Sunday, July 31, 2016

BJ's is a new family favorite

While running some morning errands, we decided to stop and grab a bite to eat. BJ's off of 281 was nearby and since it was 11:00, they were just opening. No wait to be seated. 
The staff was cheerful and our waiter was extremely attentive. Our drinks were always filled and our needs were met. 
I took my daughter to the restroom and was thrilled with the provision of a step stool. I have a difficult time lifting her at others places to wash her hands in restrooms that cater to adults. 
The food was amazing! Happy faces the entire time.
We ordered the mozzarella sticks appetizer, but the kids were also give fruit and Parmesan bread knots while we waited for our food. I ordered the half sandwich and fries lunch special. I chose the triple decker, wedge fries and the broccoli and cheese soup. 
My daughter chose the spaghetti and smiley face fries while my son chose spaghetti and fruit.
He devoured all his spaghetti while she was focused on the fruit. 
I managed to finish the sandwich, half the soup, and some fries before feeling too full. I did, however, try some of the s'mores pizookie we got to share. 
The manager made her rounds checking on everyone and making sure there were nothing but happy customers. 
I was truly thrilled by the experience and would definitely recommend this place to others. 

Monday, July 25, 2016

Office Depot deals and the stock pile

I love the Office Depot deals. Their weekly changing of the penny deals helps me save money and put aside the supplies that my elementary kids and college fiancĂ© need. Last week I almost didn't get anything. This week I hit two stores and scored at both. I have pronged folders for all of them, mechanical pencils for the fiancĂ©, colored pencils, Sharpie markers, pencil boxes and notecards. 
This entire lot cost me a little under $2! Some of the pencil boxes I will be using to organize my office supplies box for easier access throughout the year. The notecards are great for quick lists or to keep in the car for those "I need paper!" moments. The pack of Sharpie markers were $1 for 5. I picked up the color pencils as I noticed my kids have gone through most of theirs and were .50. You are supposed to have a $5 minimum purchase. What I found is that when they scan everything, then total it out - the discounts apply.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Summer time is here, half a year is gone...

Can you believe that we are already over half a year into 2016? July is here. Summer is in full swing. I have to mark my calendar with all the events we have lined up for the next 3 months just to keep up. And I have to check in on it often. With 3 little ones and hitting the 4 ¾ months in the pregnancy, I’d crazy without that little bit of order.

So what does the start of July mean for me?
My daughter continues to get caught up on her shots so she can start preschool this year! My 3 year old baby won’t be the baby for long… She turns 4 next month and goes to school the following month! Where has time gone?

July – August also means that soon we will take our boys to 6 Flags. My little smarty pants duo won tickets and they will soon be eligible for use. A day of fun, sun, and roller coaster rides! Even though I’m pregnant, I’m considering riding some milder ones… Though this story about one getting stuck on the tracks and the riders needing to be rescued worries me a bit.
There is also a retro gaming convention coming up.
My boys play Super Mario Bros and Minecraft among the newer games of Lego Dimensions and Skylanders. So if I’m able to introduce them into true retro gaming – i.e. Arcade games, Atari, Sega, Nintendo 64…. YES! My kids will be nerds and I will be one proud mama. I might also take at least the older one to Austin to play Minecraft Summer Splash!
You get to play Minecraft Undersea Adventure in theaters on the big screen – with CaptainSparklez. For those of you who aren’t big nerds… Minecraft is an awesome game! And it is one that now allows you to play in an underwater world (something I have yet to be able to do). CaptainSparklez is a huge hit on YouTube that posts videos of himself playing Minecraft. He’s in the top 100 list for having the most subscribers on YouTube. (How sad is it that this guy is a major hit and younger than me…). This group of events is going on across the country, lasts for 5 days, and is being hosted by Super League. My oldest son would lose his mind…


We are also in the summer reading program for Half Price Books!
I am trying to get their 300 minutes of reading in for July towards free books since they love reading. If you haven’t gotten into it, just print up a form for the month of July and get on it!
July 4th is this weekend. So many events are happening around San Antonio. I’m hoping to take my kiddos to the base up the street for some family fun and the fireworks. We bought some glow sticks and I plan on making them s’mores too.  But more than all these fun things, I want my kids to understand why we celebrate Independence Day. What freedoms we were granted as well as the cost.