We just got back from a portrait session at JCPenney Portrait Studio. I've been meaning to get 12 month portraits of Saeri in her dol hanbok, but I kept putting it off... until 2 weeks ago when I realized that she was almost 18 months old! Plus, the whole reason I scheduled this session (albeit half a year late) was because the professional photographer we did hire for Saeri's doljanchi did a rather mediocre job. :( So I wasn't about to spend another several hundred on photos for the same event.
I would've loved to hire a different childrens' prophotog, but all the highly rated ones were charging fees in the thousands! So after researching both childrens' portrait studio chains as well as large retailer portrait studios, I finally settled on the JCPenney at Parmatown Mall. It had consistently received great ratings, and I especially liked that the staff supposedly didn't rush through the sessions. And JCPenney always has coupons available, even allowing you to print them from their website.
Each session is allotted 45-60 minutes, and you can have up to 2 outfits. A total of 25 photos will be taken; their computer program automatically disables the camera after 25 shots. They offer a lot of backgrounds, but I went with the classic all-white--I think the other ones look very fake and reminiscent of school pictures.
But overall, I'm very satisfied with how the session turned out, even if the day didn't start off too well. We suddenly had to move up our appointment, so of course we were scrambling to get there on time. Once there, we realized that we forgot the damn hanbok! So Appa had to rush back home while we started the session with the first outfit. There was only 1 employee, and she actually had to push back her lunchtime to accommodate us (GUILT). But she was so professional, never once acting irritated or impatient. She was excellent with Saeri, who actually warmed up to her in only 10 minutes! That's crazy fast compared to most strangers--it's true, my daughter is a hater. She even handled me pretty well when I was starting to become momzilla lol. She definitely earned every last penny of her paycheck trying to get Saeri to crack a smile, but that stubborn little girl was way too distracted by the big black box in front of her face (i.e. the camera).
In the end, we got a few good pictures. I wouldn't say they're amazing, but they were much better than anything I could've taken with my little point-and-shoot. We didn't get a single decent full-length photo of Saeri in either outfit, which I'm really bummed about. I wish JCPenney would allow at least 25 shots per outfit, but c'est la vie, non?
I decided to get 5 8x10's of 5 different poses, and 1 10x13 collage that the employee created. I used a coupon which waived the sitting fee and made all traditional sheets $3.99 each. So the 5 8x10's totaled just under $20, what a steal! I wouldn't have gotten the collage, since I'm fairly good with Photoshop, but Appa was literally swooning over it lol. So I paid $30 for that 1 collage, yuck. I definitely can't complain about paying only $50 for everything though! :D
Hopefully I won't be disappointed by the photo quality, I'm scheduled to pick them up in a week and a half. I usually get my digital prints from Snapfish or Walgreens, so it's not like I'm looking for mind-blowing, professional-quality photos. Just no weird squiggles or black spots littering the pictures, is that too much to ask?
I'm totally considering a manual P&S camera now. My Casio P&S isn't cutting it anymore, and DSLRs are way too bulky and impractical for me. Saeri will only smile in photos for ME, so I think it would actually be more worthwhile to take her portraits and edit them myself. I don't have the resources for photography lessons or the patience for online tutorials, so it's got to be an extremely user-friendly and relatively intuitive camera. I've heard great things about the Canon S95, but I know I'll need to do a lot more googling before I'm ready to purchase. Or maybe I should just keep it simple and only look for pink ones. xD
26 May 2011
22 May 2011
NOM NOM NOM
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| BEST. STUFF. EVER. |
I never want to live without Mango Luigi's Ice ever again! I'm pretty certain that I am now in dire need of a deep freezer chest for the sole purpose of filling it to the brim with a giant stockpile of this stuff. Yum!!!
My Skincare Routine
Today I thought I'd post up all the facial skincare products in my arsenal. I struggled with acne until I graduated college. It still makes me sad to look at old pictures, blah. If the crazy 90's fashion and the strange haircuts weren't enough, I just had to have red spots all over my face.
Lovely.
But towards the end of college, after the worst breakup of my life with the worst guy to ever grace this planet, I dedicated myself to changing my image. I had barely worn makeup or even painted my nails until that point, so I immersed myself in stalking skincare forums, following makeup blogs, and watching tutorials on Youtube. I learned that Asian skin and facial features are unique, and there's specific techniques which highlight the natural beauty of those features. I already knew this about Asian hair, so I don't know why I didn't assume the same for Asian faces. :P But even more importantly, I discovered that I had dry skin, not oily as I had originally thought. In high school, I had tried ALL of the drugstore products marketed specifically to teens, and those products happened to be laden with extremely harsh chemicals. I abused my poor skin with these products for years, which caused it to produce even more oil and acne.
There was a happy ending though! I quickly saw drastic improvements as I took better care of my skin and found products which were properly suited to my skintype. And with the improvements, I was able to recognize that my skin was highly sensitive to water, of all things. If the water is too hard or poorly filtered, I develop those red, angry, painful cystic pimples all over my face and back. Yuck. But otherwise my skin is relatively clear, yay! :)
1. Cleansing:
Clean & Clear Daily Pore Cleanser is my daily facial cleanser of choice. I've tried soooooo many different facial cleansers, from high-end to low, and I just keep coming back to this one. It has tiny beads for very gentle exfoliation, and it can clean off makeup very well. Plus, you just can't beat the price at $5 (even less with coupons)!
B&C AHA Oil Cleanser is the best oil cleanser I've ever used. It has a very light, pleasant citrus scent and cleans even the most stubborn of waterproof mascara with less than a pea-sized amount. And it's so CHEAP! The only catch is that you have to get it from Asia. :P
2. Pampering & Moisturizing:
Royal Essence Bulgarian Rose Water is such an unnecessary yet luxurious product. I would consider it relatively inexpensive since I'm only halfway through this bottle after almost 4 years! (FYI: Apparently rose water is supposed to be kept cool and does expire, but I'm still happily using my unrefrigerated half-decade-old rose water lol.) I use it to set my makeup, to refresh my skin when I feel gross, and to stimulate my skin after showering. Just remember to look for REAL rose hydrosol, not water that's been mixed with rose essential oil.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Toner is my HG toner. I hope she never discontinues it, I wouldn't know what to do! Many people debate about whether or not toner actually provides any benefits, but in my personal experience, toner is absolutely necessary for my skin. I'm not exactly sure why, but I would imagine that it's likely because toner gets rid of any remaining traces of dirt and cleanser residue. My skin is a clean-freak!
Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream is a product I found only recently. But a consistent 2 months of usage has earned it a place as my absolute favorite drugstore moisturizer. It's a pretty heavy cream, but it leaves my skin oh-so-soft and well-moisturized. There's a faint scent of butter (mmmmm butter~), but I'd take that any day over crazy perfumed products, like the Lancome or Estee Lauder products my umma uses. If I could afford it, I'd prefer Korres Yogurt Cream... but alas I am very very poor. Anyway, this Eucerin stuff has got rave reviews all over the web, so I would highly recommend checking it out, especially at a price of around $10 for 1.7oz!
Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream is also what I use as my eye cream. Yes, the same exact product serves as both my facial moisturizer and my eye cream. There's a lot of talk that the best moisturizers are the ones which can be used on the very delicate skin around the eyes. Personally I don't necessarily agree with that claim, but I do believe that this particular product is safe as an eye cream. I use a super thin layer around my eyes, and I've been very satisfied with how its moisturizing my eye area. Eucerin, this is an epic WIN! :D
3. Makeup:
Cleansia BB Cream is the bb cream I'm currently using. Basically bb cream feels lighter than foundation and gives better coverage than tinted moisturizer, and similar to foundation, different bb creams offer different benefits, colors, and finishes. This one works well enough, but I prefer Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Gold Label. However, the bb cream market really seems to have blown up in the past several years, so it looks like there's a million bb creams I haven't yet tried!
Maybelline Pure Concealer Stick in Light is an excellent concealer. I originally bought it because it contains 2% salicylic acid and claims to fight acne, but unfortunately I haven't seen a difference in the 5 years I've been using it. I do love the medium-to-heavy coverage, and the thin applicator makes it very easy to work with. And it's great for your purse because it's so light! I actually stockpiled 10 of these when CVS had a B1G1 sale a couple years ago, and now I'm regretting not purchasing a whole case because it's been discontinued! Damn you Maybelline! >_<
And I'll leave you with a complimentary photo of my sassy little girl. I don't know where she learned to set her jaw like that, but I think it's hilarious! She knows exactly how cute she is, and she ain't afraid to work it! xD
Lovely.
But towards the end of college, after the worst breakup of my life with the worst guy to ever grace this planet, I dedicated myself to changing my image. I had barely worn makeup or even painted my nails until that point, so I immersed myself in stalking skincare forums, following makeup blogs, and watching tutorials on Youtube. I learned that Asian skin and facial features are unique, and there's specific techniques which highlight the natural beauty of those features. I already knew this about Asian hair, so I don't know why I didn't assume the same for Asian faces. :P But even more importantly, I discovered that I had dry skin, not oily as I had originally thought. In high school, I had tried ALL of the drugstore products marketed specifically to teens, and those products happened to be laden with extremely harsh chemicals. I abused my poor skin with these products for years, which caused it to produce even more oil and acne.
There was a happy ending though! I quickly saw drastic improvements as I took better care of my skin and found products which were properly suited to my skintype. And with the improvements, I was able to recognize that my skin was highly sensitive to water, of all things. If the water is too hard or poorly filtered, I develop those red, angry, painful cystic pimples all over my face and back. Yuck. But otherwise my skin is relatively clear, yay! :)
1. Cleansing:
Clean & Clear Daily Pore Cleanser is my daily facial cleanser of choice. I've tried soooooo many different facial cleansers, from high-end to low, and I just keep coming back to this one. It has tiny beads for very gentle exfoliation, and it can clean off makeup very well. Plus, you just can't beat the price at $5 (even less with coupons)!
B&C AHA Oil Cleanser is the best oil cleanser I've ever used. It has a very light, pleasant citrus scent and cleans even the most stubborn of waterproof mascara with less than a pea-sized amount. And it's so CHEAP! The only catch is that you have to get it from Asia. :P
2. Pampering & Moisturizing:
Royal Essence Bulgarian Rose Water is such an unnecessary yet luxurious product. I would consider it relatively inexpensive since I'm only halfway through this bottle after almost 4 years! (FYI: Apparently rose water is supposed to be kept cool and does expire, but I'm still happily using my unrefrigerated half-decade-old rose water lol.) I use it to set my makeup, to refresh my skin when I feel gross, and to stimulate my skin after showering. Just remember to look for REAL rose hydrosol, not water that's been mixed with rose essential oil.
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Toner is my HG toner. I hope she never discontinues it, I wouldn't know what to do! Many people debate about whether or not toner actually provides any benefits, but in my personal experience, toner is absolutely necessary for my skin. I'm not exactly sure why, but I would imagine that it's likely because toner gets rid of any remaining traces of dirt and cleanser residue. My skin is a clean-freak!
Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream is a product I found only recently. But a consistent 2 months of usage has earned it a place as my absolute favorite drugstore moisturizer. It's a pretty heavy cream, but it leaves my skin oh-so-soft and well-moisturized. There's a faint scent of butter (mmmmm butter~), but I'd take that any day over crazy perfumed products, like the Lancome or Estee Lauder products my umma uses. If I could afford it, I'd prefer Korres Yogurt Cream... but alas I am very very poor. Anyway, this Eucerin stuff has got rave reviews all over the web, so I would highly recommend checking it out, especially at a price of around $10 for 1.7oz!
Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Cream is also what I use as my eye cream. Yes, the same exact product serves as both my facial moisturizer and my eye cream. There's a lot of talk that the best moisturizers are the ones which can be used on the very delicate skin around the eyes. Personally I don't necessarily agree with that claim, but I do believe that this particular product is safe as an eye cream. I use a super thin layer around my eyes, and I've been very satisfied with how its moisturizing my eye area. Eucerin, this is an epic WIN! :D
3. Makeup:
Cleansia BB Cream is the bb cream I'm currently using. Basically bb cream feels lighter than foundation and gives better coverage than tinted moisturizer, and similar to foundation, different bb creams offer different benefits, colors, and finishes. This one works well enough, but I prefer Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Gold Label. However, the bb cream market really seems to have blown up in the past several years, so it looks like there's a million bb creams I haven't yet tried!
