Picks of the Week

Since I've been away so long let me dazzle you with some pictures of the week.

Making mommy nervous. He refuses to go up or down on his belly anymore. So far no major spills.

Let's take a minute to check out my hubby's pipes. He's going to be so mad at me for posting this. I can already hear him telling me: "Dumb!"

A new bike was purchased this week! I started to feel like I was depriving my child this summer without any riding toys. So when I saw this was on clearance at Target, I wasted no time snatching it up.

I'm Still Here!

Is anyone out there? Can you read this?

I know I've been MIA lately but as you might have guessed our new computer arrived this week and it's been more frustrating than predicted. The number of files I had to transfer from our old computer turned out to be a lot more once I got to thinking about it. So Tuesday was a day for burning CDs and copying and pasting over to my flash drive.

Yesterday morning the computer arrived early in the morning. My plan was to wait to open it until William went down for his nap but then thought, "Well I just want to see if I can get my email to transfer properly." So I followed the directions for powering it on. Right away I knew it was going to be a long day when I noticed that not only did I not have Internet connection but our new computer wasn't even recognizing our wireless card or our router.

I'll spare you the play-by-play but yesterday proved to be a very long and maddening day. At the end of the day I got the Internet working and all the files transferred that I wanted. All is well that ends well.

Now I just feel like a tourist in a foreign country with all these new tools and buttons. I'm finding my way slowly but surely. At least my trusty Blogger site didn't change on me!

Waterslide Fun

It's really too bad our child isn't fond of water or slides or the combination of both.

Of course, I'm only being sarcastic. Yesterday we went to the house of some friends of Brian's parents. They had an outdoor pool equipped with a diving board and slide. As soon as William saw the slide he made a dash for it. I figured he'd be scared off after the first attempt once the water got in his face.

But that turned out to be the exact opposite of what happened. He wanted to go again and again and again. This video is about the third trip down. After about sixth or seventh I think daddy got a little tired.

Am I the Only One?

This is the feature story on msn.com this morning. Am I the only one who doesn't think this is that spectacular? Granted, we only have a family of three but I can typically make a $100 grocery bill stretch over a week and half -- sometimes longer. Keep in mind that this also includes packed lunches (for Brian) and make-our-own coffee.

I find if I cut out packaged crackers, cookies and chips that keeps the price down. The one tricky part is milk. Our family hearts milk. I've started to cut down to just one glass a day (during dinner) plus whatever I need in my cereal bowl. I don't try to limit William too much because I know whole milk is good for developing brains but he is only allowed his milk cup during mealtimes and never in between so as not to fill up thus leaving no room for real food.

Let me know what you think? How much does your family typically spend on groceries in one week?...if you don't mind sharing, that is.

Just Ordered

I always get a little weepy when it comes to making big purchases because it means saying goodbye to an old and loyal friend. In 2005 my husband and I upgraded my cute red Jetta for a spanking new Passat. And while the decision ended up being a good one my husband thought twice about the woman he married when he saw me sobbing the night before we were to trade in my beloved red car.

"It's just a car," he exclaimed, "What the big deal?"

For those of you who understand why I was crying you know it's not about the car or the computer. It's about what that purchase stands for. That red Jetta was the first car I bought all on my own. My own searching. My own test-driving. My own bargaining. My own money. My own signature on that dotted line. Maiden name included. I didn't even need a husband to help me out on that one.

It was the first real proof that I had earned a college degree, successfully obtained a good job and was able to use that compensation toward something other than my basic needs.

Today I clicked the "submit order" button and our new computer should be here toward the end of next week. And don't get me wrong, I'm so excited. We'll have more storage than we'll know what to do with. I'll (hopefully) be able to upload and download at lightning fast speeds. And did you notice from the picture how sleek she is? About half the width of our current tower. But, most importantly, I'll have the piece of mind that I won't be on the brink of losing everything on my hard drive at a moment's notice if it decides to crash one day.

But, like an old pair of holey jeans, my current computer is so comfortable. I know where everything is saved. I know it's personality -- like when it's frozen verses when it's just taking an extra long time to load. I know what all the icons mean and what happens when I click on each one. I have all of my favorite websites bookmarked and just one click away. (By the way if anyone knows how to transfer websites in your favorites to a new computer please clue me in!)

