Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Benefits of a Tiny Pop Tab :)


I am the chairperson of a pop tab program at my kids' elementary school. For anyone unfamiliar, you can pull off the tab on the top of your pop can, beer can, soup can, pet food can, etc... and do wonderous things for charity!

The charity that we go with is the Ronald McDonald House. I have been doing this project for 8 years now and have always went with them. We have made a game out of it at BC Elementary. The kids bring in their pop tabs and we collect and weigh them twice a year. We award the top class in the school with a Happy Meal party provided by our local McDonalds and the runner up class receives dessert. Once the tabs are all weighed and taken to the recycling center, the check is sent out. This money will go towards housing the families of the children in the hospital receiving treatments. What a great way for our children to learn about charity work so early in life! We ended up with just over 500 lb of pop tabs for the entire school for the first semester :)

All children and adults, who have helped out with the collecting should be extremely proud of themselves...you have done a very good deed and all you had to do was open a can of pop :)

Monday, November 22, 2010

Mailbox Monday!! Weeks of 11/7/10-11/20/10


It has been a few weeks since I posted my goodies last. These are my mailbox findings, all freebies, for the weeks of 11/7/10-11/20/10.

1st issue of Interview magazine: free subscription

2 issues of Soap Opera Digest magazine: free subscription

Bath & Body Works Coupon "Free Item $13 value"

Tom's Cool Peppermint Toothpaste

Dove Ultimate Go Fresh Cool Essentials Deodorant

2 Sample Packs of Prilosec OTC

Southern Belle Gourmet Sample: Mexican Fiesta Dip

Connoisseurs Diamond Dazzle Stick (Love this item!!!)

Parent's Choice Infant Formula Full Day Supply

Bookmark/6 month 2011 calendar/daily prayer card

Wellness Ambassador Enmotion rubber bracelet (my son collects rubber bracelets :)

Glad 13 Gallon Tall Kitchen Drawstring Bag + coupon

Nestle Coupon Packet

Pampers Kandoo Coupon

Tide/Febreze Coupons

Can't forget the stamp signed Thanksgiving card from our insurance agent!!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Project Cleanup! Week 1

I have kept my word and have just gotten through week 1 of Project Cleanup. For anyone who didn't know about this project, I will give you a quick summary. My house is clean, but in my opinion, is too cluttered. Most would say my house is not even close to cluttered, but for my taste, I think it is. So, I have decided to go through rooms and get rid of items that will either be boxed up to sell in a yard sale this summer, donated to the mission, or tossed. I am very determined on this project, so there will be quite a bit gone through and recorded just for my peace of mind.

This week, I took down my Halloween/Fall decorations so I thought I would start there. After going through 3 bins, here is what I cleaned out.





1. Fall Harvest Primitive Wreath
2. Happy Fall Y'all 2 Piece Scarecrow Pumpkin Insert
3. Brand New Avon 6 Piece Black Cat Pumpkin Inserts
4. Primitive Fleece Stuffed Pumpkin
5. Halloween Handle Light
6. Halloween Handle Light
7. Halloween Handle Light
8. Primitive Jack-o-Lantern Cutout Luminary Top (missing stick) Homemaker's Idea
9. Jack-O-Lantern Tree
10. Large Plastic Bucket
11. Medium Plastic Bucket
12. Small Plastic Bucket
13. Bag of Jack-o-Lantern Light Coverings for strand lights.
14. Fleece Halloween Drawstring Bag
15. Mini Candy Corn Candle
16. Mini Caramel Scent Candle

I found this original Halloween handle light in my decorations.




I can remember as a child dressing up in my costume and making sure I had new batteries in my light. I had just as much excitement holding this light as I did actually trick-or-treating. He has accompanied me on many a nights over the years, but has no use in today since trick-or-treating is so early in the daylight. Thank you friend, for leading the way in my darkness...

A total of 16 items cleaned out for this week. Not a bad start :) These items will be boxed up for the yard sale this summer.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Ice cream cones equal fun!!!

Boy, this brings back memories. I remember as a child sitting and eating ice cream cones, the cake cones that were peach colored, but then...they came out with these!!! Colored cones :) No difference in taste, but somehow added a lot of excitement to eating that cone! Green, red and brown were the options. Just like my son pictured below, I always went with the green...just something about eating a green ice cream cone....



