The Darya Project

This family is doing the seemingly impossible, and they only have a few more days to do it. The dad is a friend of a friend, which is how I found out about their remarkable journey. To get the main idea of the "challenge," start with Lydia's entry on Nov. 17. In less than a week, she has raised over $5,500. I dare you to read their story and not be touched and compelled to give.


http://the30dayjourneyforhope.blogspot.com/

No Excuses...Just a New Post

I'm not even going to try to make an excuse for my non-existence in the blogosphere. Here's a new post:

I didn't actually watch the CMAs, but I won't let that little detail stop me from commenting. Hey, I got home from rehearsal at 8, and then--hello!--Glee was on until 9. After getting the kids to bed, then re-visiting them several times for various needs (stall tactics), I had to take care of a few grown-up duties before I could settle in. But here's what I DID see, between commercial breaks, soundbites, and the final moments:

• Taylor Swift is a precious young thing, and I even like her music--when it is recorded in a studio, with LOTS of technological "help" thrown in. But, let's face it, she's pretty awful in a live performance. And Entertainer of the Year? Honey, let's just hope you can grow into that award, because you are not there yet! How 'bout you start with hiring a vocal coach? (Love ya, sweetie, but sometimes love hurts.)
• Is it just me, or did Darius Rucker look rather awkward singin--and sort of dancing--in his solo performance? Darius, I get it: you're conflicted. You're a black man singing country music. But please don't allow your desire to fit into a new genre cause you to deny your inner blackness! Darius, you are a BROTHER--you have rhythm! Know who you are, and BE THAT!
• Is Naomi Judd trying to bring back the mullet? I'm just sayin'...
• Little Jimmie Dickens is priceless. I can watch that little guy all day--especially with Brad at his side. Love him!
• Yay for Barbara Mandrell! I love seeing truly talented people be honored. And does she look amazing, or what?!? I'm privileged to attend church with her, and let me say that she's just as lovely up close. I'd do well to look that young and fit NOW, not to mention when I am her age!

That's all for now. Just had to throw my 2 cents out into the blogosphere. What can I say? I'm a natural-born critic. It's what I do...it's who I am. ;-)

"Find a Happy Place! Find a Happy Place!"

That's one of my favorite lines from Finding Nemo. And it's not too hard to guess where our family's "Happy Place" is: Walt Disney World! So, when I discovered that Reagan had 10 days off in October, I began trying to think of ways to get there.

Now, keep in mind that we were just there in late May...less than 5 months from this proposed trip. But had I known that Reagan would have 10 days off in October, I would have certainly voted for waiting until then to go. After all, October is the time of free dining, cheap resort rates, and short lines!

Still, having just been, the Daddy vetoed another Disney trip immediately. No surprise really. We'd be frivolous to go, right? Instead we started planning a smaller vacation to Atlanta. And cheaper...or so we thought. But when I started pricing hotels, tickets to the aquarium, a trip to the American Girl store....well--"cha-ching!"--our smaller, cheaper trip started adding up. When I mentioned this to the Daddy, he jokingly said, "Run the numbers, give me an Excel spreadsheet, and we'll discuss it."

OK, so I didn't actually do a spreadsheet, but I did some " 'cipherin' " as Jethro used to say. And I figured out that we could actually go to Disney World CHEAPER than we could go to Atlanta for the week!!! We'd be crazy not to go, right? That's what we thought!

So...in 3 weeks, we'll be there! Can't wait. I'm going to take lots of pictures for my website (www.affordingthemouse.com), and do some research for that as well. But my primary objective, as always, is having a great time with my family in our "Happy Place." For us, at least at this point in our lives, no other destination compares.

Combining Blogs

OK, so I have been terrible about blogging lately. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. I have been concentrating on my Disney blog, Affording the Mouse. But I realize that many of you really only want to see pics of my sweet girls and hear what they're up to...so...I'm going to try to do better.

In order to accomplish this, I realized that I simply cannot keep up with separate blogs for each of the girls as well as my own. So, I've combined Reagan's and Presley's with mine. Presley's Page and What Reagan's Doing will be deleted (don't worry--I've saved an archived copy!) and their adventures will be featured here going forward. And, you can actually see old posts from their blogs here as well. So, nothing lost really. Just the hassle of keeping up with multiple blogs. I'll still have my Disney blog, and that will still be my main focus, but I hope to post here at least monthly with an update. If that's not satisfactory, you'll just need to join Facebook--that's where you can really find out what we're up to!