Maybelline Pure Concealer Stick in Light is an excellent concealer. I originally bought it because it contains 2% salicylic acid and claims to fight acne, but unfortunately I haven't seen a difference in the 5 years I've been using it. I do love the medium-to-heavy coverage, and the thin applicator makes it very easy to work with. And it's great for your purse because it's so light! I actually stockpiled 10 of these when CVS had a B1G1 sale a couple years ago, and now I'm regretting not purchasing a whole case because it's been discontinued! Damn you Maybelline! >_<
* * * * * * * * * * * *
And I'll leave you with a complimentary photo of my sassy little girl. I don't know where she learned to set her jaw like that, but I think it's hilarious! She knows exactly how cute she is, and she ain't afraid to work it! xD
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| Little pink DIVA on a mission to kill you with her cuteness! |
21 May 2011
Finally Sandals Season!
As bad as flip flops are for your feet, they are just so damn liberating! Even though it's been constantly rainy here in the midwest, at least the temperatures have finally warmed up! :D
FYI: Old Navy (at least the stores in my area) have a promotion offering their flip flops for just $1 today!
I'm a very boring person who only wants 1 pair of black and 1 pair of bronze flip flops, and I already own one of each, both of which still look quite new. So--against my deepest desires--I did not go out and buy 10 more pairs of flip flops. I did try to convince Appa that he needed a few more pairs, but he (very adamantly) declined over and over again. Bummer.
But this post isn't about me, it's about Saeri's new summer shoes! Oh yes, you better believe I've got more babble about baby shoes lol.
Saeri did get a pair of Old Navy flip flops, but a week before the promotion bah. Still I only paid $3.50, so I can't really complain about that lol. Saeri loves that she has shoes just like umma's! :D
Sure, there's other retailers who offer baby flip flops (i.e. Target, The Children's Place, Gymboree, etc.) but I don't like the way the back elastic is designed. Old Navy's design is very clean and minimalistic, but the other retailers' look like more of an afterthought. Am I putting too much thought into the aesthetics of back elastics on baby flip flops? Maybe. Hm.
I only wish Old Navy offered as many colors and stocked their stores with as many sizes as their adult flip flops. Why in the hell don't they?!? Every year they come out with just a few baby flip flops--in prints, rarely solids--and they sell out immediately. WTF Old Navy get your shit together! I understand that flip flops are not the best choice of warm weather footwear for a baby, seeing as they provide no foot/posture support and leave baby's toes awfully exposed to potential injuries, but they're a wonderfully cheap and practical option as beach shoes! But who cares since I got a pair, right? :P
In other news, Saeri's new Bobux sandals finally came today!
But... I just wished I loved them in person as much as I did online. :( Don't get me wrong, they are one of the cutest baby sandals I've ever seen, but Saeri's feet look like they're drowning in the "correct" size. For some reason, Bobux only offers half-sizes from 4.5 to 6.5, meaning there's no size 5 or size 6. Saeri's feet are exactly a size 6 right now, so the 5.5's are too small and the 6.5's are too big. Obviously I went for the larger 6.5, which would've been fine with tennis shoes since the gap can be filled with socks, but I think sandals should leave only 0.25" of room (for comparison, her Old Navy flip flops are a teeny size 5). So the sandals look awfully bulky on her feet. Or perhaps her feet are just abnormally thin. In any case, she's stuck with these for the summer!
FYI: Old Navy (at least the stores in my area) have a promotion offering their flip flops for just $1 today!
I'm a very boring person who only wants 1 pair of black and 1 pair of bronze flip flops, and I already own one of each, both of which still look quite new. So--against my deepest desires--I did not go out and buy 10 more pairs of flip flops. I did try to convince Appa that he needed a few more pairs, but he (very adamantly) declined over and over again. Bummer.
But this post isn't about me, it's about Saeri's new summer shoes! Oh yes, you better believe I've got more babble about baby shoes lol.
Saeri did get a pair of Old Navy flip flops, but a week before the promotion bah. Still I only paid $3.50, so I can't really complain about that lol. Saeri loves that she has shoes just like umma's! :D
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| Old Navy flip flops for CHEAP! |
Sure, there's other retailers who offer baby flip flops (i.e. Target, The Children's Place, Gymboree, etc.) but I don't like the way the back elastic is designed. Old Navy's design is very clean and minimalistic, but the other retailers' look like more of an afterthought. Am I putting too much thought into the aesthetics of back elastics on baby flip flops? Maybe. Hm.
 |
| What back elastic should be. |
I only wish Old Navy offered as many colors and stocked their stores with as many sizes as their adult flip flops. Why in the hell don't they?!? Every year they come out with just a few baby flip flops--in prints, rarely solids--and they sell out immediately. WTF Old Navy get your shit together! I understand that flip flops are not the best choice of warm weather footwear for a baby, seeing as they provide no foot/posture support and leave baby's toes awfully exposed to potential injuries, but they're a wonderfully cheap and practical option as beach shoes! But who cares since I got a pair, right? :P
In other news, Saeri's new Bobux sandals finally came today!
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| Bobux cuteness! |
But... I just wished I loved them in person as much as I did online. :( Don't get me wrong, they are one of the cutest baby sandals I've ever seen, but Saeri's feet look like they're drowning in the "correct" size. For some reason, Bobux only offers half-sizes from 4.5 to 6.5, meaning there's no size 5 or size 6. Saeri's feet are exactly a size 6 right now, so the 5.5's are too small and the 6.5's are too big. Obviously I went for the larger 6.5, which would've been fine with tennis shoes since the gap can be filled with socks, but I think sandals should leave only 0.25" of room (for comparison, her Old Navy flip flops are a teeny size 5). So the sandals look awfully bulky on her feet. Or perhaps her feet are just abnormally thin. In any case, she's stuck with these for the summer!
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| See the arrow? That's where the strap is supposed to end. Bah. |
I have to say though, I would highly recommend Shoes For Little Feet if you're looking for baby or toddler sandals. I'm always nervous about ordering from small-ish internet companies, but I'll take the plunge if the price is right and Paypal is available as a payment option. Their website is extremely easy to navigate, and the registration and ordering process was quite painless. I received order and shipment confirmation emails immediately, and they regularly offer free priority shipping on orders over $30! That means there's tracking! :D It took just 3 days to get from Texas to Ohio. Their customer service and return/exchange service is excellent as well. I had ordered a size 7 at first, thanks to the (apparently inaccurate) size guide on the official Bobux website, and as you can imagine, those were wayyyyy too big. It's strange because Saeri's very first pair of Bobux shoes fit her perfectly, and I used the same size guide to measure her feet then. o_O But as Shoes For Little Feet's website instructed, I printed out their return form, filled in the necessary information, and mailed it to the provided address. After 3 days, I received an email informing me that they had received my exchange. A few hours later, they sent another shipment email. And after another 3 days (today!) the new shoes arrived. Talk about efficient!
I think I've definitely had my fill of baby shoes for now... or at least until I can't resist the urge to get her July 4th-themed sandals! xD
13 May 2011
UPDATE: Free Glasses From CoastalContacts.com
I actually received my glasses a while ago, but I've been putting off this post because, in all honesty, I don't love how the frames look on my face. It's hard to complain about FREE though, so I'm stuck with these for the next year.
I really respect CoastalContacts.com as a company though. I don't know how they can afford to give away 10,000 pairs of free glasses every week for the past half year (still ongoing!), but I'm soooooo happy that they ran this promotion! I tend to get new glasses about every 3 years; that's 200% longer than is recommended oops! But it takes me that long to save enough money for the new eye exam, frames, lenses, and lens coatings. And then there's contacts, ugh. So thank you thank you THANK YOU CoastalContacts.com for allowing me the gift of 20/20 vision this year! :)
Now onto the details of my order. I bought these Vera Wang 166 frames with prescription lenses. I did upgrade to a thinner 1.61 index lens with anti-reflective, UV protective, and scratch-resistant coatings, so I paid almost $60 when all was said and done... but that's still nothing compared to the $500 I used to spend! I actually had to send back the original order though because one of the lenses wasn't secure in the frame. When I called and explained the situation, the customer service representative immediately ordered a replacement, no questions asked and without having to wait for the return to arrive! Now I wouldn't necessarily say he was friendly (or unfriendly), just very curt and monotone. But I was probably on the phone for no more than 10 minutes, including hold time, so I'd say it was a pretty painless experience. It took exactly 1 week for the original order to get to me, and then exactly 1 week for the replacement to get to me. Considering the route is from west coast Washington all the way to Ohio, I'm VERY pleased with that kind of turn-around!
Brief Overview of CoastalContacts.com
Pros:
-Great communication
-Great customer service
-Great return/exchange policy
-Quick shipping and delivery
-Accepts Paypal
-Frequent promotions and coupon codes
-Excellent quality of eyeglass lenses and coatings
Cons:
-Not the best selection of merchandise
-Not the most secure packaging
-Cannot return/exchange online (only by phone)
Unfortunately I am really disappointed with my choice of frames. They feel and sound like cheap, flimsy plastic. What I thought was tiny decorative silver pearls on the arms, are actually tiny decorative pewter studs. The frames are rather masculine, and at a height of 31mm they look really odd on my face. Epic fail, Vera Wang, epic fail.
Is it bad that I already can't wait for next year, so I can get a new pair of glasses? :P
 |
| Sorry if you went blind the instant this photo loaded. |
I really respect CoastalContacts.com as a company though. I don't know how they can afford to give away 10,000 pairs of free glasses every week for the past half year (still ongoing!), but I'm soooooo happy that they ran this promotion! I tend to get new glasses about every 3 years; that's 200% longer than is recommended oops! But it takes me that long to save enough money for the new eye exam, frames, lenses, and lens coatings. And then there's contacts, ugh. So thank you thank you THANK YOU CoastalContacts.com for allowing me the gift of 20/20 vision this year! :)
Now onto the details of my order. I bought these Vera Wang 166 frames with prescription lenses. I did upgrade to a thinner 1.61 index lens with anti-reflective, UV protective, and scratch-resistant coatings, so I paid almost $60 when all was said and done... but that's still nothing compared to the $500 I used to spend! I actually had to send back the original order though because one of the lenses wasn't secure in the frame. When I called and explained the situation, the customer service representative immediately ordered a replacement, no questions asked and without having to wait for the return to arrive! Now I wouldn't necessarily say he was friendly (or unfriendly), just very curt and monotone. But I was probably on the phone for no more than 10 minutes, including hold time, so I'd say it was a pretty painless experience. It took exactly 1 week for the original order to get to me, and then exactly 1 week for the replacement to get to me. Considering the route is from west coast Washington all the way to Ohio, I'm VERY pleased with that kind of turn-around!
Brief Overview of CoastalContacts.com
Pros:
-Great communication
-Great customer service
-Great return/exchange policy
-Quick shipping and delivery
-Accepts Paypal
-Frequent promotions and coupon codes
-Excellent quality of eyeglass lenses and coatings
Cons:
-Not the best selection of merchandise
-Not the most secure packaging
-Cannot return/exchange online (only by phone)
Unfortunately I am really disappointed with my choice of frames. They feel and sound like cheap, flimsy plastic. What I thought was tiny decorative silver pearls on the arms, are actually tiny decorative pewter studs. The frames are rather masculine, and at a height of 31mm they look really odd on my face. Epic fail, Vera Wang, epic fail.
 |
| Fugly studs. Yuck. |
Is it bad that I already can't wait for next year, so I can get a new pair of glasses? :P
Saeri's New Swimsuit
Anyone else disappointed in the lack of choices for children's swimsuits these days? The majority of them are these teeny meeny bikinis, and Appa and I just aren't board with that. Call me conservative or prude or paranoid, but we just don't think it's appropriate for little girls to be showing that much skin. And the rest of them are one-pieces advertising some character (i.e. Minnie Mouse, a Disney princess, Hello Kitty, etc.) which make the ugly things unnecessarily more expensive.
But where are all the girlie swimsuits at?!!
Thank god for Gmarket (click here for the international version in English). Scratch that, thank god for KOREA! Korea is seriously the land of all things super cute. The motherland makes everything cute in some way. The international shipping fees are pretty high, but it's absolutely worth it for the unbelievable selection they have. My umma is planning a trip to Korea later this year, and you better bet that I've already started a (long) list of things she's gotta get for Saeri! :D
Nearly all children's swimsuits from Korea will include a matching swim cap. Korean pools have extremely high levels of chlorine, so swim caps are required. I love it because it makes the whole look even cuter!