I bought my current computer for under $500 when I was a senior in college. The computer I had first purchased when I was a freshman had crashed over Christmas break just five months before I was to graduate. And with a 30-page research thesis being the ticket to my diploma I knew I had no choice but to cash in all my savings for a new computer.

We've made a few improvements on our own which has helped our friend make it this long and it paid off. This PC has been 100% reliable. But lately she's been showing her age. Slowing down and occasionally freezing up completely. We knew it was time to start the search before we lost something leagues more beloved than any computer. Twenty months worth of William pictures.

So next week will be all about getting to know our new computer friend and all her quirks and all her capabilities. It will be fun, but I'm sure it won't be without frustrations. So goes life in the age of technology.

Conversations with the Hubby

1. I am in the living room watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8." Brian is overhearing Jon and Kate bicker at each other from his perch in the kitchen.

Brian: We could never be on that show.

Me: Why's that?

Brian: Because when they do the interview part you would just keep telling me that I'm not telling the story right.

Me: Oh OK sweetie. When TLC calls about our reality show I'll make sure to turn them down.

2. Brian is in the kitchen opening up a new flavor of ice cream called Heavenly Hash.

Brian: So what's all in this?

Me: I'm not really sure but I was hoping those dark things aren't raisins.

Brian: Isn't that called something?

Me: What?

Brian: Isn't there a name for ice cream with raisins in it?

Me: Yeah. It's called crap.

Beer Park

Today I met up with some of my ECFE mom friends and their tots at the Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater. William took up to calling it "Beer Park" hence the name of this post. Did you really think I would take my toddler to a beer park on a Tuesday morning? I guess stranger things have happened.

It was a picture perfect day. And while the playground was filled with fun slides and climbing walls, William only cared about one thing. The giant bear in the middle of the park. As if I might have missed it, he reminded me no less than 75 times of its presence by pointing and shouting, "Beer!" His daddy would have been so proud.

I also discovered a new fact about my son. He's a toddler phenomenon when it comes to mastering the sport of the straight-arm hang. Check out the fierce determination in his face in the third picture. The moms I was with couldn't believe it.

"Look at how long he keeps his feet up!"

What can I say? I've always known my son would be a prodigy in something.

If William Could Defend Himself in this Picture:

"Mom, I know you want me to stay awake in the car so that I'll sleep even better when I get into my crib at home but maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to leave your friend's house after 1:00. You know my naptime is 1:00. Not before 1:00 and certainly not after."

"And what the heck do you expect me to do with these books? I'm not bored, I'm tired. My eyes were way too droopy to even look at that first page so I just decided to use it as a blankie instead."

"And finally, would you please stop taking a picture of me and get me out of this sweaty car and into my cool and comfortable bed?"

Questions You Should Never Ask a Pregnant Lady

Are you pregnant?

Please don't ask this question to any woman. She will tell you when she is good and ready. Some women alert the media as soon as the pee stick has two lines. Others wait a couple of weeks and still others wait until they are out of the first trimester. I've heard good reasons for all scenarios but nothing is right unless it's right for the woman who is pregnant. Pregnancy is a long process so what does it matter? I can assure you one thing. Women are not going to be running into the labor and delivery room shouting behind them, "Oh yeah, did you hear I'm expecting?" You'll find out in due time.

And for the record, no, I'm not.

Were you trying to get pregnant?

This was the most irritating question I got when I was pregnant. I'm even going to go so far as to say it's flat out rude. What does it matter? If she answers 'no' all you really want to do is run to your friends and say, "Did you hear it wasn't planned?!"

If the parents were indeed trying to get pregnant (as we were the first go round) I viewed this question as an insult. I felt like what they really meant to say was, "Surely you didn't intend this because there is no way you are ready to be a parent."

Even if the parents were shocked to find out they were expecting, they've probably come to terms with it by now and are most likely even thrilled to be adding to their family. At the same time I'm sure these parents have fears and concerns like any pregnancy, intended or not, can bring on. You should be there to reassure, not scare.

My sister-in-law once told me that her fourth pregnancy was a surprise to her and her husband. Twelve weeks into the pregnancy she found out the baby had no heartbeat and had died in utero. She cried and grieved for this baby just as she would have for any of her three planned and born children.

Are you sure you're not carrying twins?

Or the alternate: Are you sure you're only six months along?

