Halloween Costumes

I hit up a Target this week, and spent a fun half hour looking through some very overpriced costumes for kids and adults.  What a blast!  Would I spend that kind of money on a costume?  Not on your life.

Over the years when my kids were little, I tried very hard to keep the expenses for costumes as low as possible.  With three children, my goal was to never spend more than $10 for all of the costumes, combined.

What have we done over the years?

Railroad Conductors- striped overalls, white shirts, and a red bandana tucked into the back pocket.
I loved the railroad conductor hats, but I could never bring myself to spend that kind of money on hats.  At that time, our local hardware store was giving away white painters hats for free.  I picked up the hats I needed, and took a blue Sharpie and drew lines on the hats.  Lots and lots of little lines.  They never looked exactly like "real" engineer hats, but they worked for my purposes!

Cowboys and Cowgirls- Admittedly, I am a sucker for overalls.  I think little kids in overalls are adorable, so I always picked up overalls for my kids anytime I could find them.  Thrift stores, yard sales, deep discounts... they are durable and wear like iron.  We had overalls that I picked up at yard sales that made it through all 3 of my kids, and then all 3 of my sisters' kids before they were finally wore out.

Anyway, for the cowboys, flannel shirts, blue overalls, and cowboy hats.  I found the cowboy hats at a party store, on sale, and I'd had a coupon for them.

Ballerina-  I had a couple of yards of tulle that I'd found at a yard sale.  For the tutu, I folded the tulle in half, and then I folded over a 1 inch edge at the top and sewed a small pocket at the top.  I had some 1" elastic, measured it to fit daughter's waist, and then ran it through the pocket at the top of the tulle.  I sewed the edges of the elastic together, and voila!  It was a tutu!  For trick or treating, she slipped the tutu on over a pair of sweat pants and a sweat suit.

The CAPES- This was a fun year.  I invested more in these costumes than I intended to.  I made capes for the kids.  A pink lame cape for the daughter, black cape for middle son, and a red cape for oldest son.  I think I invested $30 total for the fabrics and the pattern.  Over time, this has ended up being the cheapest, most cost efficient costume I ever could have made.  The pirate cape was worn over black sweat pants and a black sweat shirt.  The next year, it was worn with black church pants and a white dress shirt- a magician.  That cape has been pulled out over and over again over the years - at the Medieval Days in elementary and middle school, for plays, etc.  Just this weekend, it was pulled out of the drawer, and middle child carried it back to college with him for his Halloween costume.

Oldest childs' cape was made of red velvet - so that it looked like a Harry Potter cape.  He dressed as Harry Potter for 3 years.  He hasn't worn the cape in public since he stopped trick or treating - BUT - it is a very warm cape.  When he's home, he wears it around the house on chilly mornings to stay warm. 

Lawyer - one year, oldest child put on his church clothes, and put a sign on his father's briefcase that said "Do you have a phone?  Then you have a lawyer!"

And then, my favorite costume of all....

Daughter donned the very same blazer oldest son had worn as a lawyer.  White shirt, black skirt.  She had a flag pin in her lapel.  She pulled her hair up into a bun, donned a pair of magnifying glasses that were slightly square.  The year was 2008.  Days before the election, my little girl who looks so much like Tina Fey, who resembles a certain Vice Presidential candidate...

We live in a Republican County.  To say that the child cleaned up on candy that year is an understatement.  I have never seen that big of a Halloween Candy Haul in my life.

How creative can you be with your Halloween Costumes?  Halloween is supposed to be a fun-filled time, you shouldn't be worried about how you're going to pay the bills for the Halloween costume. 

Dig deep into your imagination, look into your dress up bins, at your old clothes, and into the kids' closets.  What creative, wild, inexpensive, imaginative costume can you come up with?

Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

There has been another case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States.  This time, with a doctor who had just returned from serving others in Africa.  He called in as soon as he began presenting symptoms and is in isolation.

We've had several cases, and one death from Ebola in the Untied States.

Do you know the saying "if it bleeds, it leads"?

Ebola qualifies under this headline.  Boy, does that disease bleed, and good golly, is there a lot of fear and uncertainty surrounding it.

I think we're missing something, though.

Enterovirus.

Have you heard about this one lately?  It's a disease that's related to polio.  It's not polio, but it's from the same family as polio.

The information about this virus that I can find is limited.  I am quoting here from an article run on Oct. 6, 2014:

594 people in 43 states have been diagnosed with the Enterovirus.

5 children have died.

It primarily affects young children, with a history of asthma.
http://www.vox.com/2014/9/8/6122471/what-we-know-about-the-new-enterovirus-outbreak-virus, accessed 10/24/2014.


The Flu

It happens every year.  The flu comes around, sickening people.  How many people?

