Fair Week!

It's the start of a wild and crazy week for me! I will be at the Scentsy booth every day of the Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden. Stop by and see me in the Expo building.

Things I learned....

We survived having my brother's 4 kids over for two nights. The kids has fun, and nobody got hurt! Amazing! It really went well and I was able to pass them off to my Mom with clean clothes and a good nights sleep. I was able to make dinner both nights and kept up on dishes and laundry. But I have to say I was ex-haus-ted by the time they left. It hasn't been that long since I have had them overnight, and it's only been a few years since my kids where that small, but still, you forget some things. Here's a few I learned, or re-learned this week.

• It's impossible to take an uninterrupted shower with small children awake. Each morning I would get two four year olds opening the door yelling, "Auntie Holly....". And while the door was opened, Drew would walk in and open the shower curtain! Freaked me out!!
• Don't feed small children rice and corn, unless they are eating outside. What a mess!!
• Don't pass out 6 milk cups and let them walk off with them. I think we are still missing 2 milk cups. YUCK!
• Every time I was in the kitchen, one of the little boys would ask me, "Whatcha makin?". 
• Don't give multiple instructions at once. I think I am spoiled with my kids who have been able to do this for years. Lily especially, you give her a list, and she will get them done in order, within the time frame. When I told a little boy in blue to go pee then get dressed, he can't even get one done. It had to be one thing at a time. 
•  Three kids is one to many in the bathtub. You must do it in pairs, or solo. 
• Those kids can eat! Good thing I stocked up on groceries!
• If I want to indulge myself with one of my ice cream bars, make sure to offer the kids fudgecicles first.
• When putting Drew to sleep, he will tell you that he can't do it. When you ask what he can't do, he will look right at you and say, "I don't know". Oh, and Drew talks in his sleep. And Emma snores. 
• The twins could spend the whole day in the pool, as long as it's just them. 
• Nate learned quickly, if you give a mouse a cookie......or if you give one kid a snack, you better have one for all of the others!
• And lastly, I learned that Tiffani is my hero.....ok, I've known that for years, but I have to give her kudos!!

6 kids and one bathroom....

I have my brother's 4 kids for two nights and already I am seeing a big problem. I only have one bathroom. I had to give the kids baths in pairs, and brushing teeth went in waves of children. Sleeping arrangements have changed several times already, and the playpen got busted, so I'm worried that baby Jack Jack will escape. I'm sure I will have many stories tomorrow!

Scentsy Stampede, Fort Worth, 2011

I was so lucky to get to go to Scentsy Convention last week. I arrived in Fort Worth on an hour of sleep the night before and was hit smack in the face with 109 degree weather. Coming from a cold summer here, where I heard we have hit 80 degrees for a whole 79 minutes, it was a shocker. You couldn't take in a deep breath, it was so hot and muggy!

The first night Scentsy had a big Texas welcome for us at the Stock Yards. What a fun place. We watched a rodeo, ate dinner at Billy Bob's and had a Gloriana/ Clint Black concert. We did a little shopping until we were so sticky and beat that we had to call it a night.

Our second day we were up early to head to the convention center. It was team day and I had made my team, Snow Angels, matching tee shirts with our logo on them. I had also bought some halos for them to wear, and angel wings for me. I just wanted a picture of all 8 of us together with my wings, I had no intention of actually wearing them. What I didn't know was that Scentsy was going to call all the Directors up on stage to be acknowledged in front of 10,000 people. As I got up to get in line to parade across the stage, my team insisted that I wear my wings. I tried to talk my way out of it, but they had me at "it was your idea!".  So we now have pictures, and video of me in a halo and angel wings, walking across a stage with confetti flying.
Scentsy made some great announcements, including some fabulous new warmers and scents, new Scentsy Buddies and a new product, Solid Fragrances. We also had some very informative speakers. And in true Scentsy fashion, we received over $200 worth of brand new products. I also received a convention warmer that's a cowboy boot!

Our third day was filled with more speakers, and awards night. The entertainment for the night was Anita Renfro, who I love! She had us in stitches! Our incentive trip to the Hard Rock Cafe Resort in Dominican Republic was announced, along with our convention next year in Las Vegas!

