Luke's 4-year-old dr. checkup

Luke had his four-year-old pediatrician visit yesterday. He's very healthy, thankfully. He did have to get FIVE shots, which he was none too thrilled about. He's still tiny, actually having lost ground percentage wise on the growth chart since his 3-yr-old visit. He weighs 30 pounds and is 3 ft. 2 in. tall. Dr. Jung wasn't overly concerned, but just said to try to add some calories to his diet with good fats and extra protein (hence the Boost purchase today). We also have to take him to the eye dr. Reading an eye chart he came out 20/30 in one eye and 20/40 in the other. Those numbers aren't so much concerning as just the fact that it was not the same in both eyes. But, compared with how bad my eyesight is, Luke's getting off pretty easy, I think.

CVS Shopping Trip

I'm feeling good about my shopping trip to CVS today. I planned it out, which took way too long, but as long as I don't do it too often, I guess it was worth it. I spent $20 out of my pocket on a prescription, and got a $25 gift card for it (Hamilton Co. coupon book), which I spent on all my stuff. I did a total of 4 transactions so I could use extra care bucks (ECBs) and still have over $4 left on my gift card. I have learned that I have to use my ECBs while I'm there or I don't get them spent before they expire. I got $80.20 worth of stuff for $20 out of pocket, with $4 left to spend!

Here's what I got:
3 6-pk Boost energy drinks @ 6.99 ea - $4 cpns
1 Jumbo Huggies Supreme @ 8.99 - $3 cpn
Total w/ tax: 17.85 after using $5 off $25 CVS coupon and $2 ECBs from prescription

1 3ltr Poland Springs water @ $1
3 Lean Cuisine @ $3 ea - $2 cpn
1 2-pk Tone Mango soap @ $1.88 - $1 cpn
1 Colgate Total @ $2.99 - $1 cpn
1 sidewalk chalk on clearance @ $.50
1 Neosporin Lip ointment @ $2.89 - $1 cpn
2 cheerios cereal cups @ $1 ea - $2 cpns
Total w/tax: $1.70 after using $3 off $15 CVS coupon and $10 ECBs from Boost purchase

1 Jumbo Huggies Supreme @ 8.99 - $1.50 cpn
1 Teddy Graham @ $.99 (treat for the boys for behaving while I shopped)
Total w/ tax: $1.39 after using $8 ECBs from Colgate, Tone, and Nestle (water and Lean Cuisine) purchase

I learned all these tricks from a blog called Money Saving Mom and got the links for the $3 and $5 CVS coupons from The Coupon "High".

Loving Greg's off nights

I love it when Greg is off in the evening. Last night we sat down at the table to a real dinner that I made, then the whole family got in the hot tub together. That was fun. Elsi watched her big brothers, Luke swam under water with his goggles on, Ben floated around with water wings and threw ball-pit balls at Greg (thanks, Dad and Gini =), and Greg and enjoyed sitting close and watching. Tonight, we all loaded up, went to the pool store for chemicals, Wal-mart for groceries, and Sticky Fingers for dinner. I feel like such a normal person with a normal family! And I love spending time all together when Greg is off in the evenings.

Highlighting the age difference

It's hard to remember sometimes that Luke and Ben are not the same age, because they aren't very different in size, they can do a lot of the same things physically, and they both communicate pretty well. This leads to frustration for us grownups sometimes when Ben can't do something that seems like it should be easy and that Luke has been doing for a long time. We have been assured that Ben's skills are commensurate for his age.

Today the age difference was highlighted when we played a new game. The game is called Noodleboro Learning to Listen Pizza Palace. The object is to remember what the "orderer" orders (using picture cards) on their pizza and make the pizza correctly. There are cards that show the toppings ordered and tokens that match the cards to be used as toppings. Luke can remember 3 or 4 items accurately after seeing them once and then having them hidden, and make the matching pizza. Ben can match the toppings to the cards, but he can't accomplish the multi-step task of ending up getting those matching toppings onto the pizza. I even hid the cards from Luke and let Ben see them the whole time. Ben couldn't, or didn't want to, do it. Crazy! The differences in those skill levels is amazing to me.