Without further adieu, here's Saeri's new ONE-PIECE swimsuit! Pink and polka dots and pretty ruffles galore!
When I received it, I noticed that the bow on the back was uneven. That reallyyyyyy irritated my OCD-ish personality... but I wasn't about to send this thing all the way back to Korea!
So I got to work with my needle and thread! I think I did a pretty damn good job, if I do say so myself lol.
Next year I might even attempt to make her swimsuit(s) myself! :D
Without further adieu, here's Saeri's new ONE-PIECE swimsuit! Pink and polka dots and pretty ruffles galore!
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| Too cute! |
When I received it, I noticed that the bow on the back was uneven. That reallyyyyyy irritated my OCD-ish personality... but I wasn't about to send this thing all the way back to Korea!
 |
| WTF |
So I got to work with my needle and thread! I think I did a pretty damn good job, if I do say so myself lol.
Next year I might even attempt to make her swimsuit(s) myself! :D
07 May 2011
Free Stuff = AWESOME
I'm not talking about freebies or samples, though those are pretty awesome too. I used to sign up for those all the time when I was in college, and it was fun to get random packages in the mail. But now I'm more wary about giving out my address all over the internet, so I'll only sign up for a freebie if it's something I really need or I'm just dyinggggggg to try.
Although I did buy into this freebie last night (ha), from 1 Sale A Day. It's a business card holder that originally retails for $29.99, and the offer includes free shipping and handling! You don't get to choose the color (but I hope I get the dark woodgrain one hehe). Obviously this doesn't fall into either of the criteria I listed above for freebies, but I thought Appa would really like one. :D
Anyhow couponing is still fun for me, and I think even Appa is secretly interested in my shopping trips lol. I'm seriously starting to drool over the 95%+ savings I see all over the blogosphere. But for various reasons I can't separate my produce and couponing grocery trips, so I don't think I'll ever see that kind of savings... sadness.
I did get a bunch of 20ct Carefree pantiliners for $0.50/pkg at Rite Aid a couple days ago. That's just 2.5 CENTS per pad! For comparison, I normally I pay about 5.8¢/pad. They're not my absolute favorite pantiliners, but they're from the same brand and line so no complaints here! But I recently learned that there'll be a $1.00OFF Carefree coupon in the 05/08/2011 Sunday insert--which would make the 18-22ct pkgs completely free--so that's a bit of a bummer since I still have so many of the $0.50OFF coupon. I'll just have to get a bunch of the new coupon and seriously stockpile on pantiliners. It's not like pads expire so it's all good! :D
I also had a pretty good Giant Eagle run yesterday, if I leave out the produce. With high hopes that my calculations are correct, I saved 65.72% on the couponing portion of my trip! That's about 15 points more than my goal of 50% savings! For $27.95 worth of items, I paid just $9.58 OOP. But more than two-thirds of the OOP total was 2 cartons of organic milk, I really love my baby lol. Everything else I got either for free or for $1. Not too shabby!
When I was first looking into couponing, I really thought I'd end up switching my main grocery store to Acme or Marc's. But Acme is the new guy in my neighborhood, and I've been feeling nervous about venturing into a new and unfamiliar store. Marc's irritates me because they don't take Visa or Mastercard, and I'm one of those young whippersnappers that never carries cash.
I'm starting to think it doesn't matter though, because Giant Eagle offers some really amazing benefits that the others don't!
-Doubled coupons up to $0.99
-Self-service checkout lanes--no need to bother a cashier with a stack of coupons!
-Many locations are open 24 hours--I can shop at night, after the baby's asleep, and take as long as I want checking out!
-Occasional B1G1 sales on meat :D
-Great selection of merchandise
-Spacious aisles
-Fuelperks--for every $50 worth of groceries you buy, you get $0.10 off per gallon of gas at their GetGo gas stations
Now there's a lot of people who dislike Giant Eagle because they jack up their prices. They're the "big box" store of groceries in my area, and in this economy their Fuelperks program is really attractive to the average non-discerning customer. There's also a lot of people (maybe the same people actually lol) who feel that the Fuelperks program is a big scam, claiming that the amount you'd save on gas would be grossly negated by the amount you'd overpay on their expensive groceries. I do agree with this. But! (You knew it was coming lol.) If you're a good little couponer who plans your trips and only buys on-sale items that you have coupons for, then there's plenty of opportunities to score great deals. And Fuelperks becomes just what it should be, an added benefit! :)
I can't wait for tomorrow, I just love looking at weekly sales flyers and ordering coupons! Actually on that topic, I ordered from Coupons By Dede last time. The shipping took longer than I'd like, but through NO fault of hers! She's located all the way in Texas, and for her part, she did mail out my order very quickly. She's got the largest inventory and the lowest prices I've seen so far, and she offers both clipped coupons and whole inserts. Plus new coupons are available immediately--I'm talking the day of instead of 2-3 days like most other sites. There's just so many pros that I may have to suck it up and wait a few days longer for my coupons!
Although I did buy into this freebie last night (ha), from 1 Sale A Day. It's a business card holder that originally retails for $29.99, and the offer includes free shipping and handling! You don't get to choose the color (but I hope I get the dark woodgrain one hehe). Obviously this doesn't fall into either of the criteria I listed above for freebies, but I thought Appa would really like one. :D
Anyhow couponing is still fun for me, and I think even Appa is secretly interested in my shopping trips lol. I'm seriously starting to drool over the 95%+ savings I see all over the blogosphere. But for various reasons I can't separate my produce and couponing grocery trips, so I don't think I'll ever see that kind of savings... sadness.
I did get a bunch of 20ct Carefree pantiliners for $0.50/pkg at Rite Aid a couple days ago. That's just 2.5 CENTS per pad! For comparison, I normally I pay about 5.8¢/pad. They're not my absolute favorite pantiliners, but they're from the same brand and line so no complaints here! But I recently learned that there'll be a $1.00OFF Carefree coupon in the 05/08/2011 Sunday insert--which would make the 18-22ct pkgs completely free--so that's a bit of a bummer since I still have so many of the $0.50OFF coupon. I'll just have to get a bunch of the new coupon and seriously stockpile on pantiliners. It's not like pads expire so it's all good! :D
I also had a pretty good Giant Eagle run yesterday, if I leave out the produce. With high hopes that my calculations are correct, I saved 65.72% on the couponing portion of my trip! That's about 15 points more than my goal of 50% savings! For $27.95 worth of items, I paid just $9.58 OOP. But more than two-thirds of the OOP total was 2 cartons of organic milk, I really love my baby lol. Everything else I got either for free or for $1. Not too shabby!
When I was first looking into couponing, I really thought I'd end up switching my main grocery store to Acme or Marc's. But Acme is the new guy in my neighborhood, and I've been feeling nervous about venturing into a new and unfamiliar store. Marc's irritates me because they don't take Visa or Mastercard, and I'm one of those young whippersnappers that never carries cash.
I'm starting to think it doesn't matter though, because Giant Eagle offers some really amazing benefits that the others don't!
-Doubled coupons up to $0.99
-Self-service checkout lanes--no need to bother a cashier with a stack of coupons!
-Many locations are open 24 hours--I can shop at night, after the baby's asleep, and take as long as I want checking out!
-Occasional B1G1 sales on meat :D
-Great selection of merchandise
-Spacious aisles
-Fuelperks--for every $50 worth of groceries you buy, you get $0.10 off per gallon of gas at their GetGo gas stations
Now there's a lot of people who dislike Giant Eagle because they jack up their prices. They're the "big box" store of groceries in my area, and in this economy their Fuelperks program is really attractive to the average non-discerning customer. There's also a lot of people (maybe the same people actually lol) who feel that the Fuelperks program is a big scam, claiming that the amount you'd save on gas would be grossly negated by the amount you'd overpay on their expensive groceries. I do agree with this. But! (You knew it was coming lol.) If you're a good little couponer who plans your trips and only buys on-sale items that you have coupons for, then there's plenty of opportunities to score great deals. And Fuelperks becomes just what it should be, an added benefit! :)
I can't wait for tomorrow, I just love looking at weekly sales flyers and ordering coupons! Actually on that topic, I ordered from Coupons By Dede last time. The shipping took longer than I'd like, but through NO fault of hers! She's located all the way in Texas, and for her part, she did mail out my order very quickly. She's got the largest inventory and the lowest prices I've seen so far, and she offers both clipped coupons and whole inserts. Plus new coupons are available immediately--I'm talking the day of instead of 2-3 days like most other sites. There's just so many pros that I may have to suck it up and wait a few days longer for my coupons!
02 May 2011
Can't Take My Umma Anywhere!
My umma totally locked my baby in the car today.
With both of our keys and cell phones.
You're a genius, umma.
ARGH.
I was standing at the front passenger seat, trying to put something in my purse. After I push the door to close it, I hear a loud click and my umma yells, "NO THE CAR'S LOCKED DON'T CLOSE!" Well, couldn't do much at that point, the door was already closed by the time I registered her words. My umma must've accidentally leaned against a button and locked the car when she was strapping Saeri into her car seat. And of course, this was one of the rare instances I decided to leave my keys in the car, because what could possibly happen when my umma's standing with Saeri?? Well, now we know. FML!!!
So I ran inside to customer service and asked to use the phone. As she was starting to say no, I told her that my baby was locked in the car, and her facial expression was priceless--a mixture of shock and horror and remorse lol. She almost threw the phone at me because she was moving so fast, almost yanking the cord out of the outlet. Plus, there were several good samaritan shoppers who asked if they could do anything for us, really sweet. :)
The police arrived in less than 5 minutes, but man did it seem like for.ev.er. I totally failed at trying to look apologetic instead of angry (at my umma), but he was really nice about the whole situation.
And then my umma started trying to blame me, saying that I should've checked whether the car was unlocked or not before I shut the door. I know she was just all flustered and in shock and attempting to make herself feel better, but no worries because I totally put her in her place... or not because, y'know, we're Korean and Koreans don't talk back to their ummas. :P
Bah humbug.
With both of our keys and cell phones.
You're a genius, umma.
ARGH.
I was standing at the front passenger seat, trying to put something in my purse. After I push the door to close it, I hear a loud click and my umma yells, "NO THE CAR'S LOCKED DON'T CLOSE!" Well, couldn't do much at that point, the door was already closed by the time I registered her words. My umma must've accidentally leaned against a button and locked the car when she was strapping Saeri into her car seat. And of course, this was one of the rare instances I decided to leave my keys in the car, because what could possibly happen when my umma's standing with Saeri?? Well, now we know. FML!!!
So I ran inside to customer service and asked to use the phone. As she was starting to say no, I told her that my baby was locked in the car, and her facial expression was priceless--a mixture of shock and horror and remorse lol. She almost threw the phone at me because she was moving so fast, almost yanking the cord out of the outlet. Plus, there were several good samaritan shoppers who asked if they could do anything for us, really sweet. :)
The police arrived in less than 5 minutes, but man did it seem like for.ev.er. I totally failed at trying to look apologetic instead of angry (at my umma), but he was really nice about the whole situation.
And then my umma started trying to blame me, saying that I should've checked whether the car was unlocked or not before I shut the door. I know she was just all flustered and in shock and attempting to make herself feel better, but no worries because I totally put her in her place... or not because, y'know, we're Korean and Koreans don't talk back to their ummas. :P
Bah humbug.
29 April 2011
Minnie Mouse Handsoap
LOVE! <3
Ohdeeoh just posted about these Mickey and Minnie Mouse themed foaming handwashes from Method! The Mickey is lemonade scented, and the Minnie is strawberry fizz scented. They're a bit expensive at $4.49 for 8.5 fl.oz., but the bottle shape is just too cute to pass up! I just have to get the Minnie one for Saeri. :) I'll continue to refill it with our regular Dr. Bronner's peppermint when it runs out.
28 April 2011
Can Never Have Enough (Baby) Shoes!
