Happy Holidays...

Perhaps you are wondering where the deals are? The freebies? The too hot to believe deals?

Christmas and a lingering throat issue have taken up all of my free time since 7 am on Tuesday, December 22 until today. Relatives and friends visiting from afar, children to take to see movies (The Frog Princess is really cute), and just trying to find the floor after Santa visited.

The web has started to show deals again and this blog will be back in action as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you find a great deal, why not email the information to me and I will post it? sanderdrei@gmail.com

May your days continue to be merry and bright and may all your wishes for 2009 come true!

Peace, Love and Happiness from our blog to your home!

Economizing, is it really worth it?

Over the past month, I have tried coupons, keeping my eye out for deals, and just trying to be a bit more economical than my usual dash in and dash out to any store and just grab what I find.

The interesting thing is that it really is worth it! My three goals this month were:

1. Save some money.
2. Stretch my grocery budget so that some of it can eat the rising gas costs.
3. See if you can really score free stuff with coupons.

This is what I've found:

1. We have saved hundreds of dollars on shopping alone and with all the rebates that I have sent in for, I have $298 coming back to my savings account. One of the best things I have discovered on this journey is the Single Check Rebate from RiteAid and Register Rewards from Walgreens. Free stuff and money in my pocket!

2. The hunt is just part of the fun. The find is so sweet!

3. I can't believe that I ever thought that couponing was not for me. It is a pain to have a million coupons in my binder, but when I find a sweet deal for free or near free, my budget swells and leaves more room for fun stuff.

As a side benefit: With tons of research, I have 65% of my Christmas gifts done for free (or just for shipping). Thus, all the money I usually spend on some gifts is freed up for other things, like life.

I say, happy couponing and bring it on!

3 small kids+tons of sweat= Half Marathon Bling Bling

This past year my blog has been sporadically updated. The reason is that I was training for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon which took place on the 10th of January. Though the half marathon is not the longest of races, please keep in mind that when I initially signed hubby and myself up for this task I had never run a mile in my life, never mind 13.1. With determination and trepidation, a trainer was found, a gym was revisited and a new hobby was to become part of me.

Running is not for the faint of heart I have learned. It is a life commitment. A new drug. A fun way to bond with others. A community unto itself. It is an escape from the hectic life of two pre-schoolers and one toddler.

In preparation for the big event, several smaller races were run. Completed. Finished. Who cares about timing at this point? Because let's be honest. A 36 year old completely out of shape woman was happy to just be able to run without collapsing.

Today, my second year as a runner starts. It is an anniversary of sorts. And one that was completely my doing. Other than my husband and three kids, there was a lot of emotional support, but not a whole lot of outside help that was not paid for. The fall was full of runny noses and a treadmill was purchased that is now used for training for our next races and hopefully the VT covered bridges half marathon in 2010. And who know? Perhaps we will actually finish the marathon before we hit 40.

"Oh, Thursday doesn't even start"

Today is the first day of the rest of my life and the Cure is stuck in eternal repeat in my head today. For the first time in over a year - Wait! In over four years- I woke up feeling like, well, myself. Does that even make any sense? Today, for the first day, I felt like Erika, not the twins mom, or that little boy's mommy...just plain old, run of the mill, Erika. And know what? It felt great.

These past two weeks have brought more than just rain. With them, a sense of relief at no longer being part of a draining venture. So, like or hate it, here I am. Standing here on the abyss of cyber-space, writing to please me. Not anyone else's sensibilities or fickle tastes.

The school situation is all sorted out, two of the three have been potty trained for a few months, and I feel a general peace right now. What more could I want? Three children in bed not trying to eck out a few more minutes of play time. A vacation. Perhaps a latte with non-fat milk and a giant cupcake? But, really, other than that, I am happy as a clam-ah-toe.

My New Best Friend

This spring in a pact with dear hubby, I have a new best friend. Now for those of you who actually know me, please do not laugh. I have become a gym junkie in training.

That is right, along with the body builders and Young at Hearters, there I am lifting weights, doing exercises like planks, hip abductions, etc., and becoming one with the elliptical and my new best friend the treadmill.

I am enjoying the solitude of my iPod and the sound of the machines in action have become my new addiction.

What caused all this? Well, I kind of signed us up for a half marathon. Never ran a day in my life. This is a good thing...

Cawc-oh-lat and Roses

Happy Valentine's Day!

Already this is promising to be an interesting day. G is cranky and refusing to sleep while demanding more and more milk. I am ignoring him now - nice Mummy, no? And on a holiday and all to boot. And hubby is asking me why I didn't get the milk. Hel-lo! I did, like 8 million times. The joys of the terrible twos are settling in.

Hopefully your day will be filled with cawc-oh-lat and roses and not demands for milk at all hours of the day.

The Eve of Saint Nicholas

'Tis the Eve of Saint Nicholas and all of the preparations have our three angels revved up like tops about to go ballistic! Perhaps it is my fault. In an effort to help our three year old twins and their one and half year old brother understand what is going on we have been singing St. Nicholas songs for about a month. In addition, they know that he brings chocolates, apples, and oranges...

Today we have hit a new St. Nicholas low. The girls are holding over each other that each and every infraction the other commits will lead an empty boot tomorrow morning. The whining and whinging has hit new levels and my normally curly hair is now straight!

Basically, I think that Holiday overload has crept into our quiet household. Erm...quiet isn't exactly what I would label this mayhem, but let's just say that the decibel levels are out of control. The apples are being pilfered and even the Advent calendar was breached!

So, now holding the fact that St. Nicholas is only a call away has become my desperate plea for the last hour. Sitting here, I am wondering where we went wrong. Was it the light displays we visited? The attempts of sitting on Santa's lap for a wee photo? The gift shopping? I am not sure, but all I know is that Christmas is still over two and a half weeks away and these little munchkins are wound up so much that something may burst. Or implode.

With this mayhem in our happy house, my hubby and I have come up with a three part plan:
1. Stop all talk of Santa in the house.
2. Hide the Advent Calendar and all remaining chocolates - all 5 of them.
3. Take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, imbibe if necessary for the first part of number 3 to be feasible.

So, Happy St. Nicholas Eve. Put out your boots and if you have been very good this year, perhaps St. Nick will leave something for you tonight!