On our last visit a few weeks ago, they decided to see if he could read letters instead of pictures.
He is a big boy now and knows all his letters...and has, but they have always had him look at pictures. I was so happy that he'd be able to make this step up in the world, and new he would feel proud too.

The tech turned on the screen got him at the right height in his chair and asked him to "read" the letters...I immediately saw the wheels turning in my little Kindergartners head...the poor kids was trying to sound out the series of letters instead of say one at a time...SO CUTE. After I realized he was trying to sound them out I explained to him that we only read one letter at a time. After that mix up he did very well.

Ethan's eye are very close to being the same strength, his bad eye is only about 2 lines difference that his good eye...AND he can see 3D which is GREAT...kids with amblyopia usually cannot see 3D!! So yeah for my little guy.
Our plan is to keep patching, but BE MORE CONSISTENT...and we HAVE to do 2 hours...we usually get into a bad rut of 1 hour or forgetting all together, so we need to step up our game a bit...and if we do, he gets a Summer vacation from the patch...and maybe forever!

Since his appointment 3 weeks ago, we have only missed 2 times, so we are doing well!!

Giant Eagle 2/4-2/10

Some of the best deals I see are:

Edy's ice cream 3/$10 or 3.33ea
you may have $1/1 from Sunday=2.33ea

San Giorgio pasta $1

Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa or smoked sausage BOGO (about 3.99 for 2)
you may have $1/2 (shows lil smokies, but says ANY smoked sausage)

Jello (gelatin or pudding) 10/$10 or $1
you may have $1.25/3 from tearpad (around Christmas and recently)=$2.75/3 or .58 ea

Ortego (seasonings, salsa, dinner kits or shells) 5/$10 or $2
you may have .75/2 =$2.50/2 or $1.25ea

Planters peanuts or Flavor Grove nuts 2/$5
you may have $1/2=$2/4

Keebler townhouse, chips delux or Cheez-It 2/$5 if you buy 2 $1 off instantly so 2/$4
you may have $1/2=2/$3 or $1.50 ea
not sure if flip sides are on sale but there was a 1/$2 for those as well

Jello gelatin or pudding 6 packs 2/$5
you may have .35/1=$1.80
you may have .50/1=$1.50

Betty Crocker cookie or Brownie baking pouches 2/$4
when you buy 2 you will get $1 off your NEXT order
.40/1 printable for cookie pouches also here (you should be able to print 2 times per site)=$2.40/2 (if you use 2 coupons), plus the $1 off NEXT shopping trip will print so $1.40 or .70ea for 2 after that!! Do it twice!!

Tabasco sauce 10/$10 or $1
you might have .75 coupon =this may adjust to be free or you may get overage

Sweet baby Rays BBQ or Ken's Marianades
you may have $1/2 Kens= 2/$2 or $1 ea

Daisy sour cream 2/$3
you may have .50/1= .50ea

Land O Lakes margarine tubs 10/$10
there WILL BE a coupon in this weeks paper on Sunday...keep an eye out!!


Mennen Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick 2/$4
you may have $1/1=$1ea

Any questions???

For Catalina deals or a more in depth list check out Cherry Picker!!

Not only does it taste MUCH better than Coke, but Pepsi also gives back!!

Pepsi has launched a new project called the Pepsi Refresh Program...as a way to give back.
The interesting thing about this program is that it involves YOU, YOUR FAMILY and YOUR IDEAS. If you have ever dreamed about giving back to your community but didn't know where to start...NOW is the chance. Anyone over the age of 13 can submit their idea and get a chance to earn a grant-they are giving away over $20 MILLION dollars in grants-to launch your idea!

One thing that I think is SUPER about this, is that Pepsi opted out of advertisement at the SuperBowl, so they could use their money more wisely and support meaningful social engagement...that right there makes me want to go buy LOTS of Pepsi=) Oh wait...I did buy 6 12 packs of Pepsi products today=)

monthly, you have the opportunity to submit a project in one of six categories:

1.)Health

2.)Arts & culture

3.)Food & shelter

4.)The planet

5.)Neighborhood or

6.)Education

http://www.refresheverything.com/

Then, at the end of the month, Pepsi will post the top submissions on their website and let YOU vote on who should win grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 (totaling up to $1.3 million dollars!)