So in my last post about baby shoes, I was complaining about how one of Saeri's new shoes was swept away by the St. Patty's Day Parade. Not to worry though, because I wasted spent a good 6 hours scouring the internet for a new pair of pink mary janes. And I found them. But now that I'm finally ready to review them, the weather has gotten warm enough for sandals! Ah but I definitely won't complain about more shopping! :D
These pink Pediped Abigails are her current everyday shoes. I absolutely love them! The quality is much better than her previous pair of Pediped Lilys. For one thing, these have real leather uppers, not patent leather, so no visible crease marks have formed where her toes are. For a more secure fit, there's little tabs underneath the ankle strap and the velcro is longer. All the flower decorations are also real leather, and each and every petal is sewn down (so she can't rip them off).
These pink Pediped Abigails are her current everyday shoes. I absolutely love them! The quality is much better than her previous pair of Pediped Lilys. For one thing, these have real leather uppers, not patent leather, so no visible crease marks have formed where her toes are. For a more secure fit, there's little tabs underneath the ankle strap and the velcro is longer. All the flower decorations are also real leather, and each and every petal is sewn down (so she can't rip them off).
Here's a pair of mary janes that FMIL bought specifically for Easter. I think they're hideous, I hate the cut-outs. But FMIL has always wanted to dress up a little girl in an Easter outfit just like the ones she used to wear as a child--white dress, white mary janes, frilly socks, white bonnet--but she ended up with 3 sons and no daughter. Enter a granddaughter, and all of a sudden there's a gazillion "traditions" we suddenly have to do. I conceded this year though, especially since we were only celebrating Easter with Appa's family and not mine. But back to how much I hate these shoes. FMIL bought them for about $10 from Target, and they're obviously cheaply made. They're a bit heavy for her little feet, the straps are super thin, and there's barely any cushioning. FMIL keeps saying that it's no use splurging on shoes because children grow out of them so quickly. But that's all the more reason to splurge, I say! Their growing feet need proper cushioning and support, so they can develop proper balance and walking skills. Thankfully Appa agrees with me 100%. :)
My FMIL also recently bought these Puma Etoile Cats for her from Babies R Us on clearance. I am so in love with these! I'm a total Puma fan, so I need to get a pair to match Saeri's. xD She's been going on and on about how Saeri needs sneakers in order to play to the fullest extent. I'm terrified of how scraped up and how dirty she'll get over FMIL's house this summer, but I'm sure I'll complain about that a lot in the future. :P What I don't understand is why FMIL bought a pair of white sneakers, when her whole reasoning for getting sneakers in the first place was so her mary janes wouldn't get dirty? These Pumas are just so damn cute, I may have to get these brown Pediped Adrians specifically for FMIL's house!
And here's a bonus picture of Saeri in her newly acquired Puma track outfit with the shoes!
I can't believe it's already the end of April! Now if only it would stop being rainy so I can convince Appa to let me buy these adorable Bobux sandals asap... :D
27 April 2011
Easter Sunday
Holidays have become such a freaking chore now that I've got a kid. When you're just married, there's all this obligation and respect crap involving how much time to spend with each family on what holidays... but that doesn't even begin to compare with when there's grandchildren to fight over. Jealousy gets involved, and no amount of cool reason will appease those stubborn old grandparents. I hate the holidays.
But I know the holidays are super fun for Saeri, so that's all that matters.. right? :P She gets spoiled rotten! Unbelievable amounts of gifts and clothes and treats, it's nice to be a kid. :) FMIL used FFIL's death to guilt us into spending almost the entire Easter weekend with her this year. (I know it sounds awful, but it's definitely more disgusting to see her using something like that as a tool for manipulating others.) We didn't end up doing anything with my umma for Easter, ugh. Sunday itself seemed like a week long, but I'm happy that we survived it with only one minor FMIL incident.
We started off by attending Easter service at Church of the Saviour, a large United Methodist church. The building was GORGEOUS, I totally regret not getting a picture of it. I was really impressed with this church. There were ushers and greeters everywhere, and everybody was really warm and welcoming. It was relatively diverse for an Ohio church, and overall I liked the sense of community they had. They even had kiddie bags available to keep the children occupied (and quiet) during service, awesome! The only thing I didn't really like was that the service felt a bit choppy, like it didn't flow smoothly. FMIL said that's how Methodist service normally runs, so Appa and I probably just aren't used to it.
This was Saeri's first time at church though, so she quickly became restless and fidgety. And to make matters worse, FMIL chose to sit in the pews near the front, instead of the balcony area in the back that was specially designated for families with young children. She talked rather loudly (she has no concept of an inside voice) to Saeri the whole time, and she kept lifting Saeri up, very likely blocking the view of any poor sap who chose to sit behind us. So damn embarrassing.
But Saeri was showered with compliments, even specially pointed out by the minister, and there's no easier way to a mother's heart than that. :D
FMIL is now using my positive feedback of this church to resume her infatiguable attempts at pressuring us to christen Saeri in a Protestant church. We've already discussed and decided, as the parents, to raise her in the Catholic church. Neither of us completely agree with Catholicism, but we agree that it's the religion that fits us best. But FMIL doesn't care about our opinions, and she's going to flip out when we finally get Saeri baptized lol.
Anyhow, when we got back to FMIL's house, we had brunch (made by Appa because we both hate his family's cooking) and the Easter egg hunt.. indoors. It was such a dreary, rainy Easter this year. Saeri is only 16.5 months old, so she didn't really understand the concept of the egg hunt. We left them in clusters on the floor, so she could easily see them. Appa wouldn't let her open up the eggs until she had gathered them all though, so Saeri got tired of egg hunting very quickly. She kept picking one up, then running off and turning her back towards us, trying to open the egg before Appa caught her rofl. In the end, Saeri got 48 eggs filled with treats, and we got to 'ohh' and 'ahh' over how cute she was running around in her Easter outfit. (For the record, Saeri is inherently cute. The fugly dress and shoes were bought by FMIL. The bolero and hair bow made it a little better.)
I bought the eggs really cheaply at Michael's for $1.50 per 24ct. bag. I also bought an 8-pack of travel-size cereal for $4.88 to fill the eggs with. I used the Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Golden Grahams, and the marshmallows from the Lucky Charms. I think it was pretty inexpensive for the variety of treats I could put in the eggs. They weren't the most healthy cereals, but holidays aren't about healthy anyway. ;) Plus it's better than a bunch of chocolate or jelly beans!
Saeri did get her own chocolate Easter bunny, of course. I just love love love her basket, white wicker with a pink eyelet lining and sized perfectly for a toddler! I had to wrap the handle with ribbon though, there were sharp wicker pieces sticking out all over the place.
We then filled the gap between brunch and dinner by taking a 3 hour long family nap. We really just wanted to get away from FMIL, but Saeri's naptime was a good excuse lol. Afterwards FMIL accused us of "leaving her alone on Easter" and "not being sensitive to the fact that FFIL just passed away", and she stormed out of the house. She truly is crazy, ugh. So we went and got her, came back and had (an awful) homecooked dinner, and finally went home around 11.00pm. Then she spent the following morning screaming at Appa for "never doing anything for her". I hate her.
And next is Mother's Day... yay.
But I know the holidays are super fun for Saeri, so that's all that matters.. right? :P She gets spoiled rotten! Unbelievable amounts of gifts and clothes and treats, it's nice to be a kid. :) FMIL used FFIL's death to guilt us into spending almost the entire Easter weekend with her this year. (I know it sounds awful, but it's definitely more disgusting to see her using something like that as a tool for manipulating others.) We didn't end up doing anything with my umma for Easter, ugh. Sunday itself seemed like a week long, but I'm happy that we survived it with only one minor FMIL incident.
We started off by attending Easter service at Church of the Saviour, a large United Methodist church. The building was GORGEOUS, I totally regret not getting a picture of it. I was really impressed with this church. There were ushers and greeters everywhere, and everybody was really warm and welcoming. It was relatively diverse for an Ohio church, and overall I liked the sense of community they had. They even had kiddie bags available to keep the children occupied (and quiet) during service, awesome! The only thing I didn't really like was that the service felt a bit choppy, like it didn't flow smoothly. FMIL said that's how Methodist service normally runs, so Appa and I probably just aren't used to it.
This was Saeri's first time at church though, so she quickly became restless and fidgety. And to make matters worse, FMIL chose to sit in the pews near the front, instead of the balcony area in the back that was specially designated for families with young children. She talked rather loudly (she has no concept of an inside voice) to Saeri the whole time, and she kept lifting Saeri up, very likely blocking the view of any poor sap who chose to sit behind us. So damn embarrassing.
But Saeri was showered with compliments, even specially pointed out by the minister, and there's no easier way to a mother's heart than that. :D
FMIL is now using my positive feedback of this church to resume her infatiguable attempts at pressuring us to christen Saeri in a Protestant church. We've already discussed and decided, as the parents, to raise her in the Catholic church. Neither of us completely agree with Catholicism, but we agree that it's the religion that fits us best. But FMIL doesn't care about our opinions, and she's going to flip out when we finally get Saeri baptized lol.
Anyhow, when we got back to FMIL's house, we had brunch (made by Appa because we both hate his family's cooking) and the Easter egg hunt.. indoors. It was such a dreary, rainy Easter this year. Saeri is only 16.5 months old, so she didn't really understand the concept of the egg hunt. We left them in clusters on the floor, so she could easily see them. Appa wouldn't let her open up the eggs until she had gathered them all though, so Saeri got tired of egg hunting very quickly. She kept picking one up, then running off and turning her back towards us, trying to open the egg before Appa caught her rofl. In the end, Saeri got 48 eggs filled with treats, and we got to 'ohh' and 'ahh' over how cute she was running around in her Easter outfit. (For the record, Saeri is inherently cute. The fugly dress and shoes were bought by FMIL. The bolero and hair bow made it a little better.)
I bought the eggs really cheaply at Michael's for $1.50 per 24ct. bag. I also bought an 8-pack of travel-size cereal for $4.88 to fill the eggs with. I used the Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Golden Grahams, and the marshmallows from the Lucky Charms. I think it was pretty inexpensive for the variety of treats I could put in the eggs. They weren't the most healthy cereals, but holidays aren't about healthy anyway. ;) Plus it's better than a bunch of chocolate or jelly beans!
Saeri did get her own chocolate Easter bunny, of course. I just love love love her basket, white wicker with a pink eyelet lining and sized perfectly for a toddler! I had to wrap the handle with ribbon though, there were sharp wicker pieces sticking out all over the place.
We then filled the gap between brunch and dinner by taking a 3 hour long family nap. We really just wanted to get away from FMIL, but Saeri's naptime was a good excuse lol. Afterwards FMIL accused us of "leaving her alone on Easter" and "not being sensitive to the fact that FFIL just passed away", and she stormed out of the house. She truly is crazy, ugh. So we went and got her, came back and had (an awful) homecooked dinner, and finally went home around 11.00pm. Then she spent the following morning screaming at Appa for "never doing anything for her". I hate her.
And next is Mother's Day... yay.
21 April 2011
First Week of Couponing
Couponing has been a lot of fun so far! I can't imagine being an extreme couponer, because I'm already spending at least an hour per day researching prices and trying to match coupons. It really could be a full-time job!
So my goal was to get the bill down to at least 50% of the original total. It hasn't gone quite that well so far, I'm at around 33%. But as I amass more coupons and create my mini-stockpile (no more than 2 months worth of anything), I think it'll be really easy to reach my goal. But I also don't think I'll do much better than my goal, since we buy a LOT of fresh produce very very often, and fresh produce is crazy expensive!
The main grocery stores around me are Giant Eagle, Heinen's, Acme, Marc's, and Walmart.
The main drugstores are CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Drugmart, Target, and Walmart.
Normally I'd only shop at Giant Eagle and CVS, but this past week I've made an effort to jump around, depending on who's got the best prices on certain items. I used to avoid that because I felt like the savings wouldn't be worth the cost in gas. But I wanted to change my attitude (sorry store loyalty!) to see if buying everything on sale would really save me money in the long run. All the stores are within a mile radius of each other anyway. It's waaaaaaaaaay too early to tell if I'm in fact saving any money, especially since I'm still having to impulse shop for immediate necessities a lot, but it definitely boosts your self-esteem when you look down at your receipt and see a "You've saved $29.83 today!" staring back at you. :D
For anyone in NE Ohio: Marc's has the lowest everyday prices, but Acme has the best deals each week. Similarly, Target and Walmart have the lowest prices, but Rite Aid and Walgreens have some amazing deals. Eventually I plan to shop at only 3-4 stores regularly... going to 6 each week would definitely suck.