Or another: Are you sure they have your due date correct?

Seriously, people. What are you thinking?

Prior to becoming pregnant with William I was graciously invited to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's wedding. When I found out I was pregnant I did the math and discovered I was going to be about six months along once her wedding date rolled around. That meant I needed to do some serious dress alterations.

I went to this seamstress a.k.a. miracle worker who transformed my very chic bridesmaid dress into an equally fashionable maternity dress. Because the dress was fitted I had to go back several times for measurements to make sure it was a perfect fit. And even though I coughed up $65 to this lady (I probably could have had her build me a new dress for a few bucks more) she insisted on asking me on each visit if I was sure that I was only six months along.

"I don't know," she said as she sized me up, "you look a lot bigger than just six months pregnant."

Thanks. Because in addition to already having a waist three times the size of the next largest bridesmaid what I really want to hear is that I look even bigger than I really should.

And while I truly did love my swollen belly and all the cute maternity clothes that went with it, there are days when I wished I would unstrap that baby and feel what it felt like to have hips again. Sometimes I would irrationally beg Brian, "Puh-LEAZE! I promise I'll put the baby right back on!"

But alas, he could be of no help. And neither will you if you ask any of these questions.

Haven't you had that baby yet?

I know this is a rhetorical question but honestly. Can you not see the huge belly? I'm not trying to steal a basketball. Or a watermelon. Or a pumpkin. There really is a baby still in there.

We know you're excited for the arrival of a new baby but the apple will fall when it's ready. And you can bet that mother is counting down to the last minute.

One little known fact about pregnant women is that they can tell you exactly how far along they are at any given moment. "Thirty-five weeks and two days!"

The last few weeks of pregnancy are also the most uncomfortable. The heartburn, the swollen legs and ankles, the sleepless nights and the incessant need to use the bathroom. So continual questioning about when the big day will arrive is equivalent to that maddening child in the backseat that keeps asking, "Are we there yet?"

You're still breastfeeding? (In an irritated tone.)

I know this falls outside of the pregnancy category but it's similar and irked me just the same.

The recent studies that show the positive effects of breastfeeding are just as eye-opening as the modern-day studies that show the negative effects of smoking. When we see someone who has a constant smoking habit we ask why and hope that they will decide to get on a quitting plan. But when we hear a mother is still breastfeeding a baby that is almost at or has already passed the one year mark we turn up or noses.

Breastfeeding is an intimate relationship between mother and baby and only those two people can decide when it's the right time to ween.

When someone asks this question I'm not really sure what the motivation is because breastfeeding really has no impact on anyone else. So really, unless you ask it in the right tone of voice that shows you really care, this question is pretty dumb.

I should add that even though I don't have to respond to the first question I really am not pregnant. But I have many friends who are right now and we've been discussing these annoyances a lot so I thought it would be a good idea to list some of them here.

So what do you think? Do you have anything to add to my responses or any annoying questions to add to the list?

You Know You Need a New Computer When...

...your version of Word is so old the spell check thinks "blog" is a misspelling.

Conundrums and Tantrums

I'm becoming more and more convinced that William's baby years are 100% behind us. My main clue? His incessant demands and tantrums. I realize that this makes him normal, not naughty, but it's still easier said than dealt with.

So far in the Nash household there are four actions that will earn you a 1-minute timeout on the step. Those are: hitting people, climbing on top of the coffee tables, standing on the couch, and throwing food on the floor. Lately he's also been throwing fits for things as simple as being required to get dressed. You know the drill. He throws his head back, arches his back and screams like someone is slowing trying to cut off his right arm. In these instances I don't find timeouts to be effective because he doesn't really have an actionable offense except to be completely unruly. So instead, I give him his nukie and put him in his crib for a few minutes to calm down. If he's going to act like a baby...

Last night William may have set a household record for number of actionable offensives followed by sentenced timeouts. We volunteered to watch our three next-door neighbor kids while the parents were out celebrating the dad's birthday. The children are ages 4, 3 and 18-months. They are an absolute joy to look after. Possibly the easiest kids I've ever watched. Our son, on the other hand, gave us the plight of 10 disobedient youngsters.

It seems our little Willingham has gotten a little too comfortable in his role as only child and was quite disturbed by all these new kids playing with all of his toys. His toys that are ignored every other day of the week, I might add. That poor little 18-month-old boy would barely even look at a toy and William would come barreling out of nowhere and pound him on top of his head.

