Diaper Duty

After 5 kids, I have to admit that I haven't checked prices on diapers in a while. So after a couponing seminar (at Enrichment Meeting), I wondered how diaper prices compared.

This is what I found.

I haven't had success with "store brands" except White Cloud, which I loved, but seems to have been discontinued at Wal-Mart. So I compared Luvs, Huggies and Pampers at Target, Walmart, Albertson's, and Toys 'R' Us. I also checked on Huggies at Costco.

The cardboard boxes of Luvs at Target or Walmart won. However, if you ever go to get diapers and they're out of the big boxes, it's cheaper to get the large boxes of Huggies or Pampers than it is to get a "jumbo" size Luvs. (Plus, they almost always have coupons in the paper for Pampers and Huggies.)

If Huggies or Pampers are on sale at Walmart or Target and with coupons you can save $3 or more per box, then that's tied/cheaper than Luvs. At Albertson's the sale would need to save you $4 or more to compete. Toys R Us is so overpriced that even with their best possible sale AND coupons, it's still not as cheap as Luvs just regularly at Target or Walmart.

However, if you need S/M size Goodnights, Toys R Us is competitive and sales on the those (especially if combined with coupons) would save serious money.

Huggies at Costco is more expensive than the big boxes of Luvs at Wal-Mart or Target. However, when Costco does their coupons on Huggies, then it's cheaper.

Now you know.

Annika Banannika

Without further ado here are Annika's 3 year pictures.

It's the Best Product Ever

So at the Rec this morning I realized that that news I'd been seeing about another celebrity biting the dust was that really annoying, loud infomercial guy.

He is so mesmerizing. The way he shows you things about the product and yells in monotone. You just have to buy the product...and HURRY.

I especially want to thank Billy Mays for OxiClean. It's in store now, you know. And it's seriously good stuff. I mean Emma might spill ketchup on her clothes at school and when she gets home, it's already been dried on for hours. Then it goes into the dirty laundry where it may sit for several days before it ever makes it in the washing machine.

But just throw in a scoop of OxiClean in with the regular soap and WHAM, POW, SHA-ZAM it's like new. Not just clean--like new. It's way better than Biz. I throw in a scoop of Oxy Clean with virtually every load. It's awesome.

So I'd like to give a shout out to Billy. Thanks for OxiClean.

The Baby Has a Name...and a Description

Instructions: Don't tell me if you don't like it or it doesn't make sense, 'cuz it's a done deal.

Wendell and I had a brainstorming session last night and this is the name and description we came up with for my class.

It's About Time!

It's time to make time for your life. Learn how to take control of your schedule and get you back on your to-do list.

Well, what do you think? Remember, positive comments only. :)

Comments From a 3-Year-Old

M: (turning on the TV) Word Girl is on. Do you want to watch it?

Annika: No. It has (mumble, mumble while eating an otter pop)...

M: It has what?

A: It has bad attitudes. I want Wonder Pets.

All About Beck

Beck is 18 months old and I have been completely negligent about posting about him. You may avert your eyes if you hate those blog posts where people go on and on about their kids, 'cause this is that kind of post.





1. Beck climb out of his crib twice a few days ago, but thankfully hasn't thought of doing it again.


2. Beck still says, "What's that?" 50+ times a day.


3. Beck knows a ton of animal sounds including, but not limited to: cow, horse, cat, dog, pig, monkey, elephant, lion, and sheep.


4. Beck can identify the following body parts: head, nose, eyes, ears, tummy, bum, toes and tongue. The tongue is awesome. He sticks it in and out saying, "Liddle, liddle, liddle."


5. Beck has a problem eating inanimate objects such as erasers, crayons and small beads.


6. When above problem gives Beck diarrhea he cries, "It's a bum!" during diaper changes.


7. Beck thinks biting is a good way to get what he wants. We are working hard to stop this behavior.


8. Beck only has 8 teeth. The top front four, the bottom front two and two top one-year molars. Weird, huh?



9. Beck can say the name of every family member. When I'm calling the kids up stairs, he's my echo.


10. Beck's favorite people to call are Emma and "Aah-ka." (Annika)


11. Beck's favorite people to play with are me, Annika and Nate.


12. If Beck wakes up crying in the night, Wendell is the only person who can get him back to sleep. If I get him, he just cries harder until I put him in our bed. Apparently, I'm a sucker.


13. Beck is a scrawny little fellow. He weighs about 23 lbs and usually wears 12 month clothes. Even then, he often has to wear a belt so his pants don't fall off.




14. When Beck runs, he swings his right arm.


15. Beck loves to use, what I can only call, his falsetto. He loves to squeak way up high. This is good for mimicking the older kids and for creating a cat sound.


16. Beck loves to play the piano. Especially when it's someone's practice time. :)





17. Beck loves his Grandpa H. He will get all psyched if he knows we're going to see Grandpa and will push to get out of my arms and run to Grandpa.


18. Beck named his blanket "Bob." Every morning he throws Bob out of his bed, so I have to pick up Bob, then pick up Beck. Beck will also call for Bob when he's sad.


19. He calls his sippy--"One-y."


20. He loves Go Diego Go, which he calls, "Go, Go, Go!"


21. He can count to three. I wonder where he got that?