And I've decided that using a coupon clipping service works best for my lifestyle. I may buy the first Sunday newspaper of each month, for those wonderful P&G coupons, but I should be able to get those from the coupon clipping services as well. I've used Coupon Carry-Out so far, and the great communication and quick shipping made for an excellent experience! But I think I'm going to try out Coupon Clippers next time, since they have lower minimums and a seemingly larger selection.
Here are some of the best deals I've personally scored this week. It's not "FREE!" or a "money maker", but I'm pretty happy with my results... for now. :)
Grocery
-Campbell's Cream of Mushroom/Cream of Chicken Soups $0.75/can
-Coca-Cola Can Soda 12pk $2.00/pack
-French's Dijon Mustard 12oz $0.98/bottle
-French's Spicy Brown Mustard 12oz $0.89/bottle
-Dole Canned Pineapple 20oz $0.73/can
-Birdseye Steamfresh Frozen Vegetables 12oz $0.65/bag
Household
-Seventh Generation Diapers $6.99/pack (originally $10.99!)
-Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Twin Pack $0.99/pack
-Olay Regenerist Facial Cleanser $2.99/bottle
-Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste 7oz $2.00/box
-Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush $1.59/brush
-Johnson & Johnson Head-to-Toe Baby Wash 15oz $1.99/bottle
Saving money is actually exhilarating whoo hoo! Who woulda ever thought shopaholic like me would ever utter such blasphemy lol?? xD
So my goal was to get the bill down to at least 50% of the original total. It hasn't gone quite that well so far, I'm at around 33%. But as I amass more coupons and create my mini-stockpile (no more than 2 months worth of anything), I think it'll be really easy to reach my goal. But I also don't think I'll do much better than my goal, since we buy a LOT of fresh produce very very often, and fresh produce is crazy expensive!
The main grocery stores around me are Giant Eagle, Heinen's, Acme, Marc's, and Walmart.
The main drugstores are CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Drugmart, Target, and Walmart.
Normally I'd only shop at Giant Eagle and CVS, but this past week I've made an effort to jump around, depending on who's got the best prices on certain items. I used to avoid that because I felt like the savings wouldn't be worth the cost in gas. But I wanted to change my attitude (sorry store loyalty!) to see if buying everything on sale would really save me money in the long run. All the stores are within a mile radius of each other anyway. It's waaaaaaaaaay too early to tell if I'm in fact saving any money, especially since I'm still having to impulse shop for immediate necessities a lot, but it definitely boosts your self-esteem when you look down at your receipt and see a "You've saved $29.83 today!" staring back at you. :D
For anyone in NE Ohio: Marc's has the lowest everyday prices, but Acme has the best deals each week. Similarly, Target and Walmart have the lowest prices, but Rite Aid and Walgreens have some amazing deals. Eventually I plan to shop at only 3-4 stores regularly... going to 6 each week would definitely suck.
And I've decided that using a coupon clipping service works best for my lifestyle. I may buy the first Sunday newspaper of each month, for those wonderful P&G coupons, but I should be able to get those from the coupon clipping services as well. I've used Coupon Carry-Out so far, and the great communication and quick shipping made for an excellent experience! But I think I'm going to try out Coupon Clippers next time, since they have lower minimums and a seemingly larger selection.
Here are some of the best deals I've personally scored this week. It's not "FREE!" or a "money maker", but I'm pretty happy with my results... for now. :)
Grocery
-Campbell's Cream of Mushroom/Cream of Chicken Soups $0.75/can
-Coca-Cola Can Soda 12pk $2.00/pack
-French's Dijon Mustard 12oz $0.98/bottle
-French's Spicy Brown Mustard 12oz $0.89/bottle
-Dole Canned Pineapple 20oz $0.73/can
-Birdseye Steamfresh Frozen Vegetables 12oz $0.65/bag
Household
-Seventh Generation Diapers $6.99/pack (originally $10.99!)
-Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Twin Pack $0.99/pack
-Olay Regenerist Facial Cleanser $2.99/bottle
-Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste 7oz $2.00/box
-Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush $1.59/brush
-Johnson & Johnson Head-to-Toe Baby Wash 15oz $1.99/bottle
Saving money is actually exhilarating whoo hoo! Who woulda ever thought shopaholic like me would ever utter such blasphemy lol?? xD
14 April 2011
Be Clean! Be Green! Be a DIY Queen!
It's amazing how many cleaning products I grew up with and thought was necessary. I really believed I had to use Windex for glass, Pledge for wood, 409 for kitchen surfaces, Clorox for toilets, Drano for plumbing clogs, Swiffer for floors... you get the idea. American marketing and consumerism at its best, I suppose. *face palm*
But then I became pregnant, and with pregnancy came incessant and obsessive googling. All the toxins in household cleaners really started to freak me out. That's when google showed me that other mommy bloggers were all about VINEGAR, the white distilled kind. I was pretty reluctant at first; I had avoided vinegar like the plague growing up because I couldn't stand the smell. But just 1 week of continuous use made me into a wholehearted convert!
Vinegar is A.MA.ZING. because it is:
-super cheap (64 fl.oz. for ~$3)
-natural and non-toxic (safe for children)
-effectively anti-bacterial (kills bacteria, germs, viruses, mold)
-crazy versatile (use it to clean toilets, laundry, hardwood, stainless, etc... google it!)
With all these pros, who cares about that damn smell? It really does dissipate within an hour, I didn't believe it either. Just get a pair of well-fitting latex gloves specifically for cleaning, and you're good to go!
:: end over-enthusiastic vinegar rave ::
DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Ingredients
-1 part white distilled vinegar
-1 part water
-1 tbsp Dr. Bronner's organic castile liquid soap
-20-30 drops tea tree oil
Directions
Combine all ingredients and shake! I also recommend a quick shake before each use.
I use this cleaner for almost everything (except glass and floors). Countertops, sinks, stove top, drip pans, toilets, toys... it really is my all-in-one! I bought an empty spray bottle for just a couple bucks from Walmart's gardening section, and so far it's held up perfectly to all that acidity.
DIY Hand Soap
Ingredients
-1 part Dr. Bronner's organic castile liquid soap
-2 parts water
Directions
Fill the bottle a third of the way with the Dr. Bronner's liquid soap. You can use more or less, depending on your preference. Then add water and stir them together (I like to use a chopstick).
This is my extremely simple recipe for hand soap. I LOVE Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap, and it's worked out wonderfully for us as an ingredient in various cleaners. It's super gentle yet cleans really thoroughly, even through grease or lotion. It does dry out my hands though, so I keep a bottle of Curel right next to the hand soap, to keep my hands forever young. ;) This method doesn't seem that cheap at first, considering I used to get Softsoap handsoaps for $1 each, but just one 32 fl.oz. bottle lasts me a whole year, even though I use it to continuously refill several homemade cleaners! Coupled with the foaming bottles I bought off ebay (foamers use mostly water and only a fraction of product), in the long run it's definitely been saving us money, whoo hoo! :)
Vinegar is A.MA.ZING. because it is:
-super cheap (64 fl.oz. for ~$3)
-natural and non-toxic (safe for children)
-effectively anti-bacterial (kills bacteria, germs, viruses, mold)
-crazy versatile (use it to clean toilets, laundry, hardwood, stainless, etc... google it!)
With all these pros, who cares about that damn smell? It really does dissipate within an hour, I didn't believe it either. Just get a pair of well-fitting latex gloves specifically for cleaning, and you're good to go!
:: end over-enthusiastic vinegar rave ::
DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Ingredients
-1 part white distilled vinegar
-1 part water
-1 tbsp Dr. Bronner's organic castile liquid soap
-20-30 drops tea tree oil
Directions
Combine all ingredients and shake! I also recommend a quick shake before each use.
I use this cleaner for almost everything (except glass and floors). Countertops, sinks, stove top, drip pans, toilets, toys... it really is my all-in-one! I bought an empty spray bottle for just a couple bucks from Walmart's gardening section, and so far it's held up perfectly to all that acidity.
DIY Hand Soap
Ingredients
-1 part Dr. Bronner's organic castile liquid soap
-2 parts water
Directions
Fill the bottle a third of the way with the Dr. Bronner's liquid soap. You can use more or less, depending on your preference. Then add water and stir them together (I like to use a chopstick).
This is my extremely simple recipe for hand soap. I LOVE Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap, and it's worked out wonderfully for us as an ingredient in various cleaners. It's super gentle yet cleans really thoroughly, even through grease or lotion. It does dry out my hands though, so I keep a bottle of Curel right next to the hand soap, to keep my hands forever young. ;) This method doesn't seem that cheap at first, considering I used to get Softsoap handsoaps for $1 each, but just one 32 fl.oz. bottle lasts me a whole year, even though I use it to continuously refill several homemade cleaners! Coupled with the foaming bottles I bought off ebay (foamers use mostly water and only a fraction of product), in the long run it's definitely been saving us money, whoo hoo! :)
13 April 2011
Free VERA WANG glasses? Check!
*clears throat*
I just totally got a FREE pair of Vera Wang eyeglass frames complete with prescription lenses that have AR, UV, and SR coatings, for FREE. Did I say that already? FREE!
*dances around gleefully while laughing maniacally*
Well.. I did have to pay around $20 worth of shipping and handling, but I just saved $128.00! Not too shabby, if you ask me.
So how did I do it? By being a regular reader of Moms Need To Know of course! :) She posted about a free glasses promotion from CoastalContacts.com. All you had to do was 'Like' their facebook page, and then the coupon code would automatically show up. The promotion started at 12.00PM EDT today, April 13th, and the first 10,000 people would be able to use that code for a free pair of glasses.
The fine print?
-Some eyeglass frames are excluded from this offer. My $128.00 Vera Wangs were not, so I think most frames apply.
-People who have previously gotten a free pair of glasses through them cannot participate.
-There is a limit of 1 order per household.
-There cannot be multiple orders from the same household or computer.
-This offer includes one pair of frames with 1.5 index prescription lenses. You must pay the difference for any upgrades
(i.e. thinner lenses, coatings, tinting, etc.)
-You must pay shipping and handling.
It may be too late now, but don't despair because you'll likely get another chance!!! Coastal Contacts seems to run this promotion every couple weeks, so keep an eye out on their facebook page. I want to help my umma get a free pair next time! :D
I'll update on the quality when I receive them. I'm guessing it'll be about 2 weeks.
Nonetheless... YAY!!!
I just totally got a FREE pair of Vera Wang eyeglass frames complete with prescription lenses that have AR, UV, and SR coatings, for FREE. Did I say that already? FREE!
*dances around gleefully while laughing maniacally*
Well.. I did have to pay around $20 worth of shipping and handling, but I just saved $128.00! Not too shabby, if you ask me.
So how did I do it? By being a regular reader of Moms Need To Know of course! :) She posted about a free glasses promotion from CoastalContacts.com. All you had to do was 'Like' their facebook page, and then the coupon code would automatically show up. The promotion started at 12.00PM EDT today, April 13th, and the first 10,000 people would be able to use that code for a free pair of glasses.
The fine print?
-Some eyeglass frames are excluded from this offer. My $128.00 Vera Wangs were not, so I think most frames apply.
-People who have previously gotten a free pair of glasses through them cannot participate.
-There is a limit of 1 order per household.
-There cannot be multiple orders from the same household or computer.
-This offer includes one pair of frames with 1.5 index prescription lenses. You must pay the difference for any upgrades
(i.e. thinner lenses, coatings, tinting, etc.)
-You must pay shipping and handling.
It may be too late now, but don't despair because you'll likely get another chance!!! Coastal Contacts seems to run this promotion every couple weeks, so keep an eye out on their facebook page. I want to help my umma get a free pair next time! :D
I'll update on the quality when I receive them. I'm guessing it'll be about 2 weeks.
Nonetheless... YAY!!!
12 April 2011
Chaos
My future father-in-law passed away this past Friday evening, at 10.46PM. He was taken off the ventilator around 8.00PM, and he left this world on his own terms, at the time of his choosing, surrounded by family (and an army of nurses, doctors, and social workers). It still feels surreal, and I'm constantly feeling like I should be preparing to get back to the hospital. There will be no viewing, no funeral service, no burial. There'll be a memorial service sometime in June, where family will gather at a baseball game--his absolute favorite sport--to spread his ashes on the field.
It's hard.
We miss you so much.
We love you very much.
But we're happy that you're finally in peace.
