Grocery Mathematics

Sale + coupons rounded up to one dollar = Some amazing deals!

There is nothing I love more than finding a great deal, and it is something I am good at, if I do say so myself. You have to be able to remember that if it is not something that you wouldn't normally buy or something you can't replace with something else (like buying pop-tarts, something I don't usually buy but will if it is a killer deal because the kids can use that for a snack instead of something else), or if I can find a comparable product for less money, it isn't a good deal.

Smiths is having a good sale with coupons rounded up to a dollar. I went up first thing this morning and had such a good time! What a rush!

Sam's 9!

Samantha turned 9 years old today. Because Veronica and Joe were going to girls camp today, we celebrated yesterday with the usual party, cake and birthday person requested dinner. Because three of the invited friends were on vacation, we only had two girls come over. I had planned some fun water games but they seemed to be having too much fun getting each other and Joe and Tyler wet with balloons and buckets that we ended up not playing the games.






Joe woke up a little earlier this morning to to get her some donuts so we could surprise her, sing to her, open presents and enjoy a treat this together before they left.
Samantha is so much fun to be around and approaches everything with an amazing amount of enthusiasm. We love having her in our family. Happy Birthday Samantha!

Manti Pageant

Something I wanted to document so we can look back and remember was our trip to the Manti Pageant in June. It is something we have always wanted to go to but just have never done. Since we weren't going on a real family vacation this year, we decided to make it a point to go to this year.
Since it is two and a half hours away, we thought it would be fun to stay overnight. We found a campground right next to the temple (where the pageant is). It had a pool, playground and SHOWERS! This was actually only the second time since we have been married that we camped with showers. Tyler was not pleased. When he found out the camping situation, he informed us that it wasn't really considered camping, just sleeping in a tent and that we could just to that in the backyard. Me? I think I would choose the real camping also in most situations because I really missed being out in the open, etc., but it was really really nice to have a nice long hot shower in the morning!
We figured that since we were going we might as well see what we could do along the way there and back. We left first thing in the morning and stopped that the Fremont Indian State Park. We pass by it on our way to and from Denver every year but never stop because it is such a long drive anyway. It was really neat, we toured the museum, hiked, and had a picnic lunch.


The pageant was amazing. Camping was fun. It was nice to relax, swim, and play some games. The only bad thing was the mosquitoes. Poor Veronica gets bit so bad every time. By the time we came home her arms were swollen and she was just miserable. Her legs and arms were completely covered. If anyone has any tried-and-true remedies, I would love it if you sent them my way!




The next morning, we took our time packing up, played some more games, played a fun game of volleyball and then on the way home we stopped at Cove Fort to have lunch and take a tour. We have been there a few times before, but it is always fun to go there.
After all that camping and eating outside and having picnics, Braelynn was disappointed when the next morning, I wouldn't let her eat her breakfast outside!

Tetherball

This post was supposed to be written a few weeks ago when it was completed, but we have been too busy swimming, playing, swimming, playing, you know the usual summer stuff!
We have been wanting something for the back yard for the kids to play with. The tramp broke and we haven't had the extra funds for another one, the swing set needs to be replaced, but most of the kids are too old for one. The solution? A tetherball pole! It was Samantha's idea because she loves loves loves playing at school.
It has been tons of fun. I am including pictures mostly of Samantha. She is so much fun and gets so excited about things. We were so happy to be able to do this for everyone, of course, but especially her. I feel like she sort of gets left out sometimes even though we try hard not to.





I have to include these pictures of Tyler, though. He had hooked up the tetherball to the pole while Joe was at work by climbing up the pole by himself but it needed to be shortened and they were doing it together. Tyler always amazes me about how handy he is. Joe had put an I-bolt into the pole before we cemented it into the tire but the I-bolt was too big for the hook for the rope so he just went out to the garage, found one that would work and fixed it.
I used to at least try to do most of the things around the house that needed to be done just to see if I could do it and try to figure how to do it. I usually failed but at least I tried. Tyler can usually figure out how to do most of it long before I can. Just like his dad.

13

We now have a teenager in our family...gasp! Veronica turned 13 yesterday!
She had a few friends over for a few hours to celebrate. It is the most entertaining thing in the world to listen to this group of friends who have been together for years laughing, talking, playing games and the Wii.
Not really any pictures to show you, they were all avoiding the camera last night.

I am so grateful to have Veronica for my daughter, she is beautiful, generous, kind, forgiving and fun to be around. She has a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel that many adults don't have and she has an inherent knowledge of right and wrong.
Happy Birthday, Veronica!