GET involved...either submit an idea, or VOTE for someone elses!!!

This is such a great idea and I am proud to support Pepsi!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Pepsi Refresh. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” www.momcentral.com

Giant Eagle Coupon Match up
1/28-2/3

This week is a bit tricky...I hear there are ALOT of coupons that come out Sunday in the paper and Tuesday in Red Plum mailer that can be used for theses sales...I will try my best to update at those times, you may want to hold off shopping until next Wednesday so you don't have to make more than 1 trip....or you can be like me and go 2-3 times in a week anyway=)

Here is what Ive got so far!

Progresso Classic Soups 10/$10 or $1
you may have .50/2=2/$1 OR
you may have $1/4= 4/$3

Kraft Cheese(chunks, shreds or singles) 5/$10 or $2
you can print $1/2 =2/$3

Valentines candy (M&M's,Crunch or Butterfinger hearts) $1.99
you can print $1/2 =$2.98/2

Coke or Sprite 12 packs or 24oz. 6 packs 4/$12
If you buy 4 packs you get $1 off instantly= 4/$11

Nabisco Triscuits, Wheat Thins or Snack Saks or Saltines 4/$8
If you buy 4 packs you get $1 off instantly=4/$7
AND you may also have $1/1 from recent paper=4/$6=$1.50ea (cheaper than Marcs!)

Solo squared plastic cups 18oz 2/$4
you may have .75/1 from recent paper=.50ea

Franks Red Hot 2/$4
(not sure if other flavors besides original are on sale or not...worth checking because there is a .75 coupon from a recent insert)
you may have (for orig) .50/1=$1

Breakstones sour cream 4/$5 or $1.25
you may have 1.00/2=2/$1.50 or .75ea

Super Pretzel 4/$7 or $1.75
you may have .50/1=.75

Pepsi or Mountain Dew 2 Liter or Sobe Life water 5/$5 or $1

French's Mustard 3/$4
(again check to see if flavors are on sale there was a .50/1 in the Sunday paper making them .33)
you may have .30/1 (for orig) = .73

***If you spend $20 on the products below, you get a $5 catalina to use on your next trip!!
(Usually the $20 goes by shelf (or original price) not on the sale price, so with coupons and sales this usually works out really well!! Especially if you use these brands anyway! Which I do! These are the coupons you will want to look out for next Sunday(maybe buy an extra)!)***

Knorr Side dishes 10/$10 or $1
you may have 1.00/3= 3/$2

Breyers Ice Cream 3/$10 or $3.33

Ragu 4/$5 0r $1.25
you may have $1.25/3=$2.50/3 or .83ea!!!

I can't believe its not Butter 2/$4
you may have .60/2=$2.80/2 or $1.40ea

Wish-Bone Salad Dressing 2/$3
you may have 1.25/2= $1.75/2 or .88ea

Skippy PB 4/$10 or $2.50
you may have .40/1= $1.70

Hellmann's Mayo 2/$5
you may have .50/1=$1.50

Mrs T Pierogis 5/$10 or $2
you may have $1/2= 2/$3 or $1.50ea

Knorr recipe Mix (like the vegetable soup mix for spinach dip) 2/$3 or $1.50
you may have .50/1= .50
L'Oreal Kids 2/$5
you may have .75=$1

Philadelphia Cream Cheese 4/$5 or $1.25
you may have 1.25/3 (from tear pad around Christmas time or recipe book recently)
=3/$2.50 or .83 ea (even cheaper thant he cheap stuff at Marcs!!)

Helluva Good Dip 2/$3 or $1.50
you may have 1.00/2= 2/$2 or $1ea (Super Bowl is soon!!)

