Jobs I hate that make me smile

There are a few jobs that I just really detest. Repackaging meat is one of them. Every time I start I think, next time I will just buy it like this. Then I get to the store and it is so expensive! So I never buy ground beef in one pound packages. Never. I buy the family pack and separate. I never buy stew meat. I buy a roast and cut it up. But it is a job I really hate.

Today it occurred to me, while I was cussing myself for being too cheap, that every time I do this job, I end up smiling.

One time Mom and Aunt Jackie showed up at the house while I was doing the dreaded job. They both jumped right in and helped me knock it out in record time. Now every time I do this nasty, vile job, I think of them here helping me. And it makes me smile.

I have a similar thing with cleaning the kitchen with my brother. Sure wish he was here to help me clean up this mess.

I love you, Barbie!

Tonight my Eric broke his first spoon. His Grandma will be so proud. And his Uncle Bryan. I know I am. He joins a long line of wooden spoon breakers. Typically we broke them trying to stir tea cake dough. But Eric is so talented, he managed to break one on chocolate chip. I can't even begin to tell anyone how nice it is to have a baker's helper. It is awesome. Eric is just glad to finally have a 'gimmick'. Crazy child. I do so love him. I am gonna miss him while he is in Kentucky this week. (Boy Scout Camp) BUT I WILL NOT CRY! un-huh sure.

While Eric was busy baking for his trip, the babies found the My Size Barbies. What is it about a doll as tall as you that is so fascinating?

I was trying desperately to herd them towards the bathtub. Aiden was dragging the doll around. Brynna was having heart to hearts with hers. Finally I said, "That's it!" I took the doll from Aiden and stood it up in the corner of the bathroom."She can watch you take a bath." Aiden says, "But I was dancing with her!" All outraged. He walks up to the Barbie and says,"I love you," and gets in the tub. Brynna walks up to the Barbie and says,"Whatever you do, don't let that boy get you again! You understand me? DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME???" And then finally they were both in the tub.

I almost fell out. How can you be mad at these disobedient animals when they are SO FUNNY?

Yep! I'm a strange one.

Everyone who knows me, knows that the strangest things make me happy. A cool cake, a pretty cookie, an educational breakthrough, a mowed lawn, a deal. These kinds of things make me happy. Giddily happy. Giggling to myself in public happy. I am a simple woman. (Shut up, honey!)

Everyone who knows me, knows that I love a project. I have a tendency to jump in with both feet and completely immerse myself. The latest project around here is couponing. I have resisted using coupons for 20 years. They are too annoying, not worth the hassle, and they are just for stuff I wouldn't buy anyway. They are still annoying. And, yes, I am buying things I ordinarily wouldn't. But they are totally worth the hassle!

So far I have gotten razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, nail polish, and candy for free. FREE!!! My favorite kind of deal! These are things I would not have normally bought. We never buy the newest expensive razors. We have always used the whatever was on sale or cheap at Walmart razors. But free makes all the difference in the world. We have never bought body wash. We don't have money to burn like that. But free? Sure, bring it on. And it is fun!!! Who knew shopping could be so much fun?

Today's deal was cereal. We eat a fair amount of cereal around here. I thought I was saving enough on it by just buying what was cheapest. If it was on sale, we could buy froot loops. If it wasn't, tootie frooties here we come. And then we started couponing. Last week, I was happy when I got raisin bran and froot loops for $1.50 a box. Made me happy. I realize now that it was not the super deal I thought it was. It could be so much better.

At HEB today, I bought 12 boxes of fruit roll ups and 28 boxes of cereal. I know it sounds extreme. It even looks extreme.

My total before coupons was $85. I almost swallowed my tongue. My total after coupons was $38.54!! That is 96 cents a box! Very exciting if you are strange like me, but it gets better. With my receipt I got 3 $5 coupons good on my next trip to HEB. Hello? Another $15 off makes this haul a whopping 59 cents a box. Are you kidding me? If I hadn't done it, I would not believe it.

Let me just add that we had never before brought home Dora cereal. Brynna had begged a few times, but I was NOT spending $3+  a box on that crap. Maybe for her birthday. I was pleasantly surprised. No bells, whistles, or sugar bombs. Just tiny little stars, lightly sweetened with a touch of cinnamon. Brynna is a happy girl.

So is her mommy. And yes, I did let Brynna have cereal for dinner. And Aiden had honey nut cheerios. He thinks it is Spongebob cereal. Shhh! Don't tell!

Scattered!

I am scattered. My interests, my brain, everything. I can't focus. And I have so much I want to do, that I can't get anything done. I want to bake cookies. And decorate them. For me! Just for fun. That probably won't happen. sigh

Repeat Fish

A few years ago I tried to make a fish cake for my fisherman neighbor. His dad requested a gar. I made a chocolate fish. You can tell it is a fish. That is about the nicest thing I can say about it. LOL

Chocolate gar?

This year his wife asked me to try again. This time we were thinking catfish. Try, try again.

I will have to figure out how to flip it later. I think it is better, but still not quite good enough. At least I am getting better.

I also had an order for a cake for Fabianna.  Fabianna just turned six. She put in her own cake request. She wanted a cake with Lalaloopsie(a doll) and Teddy(the teddy she has been dragging around for a couple of years). Sure, I can do that. Unfortunately for me, her mom bought her clothes for Teddy. So, Teddy was dressed up as a butterfly(?) or Fairy(?). I don't know. Sculpt a Teddy? Sure! Sculpt a Teddy with wings? Sure? no problem. GULP! It all worked out.

Lala/Teddy Cake

The rainbow cupcakes were my addition. Fabi's favorite cake is strawberry. Mine is not! I had to sneak in a way to have chocolate cake at the birthday party. Is that wrong? A little, but you know it is all about me! I wish I had thought to take a pic of the cake with the dolls there, too. Next time I'll remember. Right.....that'll happen.

Late Again!

Once again, I got distracted from the task at hand. I mean to do better! I really do. But life keeps getting in the way. Kids, scouts, taekwondo, dinner, laundry, cake, kids, pool maintenance, dishes, facebook. If I could manage to never sit down, quit eating, sleeping, and facebooking, then I could catch up. (So far, it ain't happening.)

I have been bitten by the coupon bug. Sounds crazy, I know. It is crazy. But free nail polish had me flying for days. My cvs fix for today included 2 tubes of toothpaste, 2 John Frieda full repairs, 2 pulsar toothbrushes , 2 fluoride rinses and 1 deo. My total was $11, with ecbs for $11 off my next purchase. It is fun!

I did a cake for my friend, Kim. A welcome back to Texas, Happy Birthday, Graduation cake, all in one. It was a daunting project. This is the result:

Kim's Texas cake

Unfortunately, it did not ride well. It fell over into a lovely pile:

So, so sad.

Kim was so sweet. She took it anyway. I was glad. It would have been heartbreaking to clean all that work out of the back of the burb. I will make it up to her someday.

Today, I finished a baby shower cake. I was trying to match this fabric:

Although not what I had planned, it turned out cute. If I had more time, I would have done more of the toile...

Baby Toile

I have 2 more cakes to do this weekend. I have high hopes! Modeling chocolate is AWESOME!! Forget anything I have previously said about fondant. Modeling chocolate beats it... hands down!!! I am in love! Wait until you see this weekends cakes! Unless they crash...