Hello my own horn, I think I will toot thee!

I don't know whether it comes from a sick need to constantly try to prove my abilities, a desperate desire to be out among other grown people or a complete decline of my better judgement, but there are certain days where I just take on...A LOT.

Today was one such day.

As a one car family, Mr. Wonderful and I have to co-ordinate who gets the car on what days. Today was my day. So I decided that I would try to get some things done. (Plus the A/C is out at the house, so it seemed like a good day to stay away.) Also, I have decided to try my hand at couponing and after a couple of days of clipping, sorting, matching and organizing...well, it was driving me nuts not to get out there and try it.

So after an evening of sleeping in the den in order to be under circulating air, Little Prince rallied us all to face the morning by letting us know he needed breakfast. Daddy's Girl and Sunshine also got up, everyone got dressed, and we were out the door.

First stop, dropping Daddy's Girl off at school. Then it is across town (not really that far) to take Mr. Wonderful to work.

I had the idea to hit a salvage store, Treasure Hunt (Don't judge me. It's cleaner than most salvage stores), just to see if I could find any deals on snacks or anything we needed. Well, it was more than a half an hour till they opened, so I had to kill time. With two preschoolers. Sam's wasn't open, but Office Depot was and by golly they had advertised eraser caps for $0.10 so we were off! I allowed the babies to walk with me and they really were pretty well behaved. Sunshine carried her little pink bear and Little Man had a turtle. Of course they put the candy right next to the register, but I am not a weak-willed parent and Little Prince didn't pitch a fit when told to put it back. I walked out of Office Depot feeling quite proud of my eraser caps and my parenting prowess. But I still had like 15 minutes until Treasure Hunt opened.

So it is off to Michael's, because we have a birthday party that I'm planning and a 40% off coupon. But they weren't open yet, so we strolled down to the Dollar Tree for hand soap because we are out and we are messy. All goes well, the cashier is charmed by my adorable children and we head to Michael's.

Well now let me just tell you that Michael's is just too much temptation for small children and the "walking beside Mommy" didn't go as well as it did in the office supply store. But we made it through with colored baking cups and lollipop sticks. (Yes, I used my 40% off coupon for a $1.99 purchase. It makes me a little sad too.)

Now Treasure Hunt is open, and it is definitely buggy time for the children. We found Crayola Washable Markers for like $0.80. Crayola Triangle Crayons for $0.60 and really cute pencils for Daddy's Girl for $0.60.

I need ground chuck, so it's off to The Pig where we were greeted by fresh produce at the door and Sunshine yelling "nana! nana! nana! nana!" I don't remember either of my older two going through the incessant yelling stage. I mean she will...not...stop once she gets started. Now, I don't break for candy, however I do bend a little for fruit, so I put a few in the buggy for a snack. We get our meat and we were on our way!

Not a bad little morning all in all. In fact the kids are really good, despite what some of the store patrons might have to say about some screaming. (Behavior that I can only assume is being re-enforced by their father, because I certainly would never allow it.) So I decided to press on.

I left my coupons and such at home, so we headed back to the house for potty breaks, diaper change and some refreshment before we tackle the world of coupons, UP Rewards and Extra Care Bucks--oh, my!

Back in the van. One day I must post on how I love my van and completely agree with swagger-wagon mom that I do not have to loose cool points for driving one. (You, SUV momma, loose cool points as you climb all orangutan-like over two or three benches trying to get to whatever kid is in the back seat and needing you desperately at that very moment when it is absolutely pouring rain outside. I however glide ever-so gracefully down the center aisle, kinda bride-like. I'm just saying' and really letting my snarky inner-girl out.)

Off to Dollar General to get ONE ITEM. Guess what? Everyone else was after that ONE ITEM. It's sold out. Huff.

On to Rite Aid. This was my first coupon/Rewards Card/Rebate check experience. It went...ok. They only had TWO buggies. One had several fancy water bottles in it, the other was being pushed by a lady with a giant case of Bud Light (Because as I noticed during my time at Rite Aid, Thursday is buy your big box of beer day. Mark it folks.) She was second in line at checkout.

"I'm just gonna get that buggy from you when you are done," I say as I stand near her, but not so near as to be rude, with my two wriggling pre-schoolers in order to make a point.

"OK," she responds, not giving me the buggy.

I'm thinking, if it were me, I'd hoist my big ol' beer box out and give my buggy to a poor frazzled momma. That's just me.

No. She stood there in line. Then as she did hoist it to the counter, she informed me that she would need it to tote her booze to the car which is "way down the parking lot." Perhaps more H20, less Bud Light might help your stamina lady. Again, I'm just sayin'.

So I stopped my lazy streak, unloaded the bottles of water from the other miniature buggy and put the kids in. I found most of my items.

FEMININE PRODUCT ALERT: Even sidestepped an awkward conversation with Little Prince as he was completely content naming them "straws" and "diapers." So I let it go and moved on.

I felt a little anxious as I handed over about eight or so coupons and checked out. I saved $11. I don't know exactly how I feel about that. It wasn't even enough to buy a giant beer box like the lady cause after all, it's Thursday.

At this point, I decided that the kids deserve lunch. What better way to reward them than with cheap processed chicken from Wendy's and a communion cup size water. That ought to hold them.

Now we are at our last stop. CVS. I was thinking this will be my big score. I bought a snack bag of chips for the kiddos to share while sitting in the mini-buggy. I had my coupons. I had my list. They had one item I wanted in stock. Ok, they had a couple of medicines that I decided against and Febreeze, but the things I really needed, gone.

We packed up again in the van and headed back home. I laid both the kids down for a nap. The technician comes to look at the A/C. Bless his heart, he talks to me (in the kitchen) from down the hall (by the babies room) and wakes up Little Prince. (Unless you have kids, you just don't think about it.) And I have spent the better part of the last 45 minutes trying to get him back to bed without him waking up Sunshine.) The A/C will be fixed in the morning, and I am truly grateful for the technicians and the moderate temps.

I plan to hit Publix after Daddy's girl gets home from school and then we will pick up Mr. Wonderful from work. After I drop them off at home, it's off to her school for the second night this week for a meeting then back home so Mr. Wonderful can spend a couple of hours with some buddies.

Whew! Sorry for such a long post, but it's a long day.