Saeri has been extremely fussy lately. The whole weekend was dedicated to my father-in-law, and all the sadness and tension affected her too. She doesn't understand what's going on, but I think our behavior is scaring her. I'm having a lot of trouble being patient with her; I just feel irritated and depressed and sluggish. Blah.
We've finally finished the move into my umma's house. Our stuff is EVERYWHERE. I can't seem to get anything done though because Saeri starts screaming for my attention after 10 minutes. And Appa will be staying with his mother for 2-6 weeks, to help her cope, so anything that includes heavy lifting or tools (which is everything) has been put on hold. Ugh.
I've decided to try out couponing for a month. I admit that the previews for TLC's Extreme Couponing has piqued my interest. I'm still having a tough time finding a job--there just aren't many even available--so I'm looking into lowering our budget. Couponing really appeals to my Type-A, OCD personality: there's so much opportunity for list-making and organization!
Now, I know I won't be the one getting $650 worth of groceries for just $6. We're picky about our refrigerated necessities (i.e. milk, eggs, cheese, butter), so it's likely I won't be saving on those. But I'll be ecstatic if I can get at least 50% off each trip! We'll see how this goes, it requires a TON of research, preparation, and basic math. If I'm fairly successful, I may even expand into drugstore couponing! o_O
Kudos to these ladies who have the forbearance to do it full-time and actually make money with coupons too! :)
It's hard.
We miss you so much.
We love you very much.
But we're happy that you're finally in peace.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Saeri has been extremely fussy lately. The whole weekend was dedicated to my father-in-law, and all the sadness and tension affected her too. She doesn't understand what's going on, but I think our behavior is scaring her. I'm having a lot of trouble being patient with her; I just feel irritated and depressed and sluggish. Blah.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
We've finally finished the move into my umma's house. Our stuff is EVERYWHERE. I can't seem to get anything done though because Saeri starts screaming for my attention after 10 minutes. And Appa will be staying with his mother for 2-6 weeks, to help her cope, so anything that includes heavy lifting or tools (which is everything) has been put on hold. Ugh.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Now, I know I won't be the one getting $650 worth of groceries for just $6. We're picky about our refrigerated necessities (i.e. milk, eggs, cheese, butter), so it's likely I won't be saving on those. But I'll be ecstatic if I can get at least 50% off each trip! We'll see how this goes, it requires a TON of research, preparation, and basic math. If I'm fairly successful, I may even expand into drugstore couponing! o_O
Kudos to these ladies who have the forbearance to do it full-time and actually make money with coupons too! :)
07 April 2011
The ABCs of Crazy Umma
A. Age: 26 (my Korean age is 28 bah)
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore you hate: IRONING ugh. I really REALLY need a garment steamer!
D. Dogs: No way, I'm so not an animal person. I have an adorable god-puppy named Bailey though! :)
E. Essential start to your day: Checking my email and bank account. I'm an accountant, nuff said. :P
F. Favorite color: White, it's so simple and clean.
G. Gold or silver: Gold... I've accepted that I'm an old lady now.
H. Height: 5'6"
I. Instruments: Piano, violin, and flute as a kid... very Asian, I know lol.
J. Job title: SAHM! :D
K. Kids: Lianna Saeri, almost 16 months old, crazy!
L. Live: Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio... I'd like to move immediately please.
M. Mom’s name: Hyon
N. Nicknames: I was never cool enough to have a nickname xP
O. Overnight hospital stays: Giving birth to my first and only child in December 2009
P. Pet peeve: People who rattle off a million excuses as to why they're justified, when they're actually in the wrong.
Q. Quote from a movie: Anyone who knows me, knows that I have the worst short-term memory for someone with a perfectly functioning brain. I can't remember anything about a movie a week after I watch it.
R. Right or left handed: Righty represent!
S. Siblings: 1 younger brother
T. Time you wake up: ... late. I've got to fix this.
U. Underwear: Victoria's Secret cotton hipsters
V. Vegetables you dislike: Cauliflower, they look like wannabe broccoli.
W. What makes you run late: Myself. I'm just slow.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Lots and lots of dental x-rays, my poor parents got stuck with a kid who had dracula teeth.
Y. Yummy food you make: Every single thing I make is amazing damnit... or at least that's what Appa always tells me. o_O xD
Z. Zoo-favorite animal: None, I'm just not an animal person blah. The way Asians animate animals is pretty cute though.
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore you hate: IRONING ugh. I really REALLY need a garment steamer!
D. Dogs: No way, I'm so not an animal person. I have an adorable god-puppy named Bailey though! :)
E. Essential start to your day: Checking my email and bank account. I'm an accountant, nuff said. :P
F. Favorite color: White, it's so simple and clean.
G. Gold or silver: Gold... I've accepted that I'm an old lady now.
H. Height: 5'6"
I. Instruments: Piano, violin, and flute as a kid... very Asian, I know lol.
J. Job title: SAHM! :D
K. Kids: Lianna Saeri, almost 16 months old, crazy!
L. Live: Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio... I'd like to move immediately please.
M. Mom’s name: Hyon
N. Nicknames: I was never cool enough to have a nickname xP
O. Overnight hospital stays: Giving birth to my first and only child in December 2009
P. Pet peeve: People who rattle off a million excuses as to why they're justified, when they're actually in the wrong.
Q. Quote from a movie: Anyone who knows me, knows that I have the worst short-term memory for someone with a perfectly functioning brain. I can't remember anything about a movie a week after I watch it.
R. Right or left handed: Righty represent!
S. Siblings: 1 younger brother
T. Time you wake up: ... late. I've got to fix this.
U. Underwear: Victoria's Secret cotton hipsters
V. Vegetables you dislike: Cauliflower, they look like wannabe broccoli.
W. What makes you run late: Myself. I'm just slow.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Lots and lots of dental x-rays, my poor parents got stuck with a kid who had dracula teeth.
Y. Yummy food you make: Every single thing I make is amazing damnit... or at least that's what Appa always tells me. o_O xD
Z. Zoo-favorite animal: None, I'm just not an animal person blah. The way Asians animate animals is pretty cute though.
04 April 2011
Healthy Healthy Healthy! (Or Not)
Since my latest trip to the grocery store, I've been wondering what type of packaged snacks are healthy enough for my growing toddler. Obviously I don't feed her chips or candy or soda... but the mommy-blogosphere seems to be filled with super moms who make their own kid snacks or can afford organic ones. I am in awe of these women, but I have to admit that I'm just not one of them. A lot of times I actually feel pretty pathetic for not making ALL of our meals and snacks and drinks from complete scratch with organic ingredients... but somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that I just can't afford the time or the money at this point in time.
I'm in the middle of a job search, and I hope to be back in the workforce within the next month. This whole experience has been pretty depressing as well, but that probably deserves its very own post. Going back to work means that I'll have very little time during the week to cook or prepare snacks. *hides face in shame*
I should say that I am NOT knocking moms who work full-time. I think you're amazing women for being able to balance work and home, something I know I won't be able to handle very well. Personally I've never had any personal career ambitions (not even a little), and I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. So the thought of going back to work full-time--and leaving my baby in daycare for NINE hours a day--is unbelievably depressing and frightening. I hate being poor.
Anyhow, I'm not about to buy snacks purely based on convenience though. I went through all the trouble of cloth diapering just because it's healthier for her little bum, so I certainly don't plan to buy crap with high levels of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, sodium, trans fat, MSG.. basically all that bad stuff they keep sensationalizing in the news. Now I'm not gungho enough to eliminate them completely from our household diet; I'm a firm believer in the mantra: "Everything in moderation!"
So what are the readily available packaged snacks needing ZERO preparation that I deem worthy enough to be ingested by my precious baby? For better or for bashing, here's my picks:
-mozzarella string cheese
-yogurt
-chocolate pudding
-rice pudding
-organic unsweetened apple sauce
-whole grain Goldfish
-strawberry Fig Newtons
-vanilla wafers
-ginger snaps
-plain or honey nut Cheerios
-thin pretzel sticks
-crackers
-Cheez-Its
-Chex Mix
-granola bars
-Mum-Mums
-any Korean rice snacks (sooooo healthy!)
BUT when I do have a bit of time, these are some snacks that need very minimal preparation:
-fresh fruit
-hard-boiled eggs
-steamed vegetables
-steamed sweet potato
-avocado
-plain cooked pasta (usually rotini or wheels)
-toasted whole grain bread topped with peanut butter, Nutella, or apple sauce
-whole grain Eggos
-frozen chicken nuggets/tenders
-frozen soft pretzels
-frozen fish sticks
-tiny balls of cooked rice wrapped inside toasted seaweed
I know I'm crazy lucky to have a baby without allergies and who's not picky in the least. This is true for everyone on both sides of our family though, so maybe it's a genetic and/or nurture thing. She's been eating the same exact meals as us since she was 11 months old. The pureed food stage didn't last very long at all lol.
We also only give her whole milk, Korean barley water, bottled water, and soy milk on a regular basis. She gets very limited quantities (no more than 4 oz. in a day) of orange, apple, or grape juice occasionally--too much citric acid easily gives her diarrhea yuck.
Ah, who knew food could be so stressful? :)
I'm in the middle of a job search, and I hope to be back in the workforce within the next month. This whole experience has been pretty depressing as well, but that probably deserves its very own post. Going back to work means that I'll have very little time during the week to cook or prepare snacks. *hides face in shame*
I should say that I am NOT knocking moms who work full-time. I think you're amazing women for being able to balance work and home, something I know I won't be able to handle very well. Personally I've never had any personal career ambitions (not even a little), and I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. So the thought of going back to work full-time--and leaving my baby in daycare for NINE hours a day--is unbelievably depressing and frightening. I hate being poor.
Anyhow, I'm not about to buy snacks purely based on convenience though. I went through all the trouble of cloth diapering just because it's healthier for her little bum, so I certainly don't plan to buy crap with high levels of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, sodium, trans fat, MSG.. basically all that bad stuff they keep sensationalizing in the news. Now I'm not gungho enough to eliminate them completely from our household diet; I'm a firm believer in the mantra: "Everything in moderation!"
So what are the readily available packaged snacks needing ZERO preparation that I deem worthy enough to be ingested by my precious baby? For better or for bashing, here's my picks:
-mozzarella string cheese
-yogurt
-chocolate pudding
-rice pudding
-organic unsweetened apple sauce
-whole grain Goldfish
-strawberry Fig Newtons
-vanilla wafers
-ginger snaps
-plain or honey nut Cheerios
-thin pretzel sticks
-crackers
-Cheez-Its
-Chex Mix
-granola bars
-Mum-Mums
-any Korean rice snacks (sooooo healthy!)
BUT when I do have a bit of time, these are some snacks that need very minimal preparation:
-fresh fruit
-hard-boiled eggs
-steamed vegetables
-steamed sweet potato
-avocado
-plain cooked pasta (usually rotini or wheels)
-toasted whole grain bread topped with peanut butter, Nutella, or apple sauce
-whole grain Eggos
-frozen chicken nuggets/tenders
-frozen soft pretzels
-frozen fish sticks
-tiny balls of cooked rice wrapped inside toasted seaweed
I know I'm crazy lucky to have a baby without allergies and who's not picky in the least. This is true for everyone on both sides of our family though, so maybe it's a genetic and/or nurture thing. She's been eating the same exact meals as us since she was 11 months old. The pureed food stage didn't last very long at all lol.
We also only give her whole milk, Korean barley water, bottled water, and soy milk on a regular basis. She gets very limited quantities (no more than 4 oz. in a day) of orange, apple, or grape juice occasionally--too much citric acid easily gives her diarrhea yuck.
Ah, who knew food could be so stressful? :)
20 March 2011
Rant
Dear racist, fat, ignorant, self-absorbed, money-obsessed white woman:
You work in a department which aims to protect the diversity of your organization. You act appalled and offended when others say or do racist things. You constantly brag about how you are so not racist, that you adopted your "firstborn" from Asia.
And then you have the audacity to tell me I don't understand your culture. Your AMERICAN culture?
I'm sorry, I was born here. In the city of brotherly love, in fact. And last time I checked, ALL Americans had a heritage originating from a different country.
You don't deserve to have the son you do, he's too good for you. You treat him like shit time and time again, despite his consistent attempts to appease you. He feels so grateful that you adopted him and gave him a home, but the shithole of a "home" you gave him isn't worth the dirt it sits on. You do not treat him like your two, biological, sons, perhaps because he's not biological or perhaps because he's not of the same race. Either way, the only person who actually deserves your unconditional love, is the only one you do not give it to. You are the worst mother I have ever seen.