Number of Americans hospitalized every year with the flu?  200,000.

Number of people in the U.S. who die from the flue each year?  3,000 - 49,000

Source: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics, accessed 10/24/2014.


We tend to forget in this day and age of modern medical miracles that viruses can and do prove deadly every day.  We expect to go into a hospital and have someone "fix" everything.

While I in no way intend to minimize the threat from a disease like Ebola- that left untreated could devastate an entire nation, I do want to stress some very important things here that apply ALL of the time.   Things that can make a difference in our overall health every single day. 

• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. See Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or shirt sleeve, not your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/about/ev-d68.html, accessed 10/24/2014.


The key you need to remember here is that the Flu, Ebola, and Entovirus is that they are all viruses.

We have antibiotics to fight off bacterial infections.  Antibiotics don't work against viruses.

However, the very nature of viruses- constantly growing and changing- means that developing a vaccine for them is impossible.  Yes, we can get flu shots every year, but the vaccine makers are taking their best guess as to what flu germs will be out there.  If you choose to get a flu shot, you are only immune from the strains that are in that year's vaccine mix.

I would like to add my own personal thoughts here:

1) I am a bit of a nut about germs.  When I use any public bathroom, I always wash my hands.  If I have to turn the water handles on and off with my hands, I will turn the handles OFF with a paper towel in my hands.  I also use that same paper towel to open the door handle to get out.  Remember that part about diseases spreading through bodily fluids?  It's a little disturbing to realize how many people don't wash their hands when they finish using the bathroom - and they've been touching bodily fluids.... eewww....  Okay, if my bathroom doesn't have paper towels, how do I open the door?  No, I don't stand inside the door, waiting for someone to come in and let me out!  If I have on long sleeves, I will pull my hand inside of my sleeve and use my shirt to open the door.  I've also used the hem of a shirt, and sometimes, I've used an item I'm holding in my hand to open the door.  (Thankfully, most restrooms use towels.)

2) Stay hydrated.  Make sure you drink enough water.  Your body is a well oiled machine, and water helps to keep that machine running.  Make certain you are getting enough water every day.

3) Wash the cart handles at any store.  Either use the wipes provided at the store - pick up the wipe before you pick up the cart, or wear a pair of gloves that can be tossed into the washing machine when you get home.  (Again, I am a little bit of a germaphobe.)  I have also been known to carry wipes in my purse.

4) Alcohol based cleaners work - but there's a caveat.  Unless if you use something to wipe the alcohol off of your hands, you are just moving the germs around.  So, if you plan on using an alcohol based cleaner, make certain you have a way to clean that off of your hands when you are finished.


As of now, I personally don't think Ebola is the public health threat in the United States that it is in Africa.  I am keeping a watchful eye on the situation, though. 

In the meantime, I am staying hydrated, eating right, and getting a walk in every day.  I am practicing my good hygiene habits - especially since I'm spending so much time in the hospital with my Mom.  The best place in the world to get sick is a hospital.  Believe me, I am taking every last one of these suggestions very, very seriously.

Stay healthy, my friends!

Price Book & Coupons & Spread Sheets

I first learned about keeping a price book when I read one of the Tightwad Gazette Newsletters back in the 90's.

Have you ever heard of a price book?

Mine was a small notebook.  In it, I listed at the top of the page the items I usually bought.  Underneath, I listed the name of the store and the rock bottom lowest price I had ever found for that item.

Each Sunday and Wednesday, when the sale fliers came out, I would comb through the ads, looking for the loss leaders.  When I found something that was that rock bottom price or lower, I would go out and stock up on that item.  If the item wasn't on the shelves at the store, I would request a rain check for that item at that price, and then I'd send my husband to stop in on his way home from work so that he could also pick up a rain check, and then I'd be able to go back later, and pick up more of that item at that sale price, once the sale was over.

I love my price book, but over the last year or so, food inflation has hit so hard that it I can no longer match my lowest price. 

I've begun calculating the cost of an item per ounce, (due to shrinking package sizes), and now am looking for the lowest price per ounce.  A little more work involved, but it's worth it for the savings.

Love my Coupons!

I am a couponer.  I love nothing more than to use coupons on top of sales and get a fantastic deal. 

I only buy items I know that we will use, items from my regular list.

I keep my coupons organized in a check file I picked up at an office supply store.  It's a little larger than a 3 x 5 card.  I have the sections organized by item (canned, baking, personal hygiene, etc.)  Within each divider, I cut up more dividers so that everything is sorted out a little bit more.  For example, in the hygiene section, I have dividers for shampoo, soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene, toothpaste, floss, and toothbrushes.  (Can you see why I'm a librarian?  That compulsive need to organize stuff?)