Friday, November 12, 2010

Project Cleanup!




This week, it has occurred to me that there is entirely too much stuff in this house. I know, with 6 kids and 14 rooms, it does tend to get filled pretty quickly (don't get me started on the attached 2 car garage and detached 4 car garage) I really want to get started on re-decorating and have begun adding a few pieces here and there. My total design revamp will occur in no less than 2 years...the redecorating changeup is just to satisfy me until then. I just don't think it is possible to even start until I really get some things out of here...not just the few yard sale items here and there. I have decided to start a new segment on my blog:

Project Cleanup!!!

Over the next few months, I will cleanout and then post what I have gotten rid of in the process. What interesting items will be posted? Stay tuned....

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Painful Coincidence?!

Was this just a painful coincidence or what?!

Earlier today, I took this photo of a wasp attached to the outside of my foyer window:




Hours later while cleaning out the garage, I shook a piece of clothing out and a wasp wrapped up in it...went down my shirt!! I got stung 5 times in the chest!!

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch and might I add, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Christmas Wish Lists

Every year, just before Christmas I take my 6 kids out to write down ideas for a wish list.....anyone want to just hand me the gun on this one?! Am I nuts????!!!! My extended family members are always requesting lists around Halloween so I have to try to get them going pretty quickly.

Did the lists come together quickly? The following are random scenes from Walmart....

Cameron flying around on a skateboard...


Kaplyn: Can we buy cheese?
Reiner: Cheese makes me gas.




Brandis trying to break the how-long-can-you-cry-in-a-store record....


Reiner hula-hooping in the CD section....



Cameron: Mommy, how come you can buy 20 things off of the $1 clothing rack and I can't buy a $1 candy bar.


Kaplyn writing down what seems like the entire store inventory as her wish list...


Genin: Mommy, can I buy this?
Mommy: No.
Genin: Mommy, can I buy this?
Mommy: No.
Genin: Mommy, can I buy this?
Mommy: No.
Genin: Mommy, what can I buy?
Mommy: No.


Reiner: I want Cars underwear!!!!!




Kaplyn: Can I buy some lip gloss? My lips need to feel sparkly!




Brandis: ABCDEFGHIJK lemma lemma P, QRSTUV, W and a vest, Y and Z.

And the ever popular statement out of my husband Greg's mouth every year:

Greg: Next time we write our wish list online.....




Wish lists finished?! Um......no.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Mailbox Monday!! Week of 9/26/10-11/8/10


Here are some goodies found in my mailbox the weeks of 9-26-10-11/8/10 :)

Barilla Plus Take a Bowl Game with recipes and 6 Buy 1 Get 1 free coupons

Huggies CVS Coupons

Curel Sensitive Skin Remedy Sample

2 sample packs Sun Crystals All Natural Sweetner with coupon

2 Lego Club Books

Tide with Acti-lift sample + coupon

Soap Opera Digest Issue

32 Icky Bands from The Art of Washing Hands

Hearts in the Attic Holiday Open House Invite

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Life is a parade full of crazy people :)

We recently had our PTA sponsored Halloween parade at Beth-Center Elementary. I love attending this parade. You see so many personalities spotlighted! These were my kids costumes:



Cameron "The DJ" (He didn't come dressed to the Halloween parade, but he did go trick or treating for the last time)





Genin "The Recycling Bin"






Kaplyn "Crazy About Shoes"





Reiner "#1 Body Builder"





Brandis "#1 Steelers Fan"





Matlyn "The Bride"




Here are some scenes from the Halloween Parade!!





Genin with his friends :)









Luigi! My friend Gina's son Jacob.










Kaplyn and her friends :)







One of my cheerleaders, Skyler as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.







My friend Dana's kids, Cambria and Jacob :)






Two of my cheerleaders, Zoe and Deanna :)









Cameron and his friends.









Oh, one more costume to throw in....Cameron's Halloween dance costume:







"Got Milk"

Monday, November 1, 2010

I Get Sooo Behind in October...

Due to our family vacation and Halloween being in October, I always get so far behind on my week in review blogs. Here is what has been going with the King Family.