There are many more decent priced deals...but as always I post the best I see and the best of the products I buy!!

Ill be back at the beginning of the week to update as I KNOW there are coupons coming we can use on this!!

If you live is a state that isn't so lucky to have nice weather right now...like...OHIO.
You probably are dealing with chapped lips right about now, but I guess if you live in a warm area you may be experiencing the same, from the sun.

Well...what about a night/day lip therapy to help with that??
Neosporin has one!! Check out the products HERE


I took the 3 day challenge and here is what I think:
*Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy is LOVELY. I love how nice my lips feel when I put this on, and in the morning it feels just as great!!
*Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy was not so lovely for my lips. You may have a different opinion. But I found it made my lips feel chapped all day . It may also be because I do not drink nearly enough water or didn't put it on enough, I'm not quite sure.

I would like to try the 3 day challenge again to see what happens.

I HIGHLY recommend the Overnight renewal Therapy, your lips will THANK YOU!!! Mine is waiting on my bed right now, and boy they can use a fingerful of that stuff=)

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Neosporin and received a sample of the Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy and the Lip Health Daily Hydration Therapy to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate."

Isn't it so hard to not complain about the little stuff in our lives. I really try not to because I know they really don't matter AT ALL.

*Like so what if the nail in my floor board keep popping up, get the hammer out and pound it back in, even if it is every week..or just pull the dang thing out, it doesn' t really matter
*And so what if the drain you bought merely a year ago is rusting in your sink and looks ugly...does it really matter?? ( I should have bought a American Standard sinks)
*Who cares if the wood on the front door is absorbing the paint and yellow is seeping out, even after you used 2 coasts of killz and 2 coats of regular paint...OH stinking well.

Should I really care? Should it stress me out? NO WAY...people in Haiti are sleeping in the middle of town with sheets as their walls, they are wondering where their next drink of water is going to come from, if they will ever have a structure to live in...I get so mad at myself for being so ridiculous sometimes...why do I have to have such a high strung personality...worrying about nothing??

"He is always working on me, to make me what I ought to be"...Keep working! Ive got a long way to go=)

For the past few weeks I have been busy, busy working on getting all of our taxes finalized.
Definitely NOT my favorite thing to do. I am not good at this, I just do it because I have to.
I do what I can and send the rest to an accountant.

Things are looking ok, we didn't make too much where we are going to owe a ton of money, so that is good. Although we did find out we owe a ton of $ to Workers Comp, there was a misunderstanding and I thought it was getting taken out of the checks by our payroll company, when indeed it was not...ugh. Oh well. What am I gonna do?

We also really have to start looking for some affordable health insurance for our family. But I think affordable and health insurance don;t really go together. We need to be able to have an option for our guys as well as watch out for ourselves...

Just more money being wasted on just in case...Oh the orphans we could feed or bring home...my heart aches at the economy and all the things we HAVE to do. I wish I HAD to use my money wisely....

So...back to that whole I want to get in shape before November, so we can go on a great vacation and look good=)

My goals are:

*work out at the gym 2-3 times a week (when it opens that is)
*work out at the other gym I can use for free until mine opens 5 times
*find a try out a reliable colon cleanser
*use my wii fit 2-3 times per week
* do kickboxing with my soon to be SIL on Wednesdays

Feel a better about how my clothes fit by Summer time! It isn't about weight, it is about being healthy.

Target has had some GREAT clearance deals lately....I got Ethan and Merci some shoes...3 pairs between the 2 of them for less than $10...yep, 3 pair for less than $10...nice ones too=) Also some great deals on clothing!!

So go scour the clearance racks, soon!

But one thing that bugs me is the SUMMER stuff that has been out since the day after Christmas...the last thing on my mind is buying a bathing suit right now (although we did buy hubby one today...only because he is going to swim indoors for his work out). I'm more worried about reducing belly fatfirst=)

I can't wait for the new gym I joined to open...I am ready to loose!!

Summer, I WILL be ready for you this year.

I hope!