I have never been so happy that someone has left my life. I hope to never meet you again. But fate is never so kind.
Love,
Me.
You work in a department which aims to protect the diversity of your organization. You act appalled and offended when others say or do racist things. You constantly brag about how you are so not racist, that you adopted your "firstborn" from Asia.
And then you have the audacity to tell me I don't understand your culture. Your AMERICAN culture?
I'm sorry, I was born here. In the city of brotherly love, in fact. And last time I checked, ALL Americans had a heritage originating from a different country.
You don't deserve to have the son you do, he's too good for you. You treat him like shit time and time again, despite his consistent attempts to appease you. He feels so grateful that you adopted him and gave him a home, but the shithole of a "home" you gave him isn't worth the dirt it sits on. You do not treat him like your two, biological, sons, perhaps because he's not biological or perhaps because he's not of the same race. Either way, the only person who actually deserves your unconditional love, is the only one you do not give it to. You are the worst mother I have ever seen.
I have never been so happy that someone has left my life. I hope to never meet you again. But fate is never so kind.
Love,
Me.
18 March 2011
Let's Review Some Baby Shoes!
Everything 'baby' is just so adorable, isn't it? Little bath robes, tiny hats, miniature t-shirts.. just makes me want to squeal with delight! :D
Teeny meeny wittle shoesies are no exception! (Okay, no more creepy baby talk in this post, promise! :P) I actually didn't buy any shoes or booties for Saeri until she was able to stand up on her own. No shoes are worn inside this Asian home, and she was carried when we were out and about. So I spent the unused funds on Rufflebutts and BabyLegs instead muahahaha! xD
Ah, but then came 10 months, and she decided to master walking. She had been taking unassisted wobbly steps since she was 5 months old, but there wasn't much progress over the following 5 months. Secretly I was a bit worried, silly as that sounds. Both of the grandmothers constantly bragged about how both Appa and I had started walking early at 9 months, but Saeri still seemed more interested in crawling at that age. But a few days after she turned 10 months old, something clicked and she was walking around like a champ!
Anyhow, all of a sudden we needed baby shoes. She began refusing to let us hold her when we went out; she wanted to walk and run and explore all on her own! My umma bought her some Robeez (by Stride Rite), and FMIL constantly raved about Stride Rite (even though she never bought them, just cheapo crap from discount stores). I did my usual googling, and I discovered that other moms were raving about Pediped and Bobux.
With infants who aren't walking, buying super cute (and super cheap) shoes from retailers like Old Navy or Target are just fine IMO. They won't constantly be putting their weight on their feet, so their feet and back don't need all the cushioning yet.
Then you've got pre-walkers/early walkers and walkers/runners/juniors. Uh.. what?? From my extensive googling (lol), it seems that babies go through 3 stages on their way from non-walker to full-time walker.
Stage 1 (non-walker): not walking, perhaps crawling, maybe taking a few shaky
steps before falling
Stage 2 (pre-walker): can stand up unassisted, highly interested in and motivated
to walk as much as possible
Stage 3 (walker): walking around and getting into everything without any hint
of exhaustion
Pre-walkers need something to protect their feet from sharp things on the ground, but the soles should be thinner so they can still feel the ground and properly develop their balancing skills. And walkers obviously need all the same protection that adults do--maybe even a bit more since those little feet are just so precious!
I believe having proper footwear is essential for children, so I have no qualms about spending a lot of money (can you hear Appa groaning in the background?) for shoes that are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Assoication and moms alike. I want to give her feet and back all the comforts I can afford! :)
Blah blah blah... yes, I can hear you, dear readers lol. Let's get on to those reviews!
My umma impulsively bought these Robeez on one of our first outings with Saeri to the mall. I wasn't in love with them, but my umma was absolutely gushing so I couldn't deny her this halmuhni-pleasure. We ended up getting SO MANY compliments on them though, by friends and strangers alike, so kudos to you umma! But I quickly noticed that the back elastic wasn't well-designed and actually made it more difficult to get her foot in.
My FMIL bought these Skidders from Target, which are basically like thick socks with non-skid bottoms. The floors of our home get so cold in the winter, but I can't put socks on her since she'll slip and fall... something she's been doing a lot lately, poor thing. These shoes are totally shaped like clown shoes, but I absolutely love the concept. Too bad my crazy daughter refuses to keep them on. So I guess she'll just have to deal with her cold feet while indoors!
When Saeri's dohl was coming up, I bought these Pedipeds for her to wear. OMG Mom was raving about Pedipeds, and when I checked out the site, I fell in love with these pink patent lovelies. The quilted stitching gave them a little special something over your typical mary janes. When I received them, I unfortunately discovered that they were way too big for her, and Appa surprisingly had an opinion about them--he didn't like the black soles. He's since changed his thinking, since the black soles show barely any sign of wear or dirt lol. She's been wearing them recently, as her feet have finally grown into them, and I don't like how the patent creases so badly and easily. It'll be real leather uppers from now on. It doesn't matter anymore though, see anything missing in the picture below? Yesterday one poor shoe slipped off to its death, into the mob of drunken high school and college kids skipping classes to get rowdy at the St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown. *sigh*
So when I found the Pedipeds were too big, Saeri still needed shoes for her dohl. I searched and searched and finally found these adorable Bobux shoes! They don't look so great online, but I couldn't believe how gorgeous they were in person! The shoe is unbelievably well-made, with a buttery-soft leather upper and hidden slits in the back to easily get baby's foot in. There's a rhinestone in the middle of the leather flower too! The only thing I don't like, is the bottom of the shoe. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely non-skid and functionally perfect for a baby who's just started walking. But the design isn't so great for formal pictures... like, say, when she's wearing a fancy silk dress and sitting on her umma's lap and the bottom of the shoe can be seen when the expensive professional photographer is taking portraits. Argh. She eventually ripped off one of the flowers while we were out, and it came time for her to have shoes without any adornments on it. Too bad Bobux doesn't have more styles in their Pre-Walk selection!
All in all, my recommendations are definitely with Pediped and Bobux. They're not as readily available in local brick-and-mortar stores as Robeez or Stride Rite, but I think the quality and style is exceptional. Bobux leans more towards comfort and Pediped towards style, but I'm more than pleased with both brands. Both companies have super fast shipping and amazing customer service too!
I've been looking for new baby shoes yet again, and it's disappointing to see that shoes for early walkers aren't as cute. I'm just not feeling the thick exposed rubber soles, meh. So I decided that they're really not necessary for Saeri yet lol. I went ahead and committed to these Pediped mary janes! :D
Can you tell I'm partial to pink mary janes? :)
Teeny meeny wittle shoesies are no exception! (Okay, no more creepy baby talk in this post, promise! :P) I actually didn't buy any shoes or booties for Saeri until she was able to stand up on her own. No shoes are worn inside this Asian home, and she was carried when we were out and about. So I spent the unused funds on Rufflebutts and BabyLegs instead muahahaha! xD
Ah, but then came 10 months, and she decided to master walking. She had been taking unassisted wobbly steps since she was 5 months old, but there wasn't much progress over the following 5 months. Secretly I was a bit worried, silly as that sounds. Both of the grandmothers constantly bragged about how both Appa and I had started walking early at 9 months, but Saeri still seemed more interested in crawling at that age. But a few days after she turned 10 months old, something clicked and she was walking around like a champ!
Anyhow, all of a sudden we needed baby shoes. She began refusing to let us hold her when we went out; she wanted to walk and run and explore all on her own! My umma bought her some Robeez (by Stride Rite), and FMIL constantly raved about Stride Rite (even though she never bought them, just cheapo crap from discount stores). I did my usual googling, and I discovered that other moms were raving about Pediped and Bobux.
With infants who aren't walking, buying super cute (and super cheap) shoes from retailers like Old Navy or Target are just fine IMO. They won't constantly be putting their weight on their feet, so their feet and back don't need all the cushioning yet.
Then you've got pre-walkers/early walkers and walkers/runners/juniors. Uh.. what?? From my extensive googling (lol), it seems that babies go through 3 stages on their way from non-walker to full-time walker.
Stage 1 (non-walker): not walking, perhaps crawling, maybe taking a few shaky
steps before falling
Stage 2 (pre-walker): can stand up unassisted, highly interested in and motivated
to walk as much as possible
Stage 3 (walker): walking around and getting into everything without any hint
of exhaustion
Pre-walkers need something to protect their feet from sharp things on the ground, but the soles should be thinner so they can still feel the ground and properly develop their balancing skills. And walkers obviously need all the same protection that adults do--maybe even a bit more since those little feet are just so precious!
I believe having proper footwear is essential for children, so I have no qualms about spending a lot of money (can you hear Appa groaning in the background?) for shoes that are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Assoication and moms alike. I want to give her feet and back all the comforts I can afford! :)
Blah blah blah... yes, I can hear you, dear readers lol. Let's get on to those reviews!
My umma impulsively bought these Robeez on one of our first outings with Saeri to the mall. I wasn't in love with them, but my umma was absolutely gushing so I couldn't deny her this halmuhni-pleasure. We ended up getting SO MANY compliments on them though, by friends and strangers alike, so kudos to you umma! But I quickly noticed that the back elastic wasn't well-designed and actually made it more difficult to get her foot in.
My FMIL bought these Skidders from Target, which are basically like thick socks with non-skid bottoms. The floors of our home get so cold in the winter, but I can't put socks on her since she'll slip and fall... something she's been doing a lot lately, poor thing. These shoes are totally shaped like clown shoes, but I absolutely love the concept. Too bad my crazy daughter refuses to keep them on. So I guess she'll just have to deal with her cold feet while indoors!
When Saeri's dohl was coming up, I bought these Pedipeds for her to wear. OMG Mom was raving about Pedipeds, and when I checked out the site, I fell in love with these pink patent lovelies. The quilted stitching gave them a little special something over your typical mary janes. When I received them, I unfortunately discovered that they were way too big for her, and Appa surprisingly had an opinion about them--he didn't like the black soles. He's since changed his thinking, since the black soles show barely any sign of wear or dirt lol. She's been wearing them recently, as her feet have finally grown into them, and I don't like how the patent creases so badly and easily. It'll be real leather uppers from now on. It doesn't matter anymore though, see anything missing in the picture below? Yesterday one poor shoe slipped off to its death, into the mob of drunken high school and college kids skipping classes to get rowdy at the St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown. *sigh*
So when I found the Pedipeds were too big, Saeri still needed shoes for her dohl. I searched and searched and finally found these adorable Bobux shoes! They don't look so great online, but I couldn't believe how gorgeous they were in person! The shoe is unbelievably well-made, with a buttery-soft leather upper and hidden slits in the back to easily get baby's foot in. There's a rhinestone in the middle of the leather flower too! The only thing I don't like, is the bottom of the shoe. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely non-skid and functionally perfect for a baby who's just started walking. But the design isn't so great for formal pictures... like, say, when she's wearing a fancy silk dress and sitting on her umma's lap and the bottom of the shoe can be seen when the expensive professional photographer is taking portraits. Argh. She eventually ripped off one of the flowers while we were out, and it came time for her to have shoes without any adornments on it. Too bad Bobux doesn't have more styles in their Pre-Walk selection!
All in all, my recommendations are definitely with Pediped and Bobux. They're not as readily available in local brick-and-mortar stores as Robeez or Stride Rite, but I think the quality and style is exceptional. Bobux leans more towards comfort and Pediped towards style, but I'm more than pleased with both brands. Both companies have super fast shipping and amazing customer service too!
