I'm not here!

Did you change your subscription/google reader/bookmarks yet? I'm over here! Italy Part 1 is up now!

www.ashleighpeak.com

Making my life easier.

I have so much to share with you guys. Italy photos, family stuff, etc.



Blogspot ain't cuttin' it.




I'm going to be only posting on my photo blog now. Please, no tears. I can post bigger pictures and have less headaches. Go ahead and subscribe over there-

www.ashleighpeak.com


I have already posted an Italy preview as well as Baby Jack in a Pooh costume. I'm serious- don't miss it.


www.ashleighpeak.com!!! See y'all over there!!

I'm a total Gleek. And proud of it.

If you're wondering where I've been the past few weeks, you're probably thinking I've been so busy with work, photography, my kids, and an amazingly exciting jet-setting lifestyle right? Well, yes you're right, that's all true. BUT the main reason I've been an absentee lately is because of a little show on Fox called Glee.

I think it's safe to say I'm obsessed.

Paul asked me last night how much of my thoughts are consumed by this show. I told him give-or-take a point, 85%.

I've youtube'd interviews of the cast members, deleted important shows off my Tivo to make sure I can keep all episodes of Glee circulating at all times for unlimited on-demand re-watchings, downloaded the songs on iTunes, started running 3 miles a day 3 times a week to said Glee songs, taught myself the Single Ladies dance, just to name a few things. It's the Step Sing choreographer in me I guess (not that I'm still bitter, but Phi Mu Step Sing '03 totally should have won sweepstakes not first runner-up. But I'll settle for my Best Choreography trophy nonetheless).

So anyway. I've recently discovered that there are Glee forums (who knew?) and that spoiler scenes of upcoming episodes can get leaked out (gasp!). (PS-Is this not the most enthralling post I've ever done?)

Well a few minutes ago I found one of these spoilers for tomorrow's episode. Let me set the scene for you. Charlie is standing right next to me when I started playing this musical scene on my laptop. The music starts. I hear him utter this under his breath:

Guitar.

I see the wheels in his mind a-turning.

He says, "Wait mommy! Be right back!"

I pause video.

I hear him rustling around in the play room.

He comes back, dressed like this:

(Glee Spoiler alert for tomorrow's episode)





I mean, seriously. It's in the genes.

What you look like after the most amazing birthday party ever.

Poor fella has been in presents/party/friend/Cars/McQueen/Cake/Excitement Overload. He's been potty-trained for what, 3 weeks now? And in that time, he's had maybe 2 accidents maybe? Let's just say that the day of his birthday party, we went through 5 pairs of underwear. Bless his heart.


Party re-cap to follow....

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

September 24, 2006.

My sweet Charlie bear made his grand entrance on this day.

When I look back and think about that day 3 years ago, here's what comes to mind:
-Waking up at 2am, contracting
-Pain getting worse, contractions 8mins apart, told by Dr. to take tylenol (ha)
-Contracting on couch while watching Amazing Race reruns (thus beginning my love for that show and also my hatred for contractions)
-Heading to the hospital, Paul contacting friends and family saying that "it's time". I'm in passenger seat wanting to shoot him.
-Getting epidural, thinking this was so easy
-Chilling in bed, loving life
-Asking the nurse, "is it really this easy?"
-Realized I had just jinxed myself
-Pushing fat baby for 3 hours to no avail
-Wheeled into to surgery for emergency c-section
-Epidural went bye bye
-Paul sees them push Versed, and then sees me go night-night
-Wake up in room with beautiful baby in arms


It was all worth it. Some memories from that day:







Charles Armond Peak
9 lbs 1oz
20 3/4 inches

It's hard to believe that was just 3 years ago!

My little baby is all grown up. This year, his birthday fell on a school day. So we made cupcakes for him to take to all his friends.



We were going to bring him a "special lunch" for his birthday so we got to school a few minutes before their lunch time. Their little plates and lunches were all set out, but they were in a different room at the time. So I got a few shots of his classroom and Charlie's art work.





Paul and I were so impressed with the structure and order of their class! There are 10 little kids in his class and before lunch, the teachers have all the kids stand in a line and wait their turn to go potty and wash hands. Everyone behaved. It was really encouraging.





Once everyone had hands washed, they sat at the table and prayed and sang "God Our Father". I didn't know they did this- It made me happy.



