You Make Me Smile

Life here in Weaselville has been plugging along like an old jalopy for a few years months now.  I'm still recovering from surgery, going to physical therapy, etc.  There are good days and bad days.  Money is tight, I won't be able to work for a long time to come, but time with my family is precious.  I have a great family and a great dog.   You could say that life in Weaselville is like a badly written country music song.

Eldest Weasel will be celebrating her 18th birthday and her graduation from high school in just a few short weeks.  Boy Weasel is past due ready to start drivers ed.  Middle Weasel is graduating from eighth grade the same weekend as Eldest and making her Confirmation the same weekend that Smallest Weasel is making her First Communion.  Just this morning, Middle Weasel brought front and center to the attention of myself and Mr. Weasel, that she will be 15 years old by the end of summer.  Monkey Weasel will be slipping off into the 7th grade by fall, with what strikes me as a slight of hand move worthy of David Copperfield I have to give Monkey Weasel props for a much better sense of style though.  When did this happen???????

So, onto the good stuff......

Eldest Weasel, my fantabulous bargain hunter grabbed a coupon out of the mail for JC Penney portrait studio.      Free 8x10 and no sitting fee.  They must hate when families the size of mine jump on those things.  I am really bad at remembering to take pictures let alone making sure everyone is dressed right, hair brushed, etc. to take a really great one.  So Eldest went ahead and made an appointment when she got tired of her mother's procrastinating.  The only appointment that she could get before her coupon expired was at a time that Mr. Weasel would be at work and I would be at physical therapy.  So,.............My amazing, first born, type A, over achieving daughter took it upon herself to dress all the Weasels, fix their hair and take them to the photo shoot herself!

Here is a link to see a slideshow of the magic that all of my Weasels made happen and Eldest facilitated.

I was thrilled to see how well they all turned out, how well their personalities shined through and that I will now have this moment set in time to  treasure forever.

Thank you Eldest Weasel, for this and for the incredible young woman you are growing to be.  I will cherish this gift always.  You, and your siblings, make me smile.

At least the Mythbusters Get Paid For their Antics

These are some tough economic times that we are living in.  You and I alike are looking for ways to save money in any area of the budget that we can.  I am not a bargain blogger, but I have decided to share with you some tips on what has worked for me and what hasn't.*

We ladies like to look our best, but professional grooming can get rather expensive.  No, it's not necessary for survival, but it is necessary for our own mental well being.  A justifiable expense, but not at salon prices.  That happy medium?

The Do It Yourself Bikini Wax

Step 1:  Go to your local dollar store and secure yourself a large tub of "Do it Yourself Microwavable Hair Removal Wax" for the the bargain price of $1 a gallon.  What a deal!

Step 2:  Melt wax in the microwave alongside the kids lunch, chimichangas.  I'm all about multitasking and just think what you are saving on your energy bill!

Step 3:  Stir wax, flip chimichangas and continue heating both thoroughly.

Step 4:  Serve chimichangas at the kitchen table and take the wax, that is now more like hot molten lava than wax,  to an upstairs bathroom and lock the door.

Step 5: Apply hot lava wax to your bikini line and start second guessing your decision to save money in this particular area.

Step 6:  After wax cools for 2 or 3 seconds, put thoughts of possible third degree burns out of your head and focus on the task in front of you.

Step 7:  Carefully start to lift the bottom edge of the wax.  Just enough to get a grip on it with your fingers and remind yourself how much money you are saving.

Step 8:  Tear away from the skin in a rapid motion, while you recite every possible offensive word you have ever heard at the top of your lungs.

Step 9:  Do not answer the bathroom door!  Using your most calming voice, assure the children who came running at the sound of your distress call, that Mommy is okay, and everything is fine, from the opposite side of the locked door.

Step 10:  Realize the the hot molten lava managed to tear off lots of skin but somehow left everything else completely untouched.

Step 11:  Start swearing again, but this time in a low grumble to yourself and give up.

Step 12:  Decide that you may not have had success with the bikini wax and decide that eyebrows are still worth a try.  Always be a positive thinker. wash your face thoroughly and try not to freak out that you just applied wax to your face from the same tub you used on, well not your face.

Step 13:  After failure #2, realize that you are a moron and at least the Mythbusters get paid for their antics.

Hope this helps you all to know where not to skimp in the budget!

Tune in next time when I give myself a frontal lobotomy!

Do Not Try This At Home!  I am what we call an idiot.

Only yours truly was hurt in the making of this post.

*If I ever find any bargain tips that work for me, I'll share them.