I've been looking for new baby shoes yet again, and it's disappointing to see that shoes for early walkers aren't as cute. I'm just not feeling the thick exposed rubber soles, meh. So I decided that they're really not necessary for Saeri yet lol. I went ahead and committed to these Pediped mary janes! :D
Can you tell I'm partial to pink mary janes? :)
16 March 2011
My Poor Frankenbaby
It's really heart-wrenching when your baby gets hurt. Whether it turns out to be a minor scrape or a broken bone, the initial shock is pretty intense. Or... maybe I'm just more dramatic than most people? :P
Last week, my FMIL wanted to spend 2 days/1 night at a local hotel with her grandbaby for her birthday. We--as the grandbaby's parents--were reluctantly invited along as well. -_-; The only person I trust to babysit Saeri is my own umma, and I require her to stay at home and not take her anywhere while babysitting. I know I've got some trust/attachment/dependence issues... but more on that another time. :)
First off, this hotel was so dirty! It's an older hotel that used to be upscale back in the day, but it obviously hasn't been well-kept. Why the crap does it still have 3.5 stars? I know the Cleveland tourist market isn't great, but way to permanently scare away any tourists who might venture here! We stayed in what was supposed to be a suite, but I can't believe how disappointing it was. Both keys barely worked (had to jam it in repeatedly), the carpets were littered with giant stains, both TV remotes desperately needed a change of batteries, the glass cordials looked like they hadn't been properly washed in years, some of the sheets had stains (ew!), the coffee maker was dead, there was exactly ONE towel for 3 adults and 1 baby, and the metal was peeling off the provided crib! Oh.Mah.Freaking.Gah.
But the best part? The appalling lack of customer service! Shall we discuss just one of the instances which warrant such a bold claim? A complimentary breakfast was included in our package, and it was set up buffet style so we got several plates to share. When it was nearing the end of the 'breakfast period', one of the cafeteria workers came out and asked if she could clear our plates... when we clearly were NOT done eating. Obviously we declined, but then she had the audacity to emphatically tell us that the dishwasher would be leaving soon, this would be the last and final time she would come around, and so could she have our plates? Um.. let me think... EFF NO. What does the dishwasher leaving have to do with hospitality?? But it doesn't end there! This same worker takes the time to find out our suite number and goes knocking on the door to find my FMIL. Well she got an even angrier response from my FMIL lol. We then complained at the front desk and asked for the Food & Beverage Manager... who never came. We also dealt with a janitor who kept mopping underneath our table while we were still sitting there, and the food was swarmed by fruit flies halfway into our meal. WTF. I would never recommend this shit hotel to anyone!
So back to the original point of this post, Saeri ended up getting her 1st major boo-boo during this trip. Remember how I mentioned that I have attachment issues with my baby? Well on the 2nd day, FMIL offered to take a walk with her before lunch, so that Appa and I could get some rest. I felt so so so reluctant, because she was planning to take her outside the hotel, but I quietly agreed since I was supposed to be working on letting go. They were supposed to be gone for an hour, but imagine my surprise when they were back at the door after just 10 minutes. And Saeri's nose was bright red. FMIL kept apologizing, and at first I didn't really grasp why; I thought her nose had gotten rosy from the winter air outside. Then it clicked and I FREAKED.. inside my head. Somehow I was able to keep my cool outwardly and not punch my FMIL in the face. I could tell it was pretty scraped up from her nose all the way to her forehead, but it didn't seem too bad since only the tip of her nose was red and bleeding. And then a day passed, and the entire region had darkened considerably. It may be irrational, but I was so furious with both Appa and myself for allowing my borderline-obese FMIL to be alone with a hyperactive 15 month old. Is that harsh? Yes, I fully admit that. But she is getting old, her body is deteriorating, and she's very large... all of which mean that it's nearly impossible for her to react quickly enough if my toddler suddenly runs off and trips on a cement sidewalk littered with sharp chunks of salt. Poor Saeri basically slid on her FACE! :'(
Here's a picture of what my cutie normally looks like (I know I'm totally biased lol):
And here's how she looked about a week after she first got the scrape:
I know, I know, it's not the worst thing that could've happened. But I feel so discouraged everytime she rubs her face because the scabs are itchy... I still feel so guilty that I wasn't there. Bah.
15 March 2011
It's Not Chocolate
Saeri ate her own poo.
*record screech*
Uh... WHAT?!
This isn't something I particularly wanted to announce on the internet, so there's no accompanying photo. Sorry... or rather, you're welcome?
It was the 3rd day of attempting to potty train, and to say it wasn't going well is a gross understatement. Yea, not going well AT ALL. She peed next to the potty 7 times. 7 times!!! RIGHT NEXT TO THE POTTY! Ugh. I would sit her on the potty for around 15-20 minutes, giving her lots of smiles and encouragement, and then I'd figure her bladder wasn't quite full enough yet and let her go on her way. She'd take a lap around the living room... and then come back to the potty and unleash a puddle right next to it, wtf!
But that was not to be the worst part of my day. No, my daughter was not done with my nerves just yet. After her 6th pee-next-to-the-potty incident, I decided to give her bum some air and quickly wash a few dishes (literally, like 4 pieces). During these 5 minutes of freedom, she proceeded to push out a turd right in front of the baby gate, where I could not see. I was glancing over at her periodically, and everything seemed so fine and dandy. I finished and walked towards the baby gate... and there were brown chunks hanging out of her mouth. It seemed strange, since I hadn't given her any snacks. That's when I saw the turd. That long, healthy-looking, half-eaten piece of POO. I put two-and-two together and immediately went into shock. I made a series of hyperventilating squealing noises, which I think scared her a bit.
I cleaned out her mouth 3 times. Then I brushed her teeth. I still have nightmares about poo being permanently stuck in between the gaps of her baby teeth.
But don't worry, I made certain to use this opportunity to place the partially eaten turd inside of the potty, successfully illustrating to her that poo goes in the potty. Er wait, did I say successfully? Oops. I actually meant to say: EPIC FAIL FAIL FAIL. She still refuses to do any business in the potty. Only next to it. (Which leads me to believe that she totally understands what the potty is for, but is purposely not using it to spite me. I believe she has Toddler-Teenager-Terror Syndrome. It's real, I promise.)
So so so so so so so so so so so so GROSS! *shudders* I still can't believe my daughter ate her own poo!
What are the ways in which your child has made you feel like a complete and utter failure of a parent (and given you a minor heart attack in the process)?
*record screech*
Uh... WHAT?!
This isn't something I particularly wanted to announce on the internet, so there's no accompanying photo. Sorry... or rather, you're welcome?
It was the 3rd day of attempting to potty train, and to say it wasn't going well is a gross understatement. Yea, not going well AT ALL. She peed next to the potty 7 times. 7 times!!! RIGHT NEXT TO THE POTTY! Ugh. I would sit her on the potty for around 15-20 minutes, giving her lots of smiles and encouragement, and then I'd figure her bladder wasn't quite full enough yet and let her go on her way. She'd take a lap around the living room... and then come back to the potty and unleash a puddle right next to it, wtf!
But that was not to be the worst part of my day. No, my daughter was not done with my nerves just yet. After her 6th pee-next-to-the-potty incident, I decided to give her bum some air and quickly wash a few dishes (literally, like 4 pieces). During these 5 minutes of freedom, she proceeded to push out a turd right in front of the baby gate, where I could not see. I was glancing over at her periodically, and everything seemed so fine and dandy. I finished and walked towards the baby gate... and there were brown chunks hanging out of her mouth. It seemed strange, since I hadn't given her any snacks. That's when I saw the turd. That long, healthy-looking, half-eaten piece of POO. I put two-and-two together and immediately went into shock. I made a series of hyperventilating squealing noises, which I think scared her a bit.
I cleaned out her mouth 3 times. Then I brushed her teeth. I still have nightmares about poo being permanently stuck in between the gaps of her baby teeth.
But don't worry, I made certain to use this opportunity to place the partially eaten turd inside of the potty, successfully illustrating to her that poo goes in the potty. Er wait, did I say successfully? Oops. I actually meant to say: EPIC FAIL FAIL FAIL. She still refuses to do any business in the potty. Only next to it. (Which leads me to believe that she totally understands what the potty is for, but is purposely not using it to spite me. I believe she has Toddler-Teenager-Terror Syndrome. It's real, I promise.)
So so so so so so so so so so so so GROSS! *shudders* I still can't believe my daughter ate her own poo!
What are the ways in which your child has made you feel like a complete and utter failure of a parent (and given you a minor heart attack in the process)?
09 March 2011
Potty Training: Day 1
So we started potty training today... O_O::
I won't lie: I have no idea what I'm doing. She'll be 15 months old in a few days, and I have yet to introduce a single potty training concept to her. All I've done so far is quietly slip a pack of Hello Kitty undies into the cart when I accompanied my umma to Target. I wanted to have her potty trained around 12 months old, as is typical of Korean ummas... um, yea, FAIL.
The truth is that we haven't had enough funds to purchase a potty seat. It's so depressing that we can't even afford a one-time payment of $30 for a potty seat. *sigh* But let's talk about my financial woes another time.
BUT! My FMIL gifted us with this potty chair yesterday. It's not the one I would've chosen (as is always the case), but she found it at a bargain price during one of her daily trips to Big Lots (also always the case). I had already researched a lot about different types of potty training supplies, and I had settled on this BabyBjorn potty seat because I just didn't think a stand-alone potty chair was necessary for us. Saeri wants nothing to do with things that don't look exactly like ours. That means, for example, at restaurants we have to feed her off our plate since she won't touch anything off the kiddie menu. So I was convinced a potty chair, especially one that looks nothing like a toilet, would be counterproductive. But we all know beggars can't be choosers. Bah.
When Saeri and I woke up this morning, I took her to the bathroom... and immediately realized that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE CRAZY I'M DOING. Why hadn't I thought of googling "how to potty train" beforehand?! I started by introducing the commands "pants down" and "pants up-y", but it wasn't much help since commands take a couple days to sink in. So then I demonstrated how to use the adult toilet... which may have been helpful if she wasn't already busy getting into the undersink cabinets. FAIL #2.
Since then, I've replaced her diaper with one of the cute Hello Kitty panties, brought the potty chair downstairs into the living room, and sat her on the potty every half hour. I've also decided to go with "shui" and "eung-gah" as the commands for pee and poo, respectively. There hasn't been a single movement yet, pun fully intended keke. xD But I've realized that a potty chair is pretty damn convenient. Its portability means I don't have to spend the whole day in the bathroom with my un-diapered baby. She's free to run around the living room and play with her toys, while the potty chair patiently waits for her in the corner.
And for anyone who's wondering, there is no method to my madness. I'm making it all up as I go, just like my parenting lol. It's the Yoori Method to potty training... or anti-potty training, whatever the case may turn out to be. :P
I won't lie: I have no idea what I'm doing. She'll be 15 months old in a few days, and I have yet to introduce a single potty training concept to her. All I've done so far is quietly slip a pack of Hello Kitty undies into the cart when I accompanied my umma to Target. I wanted to have her potty trained around 12 months old, as is typical of Korean ummas... um, yea, FAIL.
The truth is that we haven't had enough funds to purchase a potty seat. It's so depressing that we can't even afford a one-time payment of $30 for a potty seat. *sigh* But let's talk about my financial woes another time.
BUT! My FMIL gifted us with this potty chair yesterday. It's not the one I would've chosen (as is always the case), but she found it at a bargain price during one of her daily trips to Big Lots (also always the case). I had already researched a lot about different types of potty training supplies, and I had settled on this BabyBjorn potty seat because I just didn't think a stand-alone potty chair was necessary for us. Saeri wants nothing to do with things that don't look exactly like ours. That means, for example, at restaurants we have to feed her off our plate since she won't touch anything off the kiddie menu. So I was convinced a potty chair, especially one that looks nothing like a toilet, would be counterproductive. But we all know beggars can't be choosers. Bah.
When Saeri and I woke up this morning, I took her to the bathroom... and immediately realized that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE CRAZY I'M DOING. Why hadn't I thought of googling "how to potty train" beforehand?! I started by introducing the commands "pants down" and "pants up-y", but it wasn't much help since commands take a couple days to sink in. So then I demonstrated how to use the adult toilet... which may have been helpful if she wasn't already busy getting into the undersink cabinets. FAIL #2.
Since then, I've replaced her diaper with one of the cute Hello Kitty panties, brought the potty chair downstairs into the living room, and sat her on the potty every half hour. I've also decided to go with "shui" and "eung-gah" as the commands for pee and poo, respectively. There hasn't been a single movement yet, pun fully intended keke. xD But I've realized that a potty chair is pretty damn convenient. Its portability means I don't have to spend the whole day in the bathroom with my un-diapered baby. She's free to run around the living room and play with her toys, while the potty chair patiently waits for her in the corner.
And for anyone who's wondering, there is no method to my madness. I'm making it all up as I go, just like my parenting lol. It's the Yoori Method to potty training... or anti-potty training, whatever the case may turn out to be. :P
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