happy love kids

OH My Goodness Brendan has his very first calf muscle on his left leg. He has been riding his bike almost daily and is getting pretty good at it. He is peddling himself almost the entire time now and results are being seen! Unfortunately his right leg is looking smaller all the way around compared to his left which is his dominant side but I am so thrilled to see a muscle. I know this is partly due to PERCS allowing him to use his muscle and not the tone. He couldn't even pedle his bike prior to the surgery. I am on cloud 9 from one tiny calf muscle! It is the little thiings...... Check out Freedom Concepts if you are interested in a handicap accessible bike. He is obsessed with it right now.

I just scored at Babies R Us. I was afraid to buy things too early but I couldn't resist. I had a 25% off clearance items coupon so I went to check it out. They had the sit and stand stroller I have had my eye on for $50! We saw it at Target for $150. I grabbed that and saw a chicco infant carrier for $80 so after I talked to my mom and husband I decided to grab it lol. I only spent $103 on both items after the coupon. It was an awesome deal. I even got to make sure the car seat fit in the van with the girls booster seats and everything fits! It feels very real now. I also stopped at Target and only spent $9.59. I bought a 50 pack of huggies diapers ($6), got 4 free nail clippers, 2 free maybeline lip balm, 2 bags of starburst jellybeans (my favorite) for $1 each, and two 12.5 oz boxes of dog treats for a $.82 each. Great deals just with coupoons. The diapers before coupons cost $9.49 so I basically got everything else for free. :) My kind of shopping. I am still feeling pretty goo...

I am already 17 weeks, this pregnancy is flying by. I am feeling pretty good and have some energy. I am able to get out and about and actually keep up with the house. I don't need to nap anymore so I am loving the 2nd trimester....finally! Could we ask for better weather in March? The kids are outside constantly. Brendan wouldn't come inside today. His aid took him on two bike rides. He refused to come inside until after 5:30 tonight. I think hiring his aid was the best thing I could have done while pregnant because I wouldn't be able to keep up with him right now! I still was able to make some good deals this week. I only spent $47 at the grocery store and I brought that down from $83. I love saving us money especially being a one income family. It is my contribution in a way to cut our grocery budget down. We used to spend $150 easy a week and now I am staying below $70 most weeks and that includes all household items as well as food. How can you not love that?!

I am finally feeling better!!! The 2nd trimester relief has hit me. I am beyond excited to have some energy back. I hardly feel nauseous and haven't needed a nap in days. So what does that mean??? I was able to coupon again and got some really great deals. I went to Target and stacked coupons (use target and manufacturer coupon together). I used two coupons on every single item I bought. The total came to $43 and I only spent $11.50. I bought 3 bags of dogfood, 6 boxes of cheese its/crackers, 6 packs of gum, 3 travel size bottles of contact solution, and two boxes of keebler cookies. You can easily spend $3 on one box of cheese its which would have come to $18 just on those so I made out very well! I went to Stop and Shop yesterday and the total was $198 and I only spent $72!!! I couldn't believe how well I did. I saved $60 JUST in coupons! I bought a ton of stuff even meat and fruit. I am thrilled with my purchases especially spending $70 the past two weeks not using coupons a...

Brendan's PASS worker, Michelle, has officially started. Last night was her first night since Monday we had a meeting with the agency. It went very well. Brendan opened up to her right away. He even played a game with her and Makayla while I made dinner and wasn't constantly asking where I was. He acted himself and she did great with him. She hasn't done any of the transferring or lifting yet but hopefully she will soon. I just hope she is comfortable doing it. She seems open to doing everything. She is very patient but already holds him accountable for things and I like that. She makes him say excuse me after he burps..which he does often. He is such a boy. She is very easy to talk to and get along with. Surprisingly, I don't feel awkward at all having her in my house. She even ate dinner with us. Hoping today goes just as well. I am looking forward to the next few months getting to know her and seeing how she interacts with Brendan. He is already excited to go somewhe...

My husband and I have wrote out a chore list. The kids are 9,7 and 4 and we think it is about time they start helping out a little in this house. It is alot for one person (ME!) to clean up after 5 people day in and day out. They are simple things but they seem excited about it. How much would you pay your children for chores? I was thinking $2 per week per child. We do not have alot of extra money and that adds up fast each month. We are also thinking of putting Makayla in dance and Chloe in gymnastics so that will eat into our budget as is. We are also thinking of maybe a point system instead. They would earn enough points to buy something special or go on a special outing. Brendan might be more motivated to do chores for a go cart ride vs. getting money. * Brendan will feed the dog each night and help set the table (with his PASS worker) * Makayla has to feed the dog each morning and clear the table before dinner. She also has to wipe down the bathroom counters once a week. * Chloe ...

I am beyond annoyed today. I called the medical equipment company to check on everything I had ordered back in OCTOBER! The woman who answers starts to apologize over and over and said they had his file in the wrong pile and just submitted the paperwork to his therapist to get it signed off on. Basically it is like I just ordered this equipment this week not 5 months ago. I am so upset. I made sure I ordered everything so he would have it when his therapy room was built and now I am sure I won't be seeing anything for months afterwards. Everyone seems so incompetent lately. Brendan had his two hour neurology appointment. Gotta love when Dr.'s can't stay on their time slots but I do really like her so I won't complain too much. I am used to it anyway. I figured we would be there until 6pm and we were. She said he still looks really good but would like to do some botox in May. She wants to see what his new orthopedic thinks first. I really don't think he needs it. Not...