Saturday I was blessed to get to have lunch with two high school friends who live in Texas. What a fun time catching up with them!

I had a blast with my team, and can't wait for next year. I love that I have had the opportunity to visit new places and make some great memories!

Scentsy Convention 2011 teaser

This is me in front of 10,000 people, walking across the stage in angel wings and a halo. Want to know why? I'll get back to you tonight!

Rite Aid Coupon Trip

I have been scoring great deals at Rite Aid. I have wanted to share a great trip, and today's all came together perfectly.
So this is $45.25 in product (before tax).
I used $15 in coupons, $15 UP reward (from previous trip), and a $3 survey coupon (no longer printing).
Total out of pocket, with tax was $15.84.
I received $9 in UP rewards for next trip.
I submitted my receipt for a Single Check Rebate for $12.99, and have a Mail in rebate for the Allegra for $6.29.
Making this a moneymaker of $12.44!!

Drew's favorite scents

This is NOT a paid testimonial. He climbed up on the couch, went through the whole basket of scents, and decided that the red one's were his favorite.

Don't forget to flush!

Last chance to "flush" someone and help raise money for a mission trip to Africa. Check out the Flight of the Fuscia Flusher!

And Speaking of Coupons.....

Did you know that military families overseas can use expired coupons up to 6 months old? I have been sending my expired coupons to two different families, one in Guam and the other in Japan. They are very appreciative, and pass on to others what they can't use. If you are a fellow couponer, I'm happy to collect expired coupons from you to send to these families. Thanks!

Warning: Coupons May Cause Weight Gain!

I am a new couponer. Please do NOT call me an extreme one. I have strong opinions on the people who clean out grocery shelves and should be on the hoarders show. My goal is to save my family money, and be able to donate more to our church's food bank. Do I have stockpiles, yes. Will I use them within 6 months, or before they expire, yes. I am still learning the fine art of couponing, and have reached an overall 50-60% savings. That's just the number my receipt tells me. But really, I have more products (and better quality) than before. I have a coupon binder, and you can find me lugging all around town as I shop. Couponing hasn't hit that hard up here, so I get strange looks, or complete strangers stopping to ask about my coupon binder. I have learned what blogs to watch, and to always have a list ( learned that one the hard way).

What nobody warned me about was the weight gain! Seriously! See, when manufacturers want you to try a new product, they give out a high value coupon. Case in point, Magnum Ice Cream Bars. They look sinful, and even the name sounds a bit dirty! I had coupons for these sinful delights, and Safeway was having a sale. I got my first box for free. It's like a crack dealer giving you your first hit, knowing you will be back for more. You think I'm exaggerating? I can't count how many boxes I have eaten so far this summer! I refuse to know how many calories are in each bar. I just know that I can't pass them up when they are on sale (with a coupon of course!). I have even opened a box to eat a bar on my way home from the store. Problem with that is it melts quickly and I ended up wearing half of it. I'm sure I looked hilarious driving down the road sucking all the melted chocolate off my fingers. My only hope is that summer will be over sooner than I would like, and then the coupons will be gone and I won't be tempted to buy more.......or too many more!

Bring Back My Bar Rides Again!

It's July and I am so excited for Bring Back My Bar. For this month only, Scentsy has brought back retired scents in bar form only. Here's the list, contact me if you would like to order, or just click on the Scentsy logo on the sidebar to visit my website. Some of our favorites made the list, and I will be stockpiling ( and will NOT share once this is over!). Nate's favorite all time scent is Strawberry Sweetie. One of Lily's top three is Fried Ice Cream, and I am super excited for Fresh Cut Cantaloupe and Luscious Lemon. Don't wait, only two more weeks before they are gone!

Bring Back My Bar July 2011

Banana Flower
Delightful combination of fresh, sweet banana mingled with soft florals.

Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, nuts, and spices.

Cashmere
Sheer floral bouquet combines Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, and bergamot.

Coconut Palm
A blend of tropical coconut and musky patchouli with subtle green notes.

Cutiepie Cupcake
Sweet clementine and yellow cake batter with vanilla and sugary icing.