Brian swooped in just as fast and grabbed William and sternly told him he was out of line. This was followed by a timeout with lots and lots of hysterical screaming.

William would complete his sentence then go up to the little boy and say, "Sawy," followed by a cute little hug.

But no sooner was his timeout complete than William was upping the anty. Now, not only was he hitting again, but this time he was grabbing objects to worsen the blow. Think Matchbox cars or a plastic block.

Brian's anger seemed to increase proportionately with William's and at one point I even had to tell him to either calm down or go upstairs because he was scaring the poor neighbor kiddies. So much for Brian being the soft parent. I had flashbacks of my dad disciplining one of my siblings when I had friends over.

So there isn't really an end to my story. We went round and round in this matter all night. The aggressive behavior did seem to get better when we moved from indoors to outside but he still got incredibly jealous if I picked up or even spoke a word of kindness to anyone who's name didn't begin with "W".

As I write this I can see that this makes my little William out to be some sort of bully when he surly is not. In our ECFE class he was one of the most gentle kids. In fact one time I caught a little boy pushing William off a car with a lot of force. In return, William gave him a giant hug. Maybe he confused the push with the beginnings of an embrace but at any rate it was cute and was the farthest thing from trying to cause any harm.

So what do you think? Did your children go through this stage? And if so, how did you deal?

100 Things About Me

1. My middle name is Jean just like my mom’s.
2. My firstborn daughter (if I have one!) will have the same.
3. My eyes changed color as I got older.
4. First they were brown.
5. Now they are greenish.
6. I am Catholic.
7. I love being Catholic: the saints, the Pope, the Eucharist, the prayers to our Blessed Mother – the whole bit.
8. I would love to have at least four children.
9. Or more if God speaks to me on this matter.
10. I don’t really enjoy watching baseball on television.
11. I do, however, LOVE watching football.
12. I have been known to watch college football with my hubby for more than 5 hours on Saturdays during the fall.
13. Call me un-American but I do not enjoy the “Star Wars” nor the “Lord of the Rings” movies.
14. I’ve washed my face with Clinique soap every night before bed without fail since I’ve been about 13 years old.
15. Speaking of 13 years old, that’s when my dad suddenly passed away.
16. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of person I would have become had I not experienced that tragic event.
17. Except for the last couple of weeks I really did enjoy being pregnant.
18. I love when the weather gets super sticky and hot.
19. But I still love the four distinct seasons of living in Minnesota.
20. I traveled to Europe for a month in college.
21. I mostly stayed in London but also traveled to Paris and the English countryside.
22. I am a total news junkie.
23. I love when the beeping comes over the television saying “We interrupt this program to tell you about…”
24. I also follow the local Twin Cities news media like they are the hottest L.A. A-list stars.
25. My husband was in the seminary when I first met him.
26. To be a priest.
27. We started dating in March of 2001.
28. He left the seminary in May of 2001.
29. One of the priests at the seminary who we became friends with officiated our wedding ceremony.
30. We got married at the chapel on our University’s campus on August 7, 2004.
31. I worked as a nanny throughout college.
32. It was the easiest, best and most fun job I’ve ever had.
33. I graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in journalism.
34. In college I earned all As and a few Bs.
35. Except in my first semester freshman year when I got a D in calculus.
36. That’s when I knew I needed to get away from math and into writing.
37. So it’s actually a blessing in disguise I guess.
38. Before I had William I worked as a project manager for an HR consulting company.
39. I was really, really good at my job.
40. It sounds like bragging until I tell you that I didn’t really enjoy it at all.
41. Except for my co-workers and my clients.
42. I still keep in contact with both.
43. I was pretty much biding my time until I had a baby.
44. I cashed out my maternity leave and then said my farewells.
45. And then they offered me part time.
46. I accepted the position.
47. And then quit after 5 months.
48. Now I fill my days with cooking, cleaning, baking, blogging and, oh yeah, mothering.
49. I’m a bit on the obsessive side when it comes to order and cleanliness.
50. I do not let my child eat in the car. Ever.
51. I have been known to clean him up with the handheld vacuum after he has a sandwich.
52. And I don’t care if he has a sippy cup until he’s six…if there’s no spilling it works for me.
53. Forks and spoons are also out unless the meal is easy to scoop or stab.
54. This means applesauce and yogurt are still spoon-fed to him.
55. See? I told you I was on the obsessive side.
56. I hate long car rides.
57. If it’s going to be longer than six hours in the car, I start searching for the cheapest plane ticket.
58. I love to read.
59. But not non-fiction.
60. Unless it’s a memoir, those are OK.
61. I’m a stickler for grammar and spelling.
62. If you ever see an error here, it’s completely by mistake.
63. Every girl MUST own a pair of jeans that fits well and makes her look like she can still walk into a bar/restaurant and feel attractive.
64. For me, those are Gap Long and Leans in a size 4.
65. I own about 10 pairs.
66. I also own one pair of Seven jeans that I found at a consignment shop for $30.
67. I buy all my bras at Victoria’s Secret.
68. With those gel padding push-ups.
69. Because I could never even dream about filling up a plain old A-cup without padding.
70. Unless I’m preggers or breastfeeding.
71. Then I go up a full size.
72. They are the best months of my life.
73. I’m not much of an athlete.
74. In high school I participated in tennis and dabbled at golf and track and field.
75. But I am good at rollerblading, ice skating and downhill skiing.
76. I competed in the Rollerblade Marathon with my brother in the fall of 2003.
77. Yes, it really was 26.2 miles.
78. I hardly trained but I still completed it no problem.
79. On January 1, 1998 I marched in the Parade of Roses in Pasadena, California with my high school marching band.
80. I played the flute.
81. Call me shallow but in addition to many wholesome blogs, I frequent People.com everyday.
82. I balance my checkbook down to the penny twice a month.
83. As a rule set forth by me, our family does not own a single game console.
84. I would maybe let this rule slide for a Wii.
85. But only if we never owned a shooting game.
86. I’ve never been to Disney World.
87. But I have been to Disney Land.
88. I love laying out in the sun and am really bad at remembering to put on sunscreen.
89. I also love coffee, lattes and iced coffee/lattes.
90. Caribou Coffee is my favorite.
91. We own 1,000-thread count bed sheets.
92. We can’t afford these, it was just one luxury I couldn’t do without on my wedding registry.
93. We, therefore, have the most comfortable bed ever.
94. Nothing lifts my spirits more than driving my car, with my favorite song on the radio, sun shining, moon roof open and sunglasses on.
95. I wish I could drive my Passat forever.
96. But I don’t think you can fit four kids and two adults in a 5-person car.
97. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve been married for four years.
98. With a son.
99. And I’m only 27.
100. I guess dreams really do come true.