Couponing...Again

OK, so it is not my intention to turn this into one of those couponing/bargain hunting blogs (although I do love reading them), but I needed to share my latest shopping triumph with you. So...how much would you pay for the items pictured above? $50? 60? Maybe even $70? Well, retail value on these items is a whopping $78.45 (with tax added). But how much did I pay? I'll tell you later.

First, let me tell you that Harris Teeter is doing "Super Doubles" this week. What that means is that they double manufacturers coupons up to $1.98 in face value. You are limited to 20 coupons per day, but this can mean significant savings if you have coupons for $1.50 or even $1.75. (FYI, most stores will double coupons up to $.50, but HT usually doubles up to $.99 every day.)

So, with my VIC card (the equivalent to a Kroger Plus card), I saved $12.44 in basic "advertised sales." With my coupons, I saved $46.23 after doubling! (That odd number is because I actually got a few items free. Technically, HT would have owed me money, but they do not pay overage on free items. FYI, some stores, such as Target, do!)

That brings my total to a whopping $19.78! Not too shabby, considering all these items are name brands and several are higher-priced health & beauty items. That makes my savings around 70%. Oh, and I returned the next day and purchased several more items and saved approximately 65% on that shopping excursion!

Pop Star Trailed by Paparazzi!

We had a little fun today prepping for Reagan's 6th b-day party. The party will have a "Pop Star Diva" theme, so we thought it would be fun to dress Reagan up as Hannah Montana and take some "paparazzi-style" photos. We hope to take a few more--maybe at Starbucks grabbing coffee, or in a car driving away. Those "on location" shots require a bit more planning. Here are a couple to entertain you now:

"Hannah" walking her dog, flashing the peace sign

Taking an important call

Summer Couponing

It has been a really long time since I have posted anything here. So, what have I been up to? For one, I've been concentrating on my Disney blog (http://www.affordingthemouse.blogspot.com/) lately. Trying to post at least a couple of times weekly there has eaten up a lot of my free time (well, almost free--the time when Presley naps and Reagan watches TV). Mostly, we've been busy with summer. With both girls home, I have my hands full.

My new favorite hobby is couponing. Kind of lame hobby, I know, but it keeps me busy and it saves me money. So...a much better hobby that simply shopping, wouldn't you say? Most of the time, I can save as much on a grocery shopping excursion as I spend--in other words, I'm getting my groceries (including health & beauty items) for 50% or more off regular prices. I wish I had kept track of how much I was spending BEFORE couponing, so I could compare it to what I spend now. Then I could add up all that savings and see what my "salary" for a year of couponing would be. :-) For now, I'll just brag by showing you what I got at Target today for $5.47 (it would have been $4.47 but one coupon site would only let me print 4 coupons instead of the 5 I needed). Still, pretty good when you consider the retail value of this is around $27. Have a look:

Items:

• 10 Sobe Lifewater (retail $1.39 each; I got them all for $1, or $.10 each!)
• 3 Eggo Bake Shop (retail $2.29 each; I got them for $.50 each)
• Tide travel size (retail $.97; Target actually paid me $.03 to buy this)
• Nexcare Bandaids (retail $.99; I paid $.44--a splurge, but these are great)
• 2 RoseArt washable markers (retail $1.99; I paid $.50 each)
• 12-pk. Bic Pens (not sure of retail, but I spent $.50)

On the Sobe, I combined a sale (10 for $10) with coupons (Buy 1, Get 1, or BOGO) and also a special promotion (Buy 10, get a $5 Target Gift Card). Again, they would have been free if I had enough coupons. Still, not a bad deal!

Tomorrow, I'm heading to Kroger to do a Kellogg's promotion. If you buy 10 Kellogg's or Keebler items (and a few specified others), you get a $10 rebate. Kroger is also doing a deal where you save $5 when you purchase 10 qualifying items from their list. Some of the Kellogg's items are on the Kroger list, so...with coupons and combining these deals, I plan to come home with a couple of sacks full of groceries for maybe a couple of dollars. Oh, and Kellogg's is also offering a $70 coupon for Dell with this deal, which will come in handy when I purchase a new laptop. See why I get excited about coupons?