Exotic Vanilla
Spice up your home with a blend of vanilla bean, jasmine, patchouli, and sandalwood.

Fresh Cut Cantaloupe
Vine-ripened melon with hints of juicy orange.

Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch along with cinnamon and caramel.

Grape Granita
Sun-warmed grape and pineapple with undertones of honeysuckle.

Irish Cream
Smooth and mellow, highlighted with hints of coffee and chocolate.

Lemon Lavender
Inviting blend of tangy lemon and sweet lavender flowers

Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon.

Orange Dreamsicle
A classic combination of fresh orange, swirled with vanilla cream.

Oxford
A masculine blend of ginger and frankincense with woody cedar and amber undertones.

Red Delicious
Crisp, juicy apples, fresh from the orchard.

Root Beer Float
Concoction of old-fashioned root beer and creamy vanilla ice cream.

Spiced Orange Harvest
Strong, sweet oranges spiced with cloves and cinnamon.

Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of strawberries sprinkled with sugar and vanilla.

Tuscan Garden
Mediterranean floral bouquet, enhanced by cassis, apples, berries, and rosemary.

Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon.

First Annual Slider Cookoff

Our friends host an annual chili cookoff and we have had so much fun with it, we wanted to try a Slider cookoff in the summer. We hosted last week and had 6 different sliders entered. And I really mean they were different. We had spicy, sweet, Thai, cheesy, bacony and Greek. Everyone voted on the winner and my step brother, Wade, won by a landslide with his Greek slider on a pita. I could have eaten a plateful of those! We are looking forward to continuing this tradition for many years. (And watch out, I'm entering next year!!).

Happy Golden Birthday!

Happy Golden Birthday to Nate the Great! A golden birthday is when you turn the number of the day you were born. Nate was born on the 11th, and this is his 11th birthday.
Nate is a smart, loving, and goofy kid. He loves Legos and Star Wars, and loves Lego Star Wars the best. He's reading Harry Potter books right now and will start summer school next week as a mentor. He tried wakeboarding yesterday and was the champion of the inner tube, being the only one that didn't get thrown off.
He's a great kid and we are so proud of him! Happy Birthday kiddo!

While We Were Gone......

My friends and I have a strange tradition of pranking each others houses while they are away on vacation. Last week, 7 out of the 8 of us were out of town. I made sure that Tiff (the only one home), knew that she had 7 houses to choose from. Of course she choose the easiest one, MINE!

She started out with a blog post and facebook post about it being my birthday. I knew she was up to trouble and was scared as to what I would find when I got home. Click HERE to read Tiff's blog.

So it took me three days to find the master list. And I wasn't happy! We came home tired, and frazzled, so my mind was not ready to figure out clues. We are still finding labels in random places. Yesterday I went to grab a towel before my shower and found a label. Dan wanted soup for lunch the other day and we had to start reading numbers off the cans and check the master list to see what they were. Lord help me if we loose that list!

I have told Tiff and Kristen that I will get revenge. I already got Kristen, click HERE and read flush number two. Many people have shared some great ways to get revenge. And of course Tiff will be in Africa for two whole weeks this summer! (Insert evil laugh).

Trip to Oregon

We made a last minute trip to my Dad's last week. Dan got off the boat on Tuesday morning, drove home from Seattle, then we drove the 10 hours to Dad and Marsha's. We had a beautiful sunset on the way over, and a super cool lightning storm after dark. The kids had a blast on the motorcycle and four wheeler. Dad had just cut his hay field, so Nate learned how to rake and bale the hay. Then he drove the tractor when they picked up the bales.
Dad planned a big BBQ and invited everyone he knew. We had some great food and fun! We pulled out the old card to go to dinner at a fun little diner one night. I FINALLY got to drive my Dad's '55 Chevy Bel Air. I'm the last of the kids, so we have all had a chance to drive it now.
We had a blast and loved the dry heat. I hope the kids remember the great times we had.

Want to Flush Someone??

http://flightofthefuschiaflusher.blogspot.com/

The Flight of the Fuchsia Flusher is a fundraiser for my friends/sister in law's mission trip to Africa. If you are local, please think about someone you would like to "flush"! They hope to blog the whole flight and keep everyone entertained as we raise money for a good cause!

