In these uncertain economic times

Dear Mr./Ms. Manufacturer of Discount Products,

My family is trying to make some cut backs in the household budget and we have decided to try some of your products that you present to the average American consumer as quality choices that are equal to the name brands that we love with a smaller price tag.

We have experienced success with the following products:

We have saved some money and it has been nice.

We have experienced a few problems that I'd like to bring to your attention.

Your discount diapers are a joke. I will admit that I have been a diaper snob for the last six years. I have used the two main national brands buying the one that was on sale at the time. But I avoided your discount diapers because there was no way I was taking a chance with the problems that could come from one of your diapers not living up to your claims of being just as good as the name brand guys.

But in these uncertain economic times, I was willing to take a chance because I like the feeling of the savings and this particular product could mean a savings of about $8 per week.

Know what I got from taking this chance? I got to change the sheet on LittleMan's bed 3 mornings in a row. I got to wash a couple pair of shorts that were, let's just say, "soiled". And the last straw was when I got buy $8 worth of diaper cream for the rash on LittleMan's bottom.

And one thing I know for certain is that even in these uncertain economic times, the one thing I simply can't afford is discount diapers.

So there!

PS - I heard on the radio today that President Obama is calling for his cabinet to shave 100 million dollars from the national budget. I also heard that this would be like a family that makes $100,000 per year saving $3. So for the record, I'm doing my part just by buying the discount waffles and face scrub.

My Beautiful Life

Is my life an episode of Last Comic Standing?

One of LittleMan's favorite things to say is, "Is dat funny?"
He will throw a ball and say, "Is dat funny?"
He'll let jello slip out of his mouth and say, "Is dat funny?"
He'll run real fast and crash into the sofa and say, "Is dat funny?"
He really wants for us to think he is funny and he's willing to try anything to get a laugh.

PrincessGirl likes to tell the knock knock jokes. She used to say ding dong instead of knock knock but since starting kindergarten, she has embraced the classic presentation. Also, she has expanded her joke repertoire. You see, before kindergarten she had but one knock knock joke. It went like this...

Knock, knock!
Whose there?
Carrot...
Carrot who?
YOU!

This little exchange was followed with great laughter on the part of PrincessGirl but the recipient of the joke was just left with a confused look on her face.

Today is a new day. She has a new knock knock joke. She told it today on our way to Furr's Cafeteria after church. It went like this...

Knock, knock!
Whose there?
A pig who jumped and threw a ball at his baby brother's head.
A pig who jumped and threw a ball at his baby brother's head who?
All the pigs in the whole barnyard!

This was followed by LOTS of laughter and PrincessGirl saying, "Now that's a funny knock knock joke!"

LittleMan said, "Is dat funny?"

We all said yes!

You see, it is all laughs around here.

Thanks Aunt Carla and Uncle Rick

Let me set the stage by telling you that my Aunt Carla and Uncle Rick somehow come up with the most WONDERFUL Christmas presents ever! A couple of years ago, Aunt Carla and Uncle Rick (AKA: The Greats) gave PrincessGirl a Subway backpack.

PrincessGirl loves it - still. I can't tell you how many plastic sandwiches she has prepared over the years. Garage Sale after Garage Sale, the SubWay backpack has not only survived but it has been uttered at least four times, "Mommy, that is my best backpack in the world because you can see all the plastic yummy thru the plastic backpack!"

Well this year, The Greats came thru with what I was sure would replace the SubWay backpack. People, may I present the Hamster Ball?

PrincessGirl and LittleMan were instantly in love with their hamster balls. DaddyMan and I were amused by their entertainment. It was NUTS! Our kids carried those hamster balls everywhere. Grocery store, hamster ball. McDonalds, hamster ball. Target, hamster ball. Church, well, you get the picture. That is until the batteries died. We are fairly sure they cannot be replaced. The hamster balls were replaced with other toys and we thought we had seen the last of them. About 3 weeks ago, the dead hamster balls reappeared. Mind you, they are dead - no batteries - just laying there in the balls.

I was so taken by the kids love for the Hamster Balls that I actually suggested that we look into getting real actual live hamsters. DaddyMan began what DaddyMan always does when we are considering a purchase, he hit google. It was promptly (about 3 hours and 300,000 links later) it was determined that gerbils would be better for our family. And so that is the long version of how Samson and Delilah (both male for all friends of Bob Barker) came to live in our house.

We have slowly introduced Samson and Delilah to the gerbil ball. We all sit in the hallway on the tile and watch the little guys go! Occasionally, one of them will poop. Occasionally the poop will come out of the ball and cause me to bring out the bleach. Tonight was one of those nights when one gerbil pooped and the poop came out of the ball. I didn't jump up and get the bleach right away because it was down the hall from us. PrincessGirl and LittleMan were sitting in the hallway watching the gerbils and eating Nerds candy. We were all laughing. It was a blast!

But then LittleMan reached over and picked up what looked like a little gerbil poop off the floor and quickly put it in his mouth. I threw up a little bit in my mouth before DaddyMan could tell me it was only a Nerd not a poop.

Thanks Aunt Carla and Uncle Rick. I'm going to go brush my teeth, oh, and bleach the floor.