Getting Back in Order

We're still trying to get ourselves back into a routine here at the Nash household after two weeks of being out of town and weeks of planning before that. I took all day Monday and Tuesday to scrub the house from top to bottom -- much to the dismay of little boy who would have rather been outside. I, too, felt my heart drop each time I peered outside to see the sun gleaming and me on the wrong side of the window pane. But alas, I knew I wouldn't be able to finally feel at home again unless everything was clean and in order.

One key piece that still needs to be filled in is grocery shopping. I've been making a run to the store each evening to pick up specific ingredients for a single recipe because I can't stand to have one more take-out or one more hot dog. It's not ideal, making these daily grocery runs, but it's necessary until I've got the time to do a full-blown trip.

But you wouldn't know we're running low on groceries if you opened up my cupboard doors. It's full of opened and half-eaten bags of crackers, chips and candy. Does this happen to anyone else? Before you leave on a trip you stock up on all the junk food you don't allow yourself the other days of the year only to barely touch it once you're on vacation. Now I'm home and none of it sounds good to eat. My body is craving the fruits and salads and all those good things I did without while I was far from my kitchen.

At any rate I've got a little boy begging to go outside and I feel way too guilty to make him spend another day inside at the grocery store. So out we'll go until the thunderstorms hit.

Chicago's My Kind of Town

The Nash household is waking a little later, moving a little slower and talking a bit raspier this morning. We returned yesterday from our four-day trip to Chicago. Brian and I and 24 of his siblings and cousins traveled to Chicago to surprise Brian's brother Mike for his 30th birthday. It was a great time especially because Mike was truly surprised. We went to the Cubs game on Friday afternoon (did you see us on TV?!). Brian and I went through the long, grueling process of making t-shirts for the group but as you can see from the picture, it was well worth it. I took more than 100 pictures so here's just a few of my favorites.