Almost Free Summer Fun

I had big plans for yesterday. The Library was having a biologist come with snakes for the morning. I love the local Library's free summer programs. The weather was nice, so we even walked (Nate rode my bike) the mile and a half to the Library. As a treat, Lily and I stopped for milkshakes to drink on our walk home. It was a fun time, and really didn't cost much.

Then last night my brother Rob took Nate to a free concert at Mt. Baker Theater, watching Harry and the Potters perform. I really don't know who was more excited for the concert. Nate is just starting the 5th Harry Potter book (since he started reading the series in February!), and is a big fan. It was a fun event, and I'm glad they could do it together.

Lily has been wanting to see the Judy Moody movie. Now, I'm not one to pay full price at the theater. I think it's a joke how much you have to pay. I'd rather wait until the movie comes out on DVD and get it through Netflix. That's just the Dutch coming out in me. But a couple weeks ago I found a special and bought two movie tickets for $9. Great deal! So while the boys went to the concert, Lily and I went to see the movie. When we got to the theater, I started digging in my purse for the tickets I had printed out. They were nowhere to be found. I dug around in the car, nothing. In my anger at myself for losing the tickets, it never occurred to me that I could have pulled up the confirmation code on my phone and used that to get new tickets. Nope, I'm not that tech savvy yet to think of those things. I was just plain mad. So, I had an excited 8 year old with her hopes set on this movie, and I couldn't let her down. I paid full price for the movie.......that I had already paid $9 to see. YIKES. Lesson learned, won't do that again, but I have to say the movie was worth it. Lily thinks it was the BEST. MOVIE. EVER.

So my almost free summer fun turned out to be a little more spendy, but in the kid's eyes, it was a great day. I do have other almost free and totally free fun planned for the summer. I will share as we go!

Birch Bay Sand Castle Contest- Grand Champions!

This is our second year entering in the Birch Bay Sand Castle Contest. Click HERE to see last year's entry. We had been playing with different ideas all week and yesterday Nate came up with the idea of a pirate ship. We grabbed all our pirate gear and bought some foam swords last night. I pulled out an old pillow case, cut it open, and Nate drew a skull and crossbones. We had some more help this year (thank goodness!), Tiff's friends Trevor and Teresa came with their kids. So we had 5 adults and 8 kids! I wrangled kids again this year, and the other 4 adults worked their tails off to get the pirate ship done in time. They started a little after 9am and judging started at noon.
It was a soggy morning, but the rain stayed away until noon, which helped. There weren't as many entries this year because of the weather (wimps!). We were prepared to be wet and even brought a small tent to put all of our food and supplies in.

We won Grand Prize! The response from the crowd and judges was great. They love how we have included the kids and made it interactive. Tiff was interviewed by the local newspaper, so I'm curious to see if it will be in tomorrow's paper. We won some great prizes and gift certificates!
We really love this FREE event! If you get a chance, grab family and friends and give us a run for our money next year!!

The End Is Here!

The end of Elementary School for Nate is here. I'm really emotional about this. I truly am excited for him to move on to Middle School, and his excitement is contagious. I am so proud of him and what a great student he is and how hard he works. What's hard is that I have had these last couple years at the school with him. I can stop by for lunch with him when I'm done working, or when I'm subbing I see him on the playground (I was even his Substitute Librarian once). We walk to school together every day. Next year he will be riding the bus, and in a different school. Middle School can be rough, and Nate is sensitive. I just pray that he can make his own path and enjoy it as much as he can.

It's been a busy week with his field trip and then field day today. Here's just a few of my favorite pictures this week. His moving up ceremony is tomorrow. I'll be the one with the BIG box of tissues!

Mrs. Snow

A couple weeks ago I was asked by our principle if I had been in the staff bathroom. Kinda a weird question, and he immediately had to clarify why he was asking. The preschool class had made a poster of their favorite teachers, and the poster was put up in the bathroom. I ranked high enough to be drawn on  the poster of favorite teachers. What's cool about this is I have only been in preschool two days this year! I guess I made quite the impression. I had to take a picture to preserve my fame.....while it lasts!!