October 4-October 10

I started out this week with a Monday marathon of Pawn Stars and American Pickers. Can anyone say awesome shows?! I absolutely LOVE these 2 shows that I got interested in when I was pregnant with Matlyn. Nothing puts me in a better mood on a Monday than glancing at the TV every now and again while doing my daily chores and seeing a show I enjoy. If you haven't watched these 2 shows on the History channel, be sure to check them out!

Cameron attended a dance this week that almost involved losing a fellow classmate. How scary is it that my child attended a dance where an acquaintance almost got choked to death!! They decided to make a new policy that you have to send in a permission slip with a parent's signature before you could attend a dance. I guess they figure that it will keep the rif-raf out considering those type never get papers home to their parents or their parents don't care to check their kids' backpacks for them. Anything to keep out the trash....

Likes

I have a major "like" going on with pumpkin Hershey Kisses and Candy Corn Hershey Kisses (more so the candy corn) If you haven't tried these, get them!!!





We left for vacation on Sunday, the 10th. I will post a separate blog for that.

October 18-October 24

The Elementary Book Fair went on this week. For the first time in the years I have been there, I did not get called to come and help which really surprised me! I guess they had enough people to do it...my name was way at the end of the list since the committee sign up sheet didn't hit the officers table until the end. The kids used their money wisely and came home with some great books! I am anxious to sit and read with them :)

My MOPS group met on Tuesday and we had a great topic. The title this year is Momology 101 so the steering team is dressed in white lab coats. We had 3 pregnancies announced (none were mine this year!) There are 6 test tubes on the front table. If any are missing when we all sit for the meeting, you know that someone is going to announce a pregnancy. Very exciting!!!

Cameron went to his friend Jay's house Friday again this week. He doesn't get to see Jay much since he (Jay) is Cyber schooled, but I must say, Genin really misses Cameron when he is gone. You don't realize how close they are until one of them is gone and the other has nothing to do....at least that is what he says though he has arcade games, pool table, hot tub, video games...should I go on?!

Our first "Fall" get-together was at the Hillberry Hoedown. Our MOPS group attended along with the church where we attend our MOPS. It was a fun day:





Hayrides









Gorgeous Scenic Views







Mountain Pies!!!









It was a nice day of good food and friends :)



The boys had a soccer game in Peter's Township and then my cheerleading squad cheered the playoff game against Rostraver that evening. A great day for sports!!



October 25-October 31



My younger kids and I filled Halloween bags for the Beth-Center Halloween Parade on Monday. I have done this every year and it is always a good time. Genin and Kaplyn even helped when school was over with. It is a great time to get them started on volunteering :)

The BC Halloween parade was held on the 27th and there were tons of great costumes and just an awesome night to hang with friends! Separate blog for this one :)

The BC Fall parties were held on Friday and were a lot of fun. I am Genin's 4th grade homeroom mom this year. We did a natural fall leaf craft, had yummy food and played some spooky games; pumpkin bowling, guess how many, find the leaves and bounce an eyeball. The kids had a ball...or should I say "eyeball" ;)






This was also Halloween weekend; pumpkin carving, costumes, treats....another great blog to follow!

C-U next week :)

Mailbox Monday!! Weeks of 9/26/10-10/31/10


As you can see, I got a little behind of my Mailbox Mondays. Check out all the loot I got in the past month!!

Sears Wish Book
Feel Your Boobies Sticker
Coupons for a free canister of Pringles Extreme
PostIt Notes
People Style Watch
Soap Opera Digest
Gooseberry Patch Fall Cookbook
Kotex 5 Pack
Similac Gold Card
Red Flower Earrings
Shout Color Catcher
3 Seasoning packets
Dessert Cookbook
Sutter Home Breast Cancer Awareness Freebie Pack
Rachel Ray Dog Food Freebie

and more!!!




I was extremely surprised when my freebie from Natrelle showed up via Fed Express. I have never had a freebie come from any company other than the USPS. It is on the back left of the pic....Zippered brown beauty bag included journal, hair brush, fingernail brush, massage roller, loofah, spongie and bath fizz!

Get in on those freebies...there is some awesome stuff!