Wonderland/Mad Hatter Tea Party

I have been a total slacker about blogging these days (too busy couponing and such!), but I'm finally posting a few pics from Presley's 3rd birthday party. Enjoy!

Presley as Alice

The Topsy-Turvy Cake (created by Mama)

The Table

Playing Croquette (we didn't have flamingos or hedgehogs)

Blowing Out the Candles

Happy Birthday, Presley!

Today our baby girl turns 3! Presley is such a funny, happy girl at three years old. She is fiercely independent about some things and still a lazy baby about others. Presley loves girly things like princesses and fairies, but she's also the rough-and-tumble kid who has been known to bite her sister on occasion. We learned from potty training that she does things on her own timetable (she is trained now, btw). And one of her oft-uttered phrases is: "Don't boss me!" (Said mostly to Reagan. She knows better than to say it to Mama.)

We celebrate you today, Presley!

We're Back

We're back from Disney World! We had a great vacation, despite the rain and the little cold that Scott and I brought home as a souvenir. Here are a couple of pics from our trip:

The girls in front of Minnie's house

The family with Lightning McQueen

Back from Disney

We're back from our Disney vacation, and Presley is still trying to adjust to a number of things (not having someone to sleep with...not being constantly entertained...naps...etc.). We had a great time, despite the rain we encountered daily. Here are a few pics from our trip that feature Presley. The first was after Snow White had kissed Presley. The second was at breakfast with the Mad Hatter at the Grand Floridian. That last one is after she had some yummy chocolate mousse in the France pavillion at Epcot.

Back from Disney World

We're back from Disney World and trying to acclamate ourselves to the "real world"--or at least the summer version of it. We had a great time, despite the rain we encountered daily. Here are a few pics from our trip featuring Reagan. The last one is at the Garden View Tea in the Grand Floridian. Reagan got to have a special afternoon of tea with Mama there while Daddy and Presley rested.

Just Dancing

Presley loves her big girl panties so much that she enjoys just dancing around in them. She's probably not going to be a big fan of this video when she's older, but for now, she likes watching herself.

BTW, so far so good! No accidents yet!

Nashville School of Ballet Parent Observation

Reagan has been taking dance this semester at the Nashville School of Ballet. For the primary classes, there is no recital. A little sad in some ways, but much less of a hassle in others. Here are a few pics from Reagan's final class. The parents were invited in to view class and were treated to a couple of group dances, along with demonstrations of the drills and exercises the girls do. FYI, the teacher uses curriculum from the Royal Academy of Ballet in her classes.

Look at that posture!

Leaping

Free Dance

with Ms. Nadine

Big Girl Panties

We're on about day 6 of Presley wearing panties with no accidents! Yay! (Did I just jinx myself?) Presley is doing a great job of telling us when she needs to use the potty. Looks like she is officially trained! (Well, we actually still wear pull-ups at night, but that's a job for another day.)

We finally had some pictures taken of the whole family last weekend. Here are a couple of sweet Presley.

We Welcome You to Munchkin Land...Tralalalala

Reagan is excited to have earned her first theatrical role! In June (dates still TBD), Reagan will be playing a Munckin in the touring show Oz: The Musical. The show will be at TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center). We always knew Reagan had a future in the dramatic arts, but we didn't realize it would be starting this soon.

For more infomation on the show, click here.

We also had a few photos taken last weekend. Here's one of Reagan's sweet poses.

Visit My New Blog

I finally did it--I've taken the plunge and decided to start my own Disney vacation planning & consulting business. Tell all your friends and anyone you know who might be planning a trip!

http://www.affordingthemouse.blogspot.com/

Hannah Montana: We Were There!

Good Friday was opening day for Hannah Montana: the Movie, and Reagan and Mama were there...along with every other little girl in Nashville! We purchased advanced tickets from Fandango, and it's a good thing, since showings were sold out.

Reagan decided to dress the part for the show. Any excuse to wear a costume, right?

We enjoyed the movie, but our experience was tainted by the tornados that came through the area. While they weren't actually near the theatre, an over-zealous movie patron announced that they were--which sent every little girl in the place into a panic! The theatre manager had to stop the movie and let us all know that while there were storms in Middle Tennessee, they were not near us. In the event that they came within ten miles, the movie would stop and we would be taken to a safer location. Still, the damage was done, and it took Reagan several minutes to calm down and actually watch the end of the movie. Guess we'll have to go see it again--on a sunny day.

