Diapers.com Coupon Code

I just noticed this in my inbox from Diapers.com - a unique code I can send to my friends to get them cheaper diapers! Use this code: ASCH4882 and you can get 30% off your Diapers.com diaper order and 15% off everything else for the first 3 months. Woo hoo!

My Husband's Invention

I keep forgetting to brag about the baby-supply caddy that my ingenious husband put together for me. We don't have a changing table, so we use a portable changing pad instead - we just take it (and the caddy) from room to room and change Grace's diaper wherever we're at. I use it at bath time too, since it has all of her soap, lotion, washcloths, and brushes in it. He found it at Ace Hardware; it's supposed to be for tools, but doesn't it look like it was made for babies?? I should paint it pink and start marketing it. My favorite parts are the elastic mesh pockets on the outside, because you can stuff a lot of stuff in them and still feel organized.

As you can see, I've already stocked it with my diapers from Diapers.com (as well as every other conceivable baby supply)...I bought the Diapers.com brand of diapers, and I really like them. They don't leak, and the tabs are soft so they velcro over each other, which is great because they're a little too big for her right now, so I can put the velcro as tight as I want it. And they say "B is for Bunny" on them, with a very cute bunny and several different colors. So, I have not only sucked my husband into my world of obsessive organization, I've awakened his organizational genius. Thank you, honey. And, you're welcome.

Internet Safety Software

If you're looking for internet safety software, check out this site - it's a detailed review of several popular programs. I think I'm going to go with Net Nanny; it's got the best capabilities, and it's one of the cheapest (only $29).

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/

Diapers!!

Amazing. The diapers arrived yesterday - the day after I ordered them. Can you believe I got free shipping on these gigantic boxes?? Looks like Grace has a lot of work to do over the next couple of months.

Other noteworthy events from yesterday: Isaac had a major meltdown for no apparent reason, Esme fell all the way down the basement steps, and I agreed to purchase a dwarf hamster for Isaac and Simon. Also, I somehow got Esme to take an hour and a half long nap at the SAME TIME as Grace, which means that I got to take an hour and a half long nap. And the boys played quietly the whole time. It was most certainly a gift from God - there's no way I could orchestrate this bizarre, marvelous quietude. Is that a word? I'm too lazy to look it up.

Prayer for Husbands

This is a great daily (or, on some days, hourly) prayer for your husband - scroll to the bottom of the devotional to find it:

Prayer for Husbands

Replace the "his" with "my" and it's a great prayer for you too!

Nice Hair

I'm on day #3 without a hair dryer. Mine started on fire on Sunday (it really did - it was kinda cool - it turned all the spiderwebs in the bathroom black), and I'm trying to determine whether a new one is truly a necessity. I still have a flat iron, which helps, but I'm not sure that it's enough. Does anyone out there live without a hair dryer? I think I've blow-dried my hair every day since junior high, and I don't know if I'm going to survive much longer. I was going to post a photo of my hair, but I'm waiting to see if I improve at styling it first. Perhaps this afternoon...

We spend HOW much on groceries???

A few months ago, I started using my bank's online financial planning software, which lets you set a budget for certain spending categories and track how well you compare to your budget. It's awesome, except that it shows you how much money you're actually spending, which, for me, is usually somewhere between alarming and terrifying. We spent nearly three times our grocery budget in February, which is 4 digits worth of spending. Yes, 4 digits. I am still in denial about this, but I looked everything over several times and it must be right. So, now I'm cracking down and making some serious changes. If you have ANY suggestions, please, help me!
Ways we are cutting down on our grocery bill (or trying, at least):
1. No more pop, chicken nuggets, grape tomatoes (these are my favorite but they're $3.50 a package!!!) or other expensive/exotic produce, or lunch meat.
2. No brand name anything without a coupon.
3. We're buying all diapers through Diapers.com. I just got 500 diapers for $50!! And free shipping!
4. No pre-packaged snacks (fruit snacks, Little Debbies, potato chips, etc.) or drinks.
5. We eat leftovers until either they're gone or they're moldy. Like, so moldy that you can't even cut around or scoop out the moldy parts.
6. Two choices for lunch: leftovers or cereal - that's it.
7. Get the bigger/bulk size and freeze it (example: there's a good deal at Fareway right now on ground beef - 10 lbs. of 93% lean ground beef for $2.69.lb.).
8. Fewer side dishes (rice, potatoes, veggies). No one likes them except me anyway.

I'll keep you updated. If we don't improve in March, I'm going to start looking for recipes for gruel...