When we asked Charlie what he wanted us to bring, he said pizza. We later were told that another mom had brought them donuts for a snack. So Charlie's meal plan that day looked like this: frosted flakes, donuts, pizza, cupcakes- all before 12 noon (Please don't tell my dietician friend Deanna. She will judge me.)




Then he passed out his cupcakes.





Then they sang happy birthday.




Success.




Happy Birthday, Charlie!!!

I got the WRONG cashier at Target.

As I stated earlier, I've started doing the whole coupon thing. I never thought I was the coupon type. You know, perfect housewife with laundry done at all times, kids on perfect schedules, healthy organic gluten-free, whey-free, fat-free homecooked meal at every sitting, etc. That's who I thought was coupon-y. And that was pretty much the opposite of me.

Turns out, I'm the super-competitive-deal-hungry-not-afraid-of-any-retailer type. To me, it's a game. See, I hate injustices. I hate when things "aren't fair". And now that I know there are all these savings right before me and all I have to do is a little planning ahead, I will never go back to my non-couponing ways.

So every Sunday (well I mean this was my 2nd week but who's counting?), I plan out my meals, take inventory, and start working on my list. We just started getting the Sunday paper, so I go through and look at the ads compared to what coupons I have and start getting my stuff together in my handy Couponizer (best invention ever). These past 2 weeks have worked out great- but it's one of those things where I don't know if I'm just getting lucky or what. For example, last week I ran out of mustard. A thing of mustard lasts us about a year but whatever, we were out. Well I try to have a coupon for every item on my list, or at least the majority. So I didn't have a mustard coupon but I went to Frenchs.com and on a whim they have a $.50 off coupon, which Kroger doubles coupons always. So that's $1.00 off. My Kroger had French's mustard on sale for a dollar. AND on the mustard bottle, there was a buy one get one free Peelie sticker thing. So, I got 2 bottles of mustard for free. Crazy huh? (Did I just refer to it as my Kroger? Oh Lord I'm turning into Nana!! Help!)

Anyway, I notice in the paper that Target has some good deals so I decided to try it out with my new strategies. When I went to the coupon workshop I mentioned here, Rule #1 of couponing is always find the right cashier. The right cashier is usually young, unassuming, and high school or college-aged. We don't want any old war horses or people who hate life or their job. Unfortunately, Target this morning had 1 lone register open. She was young-ish, but it seemed she hated life, and/or her job, and/or the woman standing before her with a handful of about 20 coupons (that'd be me).

First, she tried to tell me that some of the coupons I wanted to use, I couldn't use. And when I challenged her, she just huffed and said- well I mean I'll try it but it won't work. To which, it worked. But the kicker was when she called me a liar. See, I needed some Pampers. I had a $2 off coupon, and they had theirs on sale. I was only going to get the 80-count box but then I saw the 100-count box was on sale for $28.99. I wasn't going to get them... But then, hark! Lo and behold, a tiny little ray of sunshine next to the big 28.99 numbers, a teeny tiny sign that said "gift card with purchase". So I made a mental note, and grabbed the big box of Pampers that's usually about $32.

When the cashier lady was done with all my merchandise and tells me the total and neglects to give me said gift card, I start to get a little no-you-di-int in me. I said, I think I'm supposed to get a gift card with the diapers. To which she replies, no you have to buy 2 to get the gift card.

Huh?

Did she pull that out of her butt or what?

And I said- no I'm pretty sure it didn't say that. She tells me that there is no gift card. I say ok, swipe my credit card, and head on over to guest services (the old Ashleigh would have never done this!!).


I explain the whole sitch to the guest services lady, who still doesn't really believe me and has an employee walk over to the baby dept to see if I'm lying or not because clearly I would be wasting 20 freaking minutes of my day to lie about a fake gift card sign. The employee walkie-talkies the guest services lady and says, "yeah there's a sign here."

She immediately demands her to take the sign down because it is a mistake. I say- " I still need my gift card please."

She calls the manager and wa-la, I got a $5 gift card. HA! 100 Pampers for $21!! Take that!


It made me happy.



(It also made me happy that I ran out of the 6-dollar-a-box Electrasol dish detergent and Walgreens has it on sale for 3.99 plus an extra $1 off, plus I had a $1 off coupon making it 1.99 but I got the last box at the Perkins Walgreens... just sayin')

(I'm pretty sure I'm crazy and addicted to this mess. Apologies? Never.)

Big eyes, fat thighs.

Go see what I mean over here----> www.ashleighpeak.com.







(No comment on where they get either of these characteristics from.)