$1 store

I have a new love for the $1 store.  When I was in Hawaii last year, there were no $1 stores!!  what is a cheap frugal mom to do?!

The one in my neighborhood is a bigger one.  love that.

here are my usuals - 

1 gal of Crystal Geyser water ... now I have seen this for .88 @ SaveMart BUT its very rare.

SUN powder detergent ... I have seriously gotten 10 loads from 1 box.

Soft Soap ... the individuals, not the refill bottles.  I normally buy this soap at whatever store I'm shopping at; it works the best for my drying hands.

Suave kids shampoo/body wash 2 in 1

raspberry popsicles ... 8 in a box.  yum.

sweet potatoes fries ... I have attempted to make these from scratch and they NEVER turn out right, so I have decided just to buy them from now on!

individual raisins boxes ... perfect for school lunches.

they had great school supplies there too ... notebooks, rulers, pencils, erasers, folders, pens, and lots more. 

a broom!  ... only bought one so far

did you know the $1 store has a CLEARANCE section?!

most of it is returned merchandise without the original packaging.  everything is .25 - .75 in there!!

what do you buy from the $1 store?

what's your parenting style?

I found this questionnaire in *gasp* Parenting magazine ... I am, for the record, not a big fan of this magazine.  to me its filled with lots paranoia and fear ... wait ... how'd did it even find a home in my mailbox???


anyway -
I found this questionnaire and wanted to share & invite any/all mommies reading to participate.  just because.

1. describe your parenting style - I tend to be strict about certain things, like responsibility & manners, but for everything else, I do my best to be as flexible as possible.  
2. last meal you cooked - spaghetti & meatballs
3. weirdest thing in you purse - 3 hotwheels ... is that weird?
4. craziest thing you've done while sleep-deprived - I am thankful to be out of that stage. that said, I don't remember!
5. behavior you hope your kids don't inherit from you - I'm not much of a reader, but I would love for them to discover how great that can be.  does this mean I ought to start reading for myself?
6. last thing your child did that made you laugh - my boys are funny all the time!  Elliott is especially funny lately since he is learning to talk and getting very expressive.
7. your favorite baby gear - when they were baby-babies, I was always so thankful for my boppy.  I was so thankful to be able to nurse them both, and that boppy saved my arms!  today my favorite thing is my Bob stroller.
8. lost object you recently helped your child find - Sam can't seem to keep his shoes together.  how does one shoe always end up on the opposite side of the house?  or often, we find 1 in the house and 1 in the car ....?!&$#@!
9. the song that best describes your parenting experiences - I do my best to cherish, the good and the bad days alike.  the bond a mother has with her children is close to indescribable.  its like no other.  I LOVE this song; Sade is one of my favorite musical artists ... go listen, The Sweetest Gift, by Sade
10. kids' tv show you can't stand - Spongebob is way too annoying for me.  Barney is actually ok, its the child actors that ruin the show, so much so, I just can't get over it.  and Cailou is a big whiner ... and why doesn't he have hair?  ever?
11. first word that pops into your head when I say "mom" - love

leave me a link to your answers in the comments.  remember, there are no wrong answers!


ps. what do you think of Parenting magazine?

this kind of drinking is good

WATER: something all living things need to survive.  it seems to me, we need it just as much as oxygen. 


water comes to us in our food and other drinks, which seem to have become the substitute for many of us.  me included.  it wasn't until I was living at 9,000 feet last year, where the oxygen was lacking and everything was soooooooo dry.  my hair, my skin, not to mention all the static electricity in the house.  ouch!  as much as I loved living in the mountains of Colorado, I won't be going back to 9,000 feet.  ever. 


funny to think we're made up of mostly water ... but it makes sense that we need to always be adding to it and replacing it.  even the oceans are added to.  (God's design is always amazing to me)


I started getting headaches, and it took me awhile to figure out what it was.  I was dehydrated.  for me, once I get a headache from lack of water, drinking a whole bunch at once doesn't fix it.  its like a migraine, and yes, I need water, but I also need an medication, a dark room, and quiet ... having kids, the quiet part doesn't usually happen.


I don't remember having to drink water as a kid.  I wasn't "raised" on it ... if that makes sense.  I can go through an entire meal without a drink.  occasionally, I will even come home from walking and still wait awhile to take a drink.
its funny, because I like water.  I'm not hooked on soda or coffee.  if I have juice, I always drink it 1/2 juice, 1/2 water; its just too sweet otherwise.  


I've been told if you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.  well, great.


Sam also got dehydrated when we were in Colorado.  and sometimes, when something happens to your kids, THAT'S when you change things.   having a headache is no fun, and when you see your 5 year old suffer from one, is more like heartbreaking.  so water water water for everyone.  all the time.  well, as much as we can stand it anyway.


so with our "water issues," I have turned to CAMELBAK for my solution.  one word: awesome!


I have a big bottle that holds 32oz.  my goal is to drink at least 1 of those per day.  at least.  the kids' bottle is 16oz.  I did have 2 bottles, but they would just want what the other had, so instead, I fill the 1 a couple times per day.  seems to work out better that way.


they are on the expensive side.  a water bottle for $20?!  c'mon!  HOWEVER ...
1. I get no backwash from my kids.  I can share without the worry of  floaties surprising me later on.  don't you HATE that?!  so gross.
2. its all BPA-free. yay!
3. think green.  stop buying bottles and reuse what you have.
4. you can buy new mouthpieces when needed - say you have a toddler that's teething and you keep finding him just chewing on it ... ugh, Elliott!
5. no spills.  you know how every single baby/toddler cup claims to be spill free ... and you spend too much money to find out none of them are 100%?  well, I can't lie.  I've had a few drops when it got tossed on the floor, but nothing compared to those stupid cups.  I only wish I made this discovery years ago!  for me, its been revolutionary.


I was lucky enough to find the 2 I have at the thrift store.  yahoo!  I paid less than $10 for both.  and because of #4, its ok.  or at least, because of #4, I'm not at all grossed out by buying used water bottles.  would you buy these used?


I did pay full pop for the backpaks.  I got 1 adult size, and 1 child size.  they are perfect for our hikes.

for whatever reason, once these things are in their mouth, they drink and drink and drink and drink.  the biting, sucking, swallowing is enough action for them to be interested ... I don't know, that's my guess anyway.  but whatever the reason, they drink more water because of this bottle.  I'm convinced.


for me, this is one of those things I want to instill in my kids on purpose.  drink more water!!  how do you get your kids to do it?

mom to mom

moms are always looking out for other moms with advice & referrals, and apparently even if your kids are grown, you don't lose that ... I thought I'd share what my mom found for me. please pass it on to the other moms you know.

* do you live closer to the mall than the library? guess who has a story time?

* and while you're at the mall check out Sears ... you shop Sears? if not, here is a good reason to start.

ps. thanks mom!