This Just Made Me Laugh

Pitiful...but Still Cute

Poor little pumpkin had a stomach bug on Thursday. Fortunately, it was only a 12-hour thing. But she threw up multiple times and we were a little worried that she might get dehydrated (she didn't). Still, even though she was awfully sick, she managed not to make any big messes in the process (except for the first time, which was a total surprise to us both). She kept this "popcorn" bucket handy and always got it just in time. She was so sweet and precious with it that I took this picture. I'm happy to report that she's all better now!

What Will You Celebrate?

Since we'll be going to Disney World less than 2 weeks before Presley's 3rd birthday, we'll be celebrating while we're there. We did a little parade float of what that might look like. Enjoy!


http://www.mymagicalparade.com/20947

Presley Welcomes Baby Bailey

Presley was very excited to see her new cousin, Bailey Hope, for the first time on the day she was born, 2/27/09. Welcome to our world, little Bailey!

Reagan Loves Her New Cousin

Here's Reagan holding her new cousin, Bailey Hope Gibbs, born on Feb. 27. Welcome to our world, Bailey!

Meet Bailey Hope Gibbs

Born 2/27/09

We've Finally Turned the Corner...I Think

It has taken countless afternoons of frustration, about 4,837 diapers and pull-ups, and more than a few tears (mine and hers), but Presley is finally pooping in the potty! Up until now, those poops had been few and faaaaarrrr between. But for the last several days, she has pooped consistently in the potty without any coercion! (Well, perhaps treats count as coercion. Nonetheless, she has pooped of her own free will.)

As I type, I am both crossing my fingers and knocking on wood (both of which are extremely hard to do while typing, I might add). Still, I think we're on our way. Some setbacks are to be expected, but at least we can see the light at the end of the diaper tunnel.

Another Installment of "The Funny Things She Says"

Presley's language development is moving at the speed of light these days. She says anything she wants, and you can usually understand it all. However, it's the way she says things that cracks us up. Here are a few examples:

• "Trash or 'cycling?" (When taking something to the trash/recycling bins.)


• "I want more some of that."


• "Are you got ____?" (Do you have ____?)


• "Dat not fair." (In response to anything that she doesn't like, whether or not fairness plays a role.)


• "Him is not got ______." (He does not have _____.)


• "You're gonna lost it and cry." (After I told Reagan she couldn't take her Leapster to school. Guess Presley was worried she would lose it there.)


• "She not say 'nice day'." (After the safety patrol forgot to tell me to have a nice day when I dropped Reagan off at school.)

Winter Fun

We headed north to my parents' house in search of snow last weekend--and we found it! This is the view of their back deck and pool, from inside the house. Notice the ice-covered trees.

We bundled everyone up and went outside to play. Sadly, this was not the kind of snow that makes good snowmen (very dry, not sticky), so we didn't get to do that. But we did lots of sledding and made snow angels.

This was Presley's first time sledding, and she had lots of fun!

Reagan was apprehensive at first, but she really enjoyed it too.

Scott had probably never played in that much snow as a kid, being a native of Tennessee. By the end of the day, he had the sledding distance record!

We actually had much better hills than this, but we didn't take many pics--the camera was fogging up in the cold. But, really, we were pretty adventurous. For example, most people would be shoveling off their front steps. But my dad was piling on more snow to make a better sledding ramp for us! Yep, we started on the front porch and sledded to the street (just the grown ups--we wouldn't let the kids do this). We usually got stopped by the ditch, but Scott made it all the way onto the road once! Fun times.

Sledding Fun

We headed north to Grandma & Grandpa's in Indiana this weekend to find some snow--and we sure did find it! Reagan was a little apprehensive at first, but she really enjoyed it once she got started. We all had a great time sledding--especially Daddy, who had probably never played in that much snow his entire life as a Tennessee native.

Sledding Fun

We went to Grandma & Grandpa's this weekend in search of snow...and, boy, did we find it! Here's a pic of Presley's first time sledding. We all had a fun time--even Daddy, who had probably never played in that much snow in his entire life as a Tennessean!

Another Poignant Reagan Quote

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.” --Ronald Reagan

It's happening now, Ronnie. Sad but true.

Big Potty News!!!

