Our Family Journey

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Generic VS Name Brand....the winner is?

I am USUALLY a bargain shopper....generic brands are my friend...but over the years I have definitely found some generic products that just aren't worth paying the cheaper price for. For example, in my opinion, Dole pineapple is by far better than any generic. Another BRAND NAME that is a must for me is, "Skippy Peanut Butter. I am a "Skippy" girl all the way. Its NOT that I won't eat generic pineapple or peanut butter, I just prefer the taste of the name brand better. ONE thing that I have found recently that I will NEVER USE or buy again are these "Grime Boss" wet sweeper pads for my "Swiffer" mop. I needed some new "Swiffer clothes" and these were actually significantly cheaper than the name brand ones. Right on the package is says, "Compare to Swiffer"...so I decided to take them up on it and I bought the cheaper brand. I figured that they were just "wet wipes", how could they differ from the name brand ones?!WELL...for starters, the cloth they are made with doesn't stay tucked down in the little grippers on my Swiffer, they are constantly coming undone and falling off. Secondly, they stink. Thirdly, and most importantly, they don't clean as well. I think because the fabric is stiffer and not as wet as the actual Swiffer brand cloths, I had to change the cloth often therefore using MORE than just one to do a job that was only a ONE CLOTH job. I will use this box of clothes until they are gone (which won't take long)...but I won't be purchasing them again, not at any cost....they just aren't worth it!

So there you have it...your very own consumer report :)

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Mini Make Over!

Little Mister was in need of a hair cut, so grandma got to cut it.

I sat him on the table, put the plastic drape around him and got to work.

He sat SOOO still (bribing him with a sucker for when we finished might have been a bit of an incentive).

He was NOT pleased with Halle when she started taking pictures...he kept saying (screaming)..."NOooooo"!!

Every time I brought the squirt bottle up to wet his hair, he pulled the cutest face...and that was

BEFORE I sprayed!

And his NEW, finished look...sporting the "Fo-Hawk"

He liked it and thought he looked "Pretty Spiffy!"

....and the "comb down" look...ADORABLE!

NOW for the sucker........HE couldn't be happier!

Love this STICKY little guy!!

An "Egg-sealant" Time~

When our kids were all younger and living at home...dying Easter eggs was

something THEY reminded and BEGGED me to do, weeks before Easter. NOW that I have

two teenagers at home, I DO the reminding AND THE BEGGING.

They could all care less if we dye eggs or not, BUT I'm not ready to let the

family tradition die just yet.

So....Family Home Evening this week was spent sitting at the table and dying eggs!

I don't care what anyone said, I think they all had an "EGG-SEALANT" time!!

Deron hasn't dyed eggs with us FOR YEARS...and he kept saying,

"this is kind of fun......"

Cam's favorite egg, a cute little face with a headband and green hair~

....and one of Halle's fav's!

Deron's Easter eggs...all in green and blue's~

Averee's favorite egg says, "Cam loves Averee"......wonder WHY thats her favorite ;) ?

Our traditional "Poop" egg......every year (for years) someone makes an egg

that sits in EVERY color of dye...this sad colored egg looks much worse in person than it does

in this picture. It resembles the color of a "cow pie"..........

And here's our fun colored eggs....I'm glad the kids participated...even if

they weren't TOO THRILLED about it!

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Pin IT~

When we remodeled our kitchen some 15 years ago, I put a bulletin board on a wall right next to the fridge. I'm not a fan of LOTS of things stuck to the refrigerator, making it difficult to get into the fridge without everything falling off the door. The board was intended for things like report cards, wedding announcements, notes and reminders, a "brag board" of sorts...BUT over the years, I used it to pin up photo's...it was quickly over taken with pictures, leaving no room for anything else (which was perfect and wonderful and okay). This board affectionately got named the "family board" and everyone enjoyed looking at the college of faces that adorned the "family board"! WELL....a few weeks ago, I took all the pics off to laminate them, hoping to preserve them, keep them from getting torn and splattered with food. I had hoped to get the daunting task completed that day, unfortunately it didn't happen. As the kids, friends and even the husband (who doesn't usually notice the changes I make..unless I point them out), trickled into the kitchen over the next few days they "gasped" (each with their own tone of SHOCK) and asked "WHAT HAPPENED to all the pictures???" "WHY did you take them all down???" HONESTLY, after taking them all off, I had wondered if anyone would even notice they were gone (the board had been there so long, I didn't think anyone paid attention to it anymore) BUT........I WAS quickly put in my place and told, "The "family board" is our favorite, you can't get rid of it....."ITS part of our life", SO I decided since its something everyone loves and frequently stops to check out, I better get the pictures laminated and put back up, which I did! NOW they are all protected and preserved....BUT now I need a bigger board for MORE pictures!!