The birthday boy shortly after he was surprised.

The entire Cubs group.

Shirt backs.

Can you read what the scoreboard says? You might have to squint.

Brian and I were able to steal a few hours to ourselves and we spent part of it on the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier.

On the last night we met up with Mike Hall and our long-lost friend Tyler. Do you recognize Mike Hall? He's a sports broadcaster and winner of ESPN's Dream Job...or is it American Idol? Just kidding.

This pretty much sums up the entire weekend.

This is All the Thanks I Get

This is how my son repays me when I take him shoe shopping and all I give him to play with is a pair of boring sunglasses.

So now my question to you is: Are these too big? Walgreen's didn't have much of a selection and I really don't have time to go elsewhere. But please be honest. I know I have a head the size of a four-year-old and that truly makes glasses shopping a major challenge. If they really are outrageously oversized I could hunt down a new pair at the airport tomorrow. It could set me back $60 but still, be honest.

Gotta Love It, Gotta Have It

I've got some laundry, packing and nail painting to do so this has to be quick. My item was easy this week because I just bought them this morning. Take a gander below and click here if want to purchase them. I paid less in the store than online though so take that into consideration if you really want to buy them.

I think I've picked shoes twice now for my item. Hope that's okay with ya'll. What am I Southern or something now?!

What Happens When He's Being Way Too Quiet and I'm on a Phone Call for Just a Few Minutes Too Long

And to Cap Off the Weekend

Up North at the Cabin (Lots of Pictures)

Our fabulous host and hostess!

Doing what little boys do best: digging in the sand with Grandma.

"Shishin" with daddy.

Tribute to Grandpa Joe.

"I like driving with Grandpa Jim."

Me and my lovely hubby...snugglin'.

"Mmmm...I like pickles."

Being silly with daddy.

Me and Aunt Jackie.

Here we go into the water!

In case you can't tell, that is indeed a laugh. He LOVED the water.

"Hey! I wanna go back in the wa-wa!"

Daddy and Uncle Joey.

Mommy and me.

And With That...

...I'm officially on an Internet vacation. In Crosslake we don't have cable, we don't have a landline phone, our cell phones barely work and we certainly don't have any computers or Internet access. But we do have a lot of sunshine, boat rides, music, drinks and giggles. I'll be back in action on Monday trying to post pictures while doing mounds of laundry.

Happy 4th of July to you all!

Gotta Love It, Gotta Have It

I've written about Trader Joe's in the past but this week I'm choosing it for my Gotta Love It post because it's helping me out in a whole new way. Tomorrow morning we are heading to our favorite summer town, Crosslake, Minnesota. We've been going up there during the summer months since I was a baby and now, thanks to my Uncle Jim and Aunt Nancy who so graciously allow us to stay at their place, we're continuing the tradition with William.

But with all the fun we have up there, it takes a week of planning, purchasing and packing to prepare. This week my mom sent out an email to my sister and I to divided up the groceries that we'll need. Gas, no doubt, will be a major expense as we travel three hours each way if you don't include the holiday traffic that we may or may not get stuck in. So I'm always looking to save a buck somewhere. When I saw that my mom had put fruit on my grocery list I knew right where I was headed: Trader Joe's.

Have you been there? If not, what the heck are you waiting for? That store is chock-full of foods that are good for you (most are organic) but don't come with that hefty price tag most other grocery store chains will slap on you.

I've got my receipt right here so let me indulge you of the goodness that is Trader's:

Multigrain English Muffins
Box of Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers
Organic Strawberry Lemonade (YUM!)
Gallon of Skim Milk
Quart of Whole Milk
Jar of Honey
7 Organic Bananas
1 Whole Pineapple
2 Pints Raspberries
Large Container of Organic Strawberries
11 oz container of Blueberries
6 Limes

Anyone want to take a stab at the total? I'll give you a clue. It costs more to fill my car up with gas. A lot more. I only had to shell out $36.73! Can you believe it?

If you don't have a Trader Joe's near your house, I'm telling you, it's worth the drive to get to one. Now I can use the extra money I saved for more important things. Like, a case of Corona to go with those limes.

"No, Mommy I Swear!"

"I did NOT touch the blue marker you had sitting on the table."