Presley had her first poop in the potty last night! I won't tell you what an ordeal it was to get there. Suffice it to say, we have been spending a LOT of time in the bathroom lately. There was a lot of whining, pleading, and even bribery. In the end, she was all alone in the bathroom when the big moment finally arrived. Then the whole family came in a cheered, clapped, etc.

I gave Presley her much-desired Hannah Montana microphone, and she promptly began to sing (while still on the potty), "You get the limo out front...whoa whoa... hottest styles, every shoe, every color..." That's the Hannah Montana theme song, in case any of you out there are living under a rock and haven't heard it.

Daddy had to run to the store to get Presley a big package of Reese's cups. (We had purchased these before, but too many stressful afternoons of waiting for Presley to finally go caused Mama to eat them herself.)

There is much rejoicing in the Gibbs household! We're hoping this is just the start of Presley's amazing potty progress!

Now that Christmas Is Over...

Now that the holidays are behind us (ours was good, was yours?), my thoughts turn to warmer climates and summer vacation. I'm a big planner. (That may just be the understatement of the year.) It's not that I'm not spontaneous. In fact, when I was younger...and childless...and single, it wasn't uncommon for my friends and I to decide on a whim to drive to the beach for the weekend. (And we're a good 7 hours from the nearest beach.) And, in the right frame of mind, I can be talked into almost any fun, SAFE adventure.

But now that I have a family, I've learned that the only enjoyable vacation is one that is well-planned. After much consideration of various destinations, we've decided to go to Disney World yet again this summer. Why? For starters, it just happens to be our favorite vacation spot. Sure, we were just there in April/May, but we just can't get enough of Mickey and the gang. Another good reason is that it's actually a very economical vacation for us. We drive instead of fly, and often we stay with family on the way down and back. We usually choose a nice but inexpensive hotel, and...well...we don't have to buy tickets.

Yep, that's right. We get in free. See, I have this fabulous friend who works there. She meets us at the park each day and walks us right in. We usually go for 3 days, which would cost our family roughly $750 without her. Did I mention that she is a REALLY GREAT friend?

My friend can walk in three people per day. Presley is free until her 3rd birthday (in June), another reason we're going at the end of May--it's our last chance for a completely free ride. Also, you never know when this dear friend might decide to take another job elsewhere. We're so thankful for her graciousness to us, and we want to enjoy it while we can!

This will be Presley's 2nd visit, Reagan's 3rd, and Scott's 5th. Me? I have lost track--at least 10th, but maybe even 12th. I'm a hard-core Disney fan. I'm even thinking of becoming a Disney travel agent at some point down the road. (I'm getting experience by helping friends plan their WDW vacations.) But for now, I'm enjoying making plans for our next visit!

BTW, even if you don't have a friend who works there, 2009 is a great year to visit WDW. They have some amazing deals, especially if you're active or retired military! And, if you need any help planning, I'm your girl!

It Has Been a Rough Day...

...ya know, one of those where nothing seems to be going your way. Presley is still quite resistant to the whole potty training thing. To put it delicately, she's doing pretty well with #1, but she's a no-go on #2. I've caught her in the act several times and rushed her to the potty, only to have her stop and hold it in. Seriously, the kid is going to end up constipated from holding it in!

So, today was a repeat of the scenario above. And then, when I finally gave up on the potty thing and decided to try a nap, she resisted there as well. Normally, Presley is a great napper--she goes down without any trouble at all. And she still naps pretty early in the day (sometimes before lunch) so that I can get her up in time to go pick up Reagan from school. But not today. She cried, she whined, and she even got out of bed (one of the downfalls of the "big girl" bed).

So I gave up. Decided to feed her lunch instead and try again later. I had gone downstairs to fetch her a drink or napkin or something, and when I came back up Presley asked, "Mama, are you frustrated?" Not "angry" or "mad"--"frustrated."

Yes, Presley. That's exactly what I am. Frustrated. (But amused. How can you not laugh at that?)

Little Mommy

Last night we watched the 2009 Disney Vacation Planning DVD. Scott and I often joke about retiring to DW and working in the parks, just so we can enjoy the perks. We were once again discussing this when I asked, "Reagan, do you want to work at Disney World when you grow up?" Her immediate response was an emphatic, "No!" When I asked, "Really? Why not?" she replied, "Because I wouldn't be able to take care of my children." I sure hope she meets and marries a man who is as traditionally-minded as her, so she can experience all the joys of motherhood. (I hope I'm still around to see that for so many reasons!)