Once a month, I go through the coupon file and throw out any expired coupons so they don't clutter up my file.

Shopping With a List

It's boring, but it's what I do.  I have a list of what I'm going to buy at the grocery store.  I do comb through the sales to see if there is anything that we need, and I fill in those holes first.  I attempt to always keep certain items in my cupboard at all times.  If anything that I normally keep goes on sale, I will pick it up. 

By keeping a list, I can keep my impulse buys down to a minimum.  Nothing worse than going into the store without a plan.

Spreadsheets

This is a new foray for me.  I know how to use spread sheets, and have used them extensively at work.  I've never used one for home expenses before.  I've always kept our budget in a black and white composition notebook, and I've never been as good as I should be at writing down our expenses.  I do keep a mental balance of what the final total in our checking account should look like, but I really do need to do a better job.

I'm approaching this as a financial analysis.

We have one credit card that has a $1,500 balance on it, and I want to get that paid off before the end of the year.  I'm hoping that by tracking spending more closely, I can "find" money and get that balance paid off quickly.

It's the end of the month, so our bills are coming in.  I've got categories across the top for the month of the year, and then down the side, I'm listing the expenses.  Beginning in November, I'm going to track where every dollar goes. 

This is going to be an eye opening experience.  I think I'm good at keeping track of our expenses, but somehow, I don't think I'm doing as good of a job as I should be.  If I were, we wouldn't have a $1500 balance on the credit card, would we? 

Depending upon how into this whole spreadsheet thing I get, I may very well transfer my price book over from the little spiral notebook that is falling apart to the computer. 

So, how do you keep track of what you spend and where you spend it?

Mom

The news on my Mom is mixed.

The incision is healing, very slowly.  That is good news.

She is still refusing to eat.  That is bad news.

She got up out of bed and sat in a chair for half an hour.  That is good news.

They still have her on the IV nutrition, and because she isn't moving- and hasn't really moved for 3 weeks, her muscles are starting to atrophy.  that is bad news.

The doctor told us yesterday that she will be in the hospital for at least one more week.

All of the pain meds that she is on have introduced a raging case of hospital induced psychosis.  She's been hallucinating, and has lost touch with reality.  Due to the nature of her incision - running the length of her abdomen, and still open so that it will heal from the inside out, they MUST keep her on some powerful pain killers.  They can't do otherwise.  They have reduced her meds as much as possible, and they continually check for drug interactions and side effects, but 21 days in a hospital bed plays tricks with your mind.

I'm not certain what to make of this anymore.

Most people who have emergency colostomies are home by now.  There was one other person who had this surgery on the same night Mom did.  She was released and went home 10 days later.  21 days later, we are still waiting for her to be able to get up out of bed without the assistance of 2 nurses.

At first, I thought Mom would bounce right back from this and go home.

Now, I'm not so sure anymore.  After her second emergency surgery, things seemed to go downhill, but she is still hanging in there.

I am asking for positive thoughts and prayers to be sent her way.  What ever lies in store for her next, prayers for her peace of mind are greatly appreciated!

College Applications - Child # 3

Back in the day- (1982) -
College Applications were different than they are now.

You painstakingly wrote letter after letter to the colleges you were interested in.  They would send you some information, and then you would write them a check for $5 or so, and they would send you a giant, thick, catalog of courses and programs of study.  You would look through all of the catalogs, compare, draw checklists on paper, and finally narrow down your college choices.  For each school, you would hand write an application and essay question.  You would then stuff each application in an envelope, and you would enclose a check made out to the school.

Then came the even more fun part - sending in a check on the computer scan form for the SAT request.  Another check accompanied this request.  Then, off to the guidance office at the high school to fill out the transcript request forms.  And THEN - tracking down each teacher that you wanted to write a recommendation letter for you, filling out the stamped envelopes that were pre-addressed to the colleges, along with the reference letter form, where you had already filled out the top portion of each letter.  And then, the wait began, and you hoped that all of the parts and pieces got to your school in a timely manner.

Now- 2014 -
Things are easier - *kind of*
There is the fabulous Common App. 

With one simple account, a student can fill out one application, and write one set of essays.
Through the Common App, teachers can send one recommendation letter to the Common App, and the teacher writes an electronic submission that goes back to the Common App.

The student then track what has and hasn't been submitted via the online system, and submit one application to most of the schools to which they are applying. SAT scores still have to be submitted separately, but you can do that online now, too.  Every student still has an individual account with the College Board, where they track their scores, and submission of scores is one credit card number away.  SAT scores are transmitted almost instantaneously. 

However, every school has their own little quirks of admission.  Some require a separate portfolio.  Some ask for supplementary essays.  Every school has funky little requests for anyone who wants a scholarship.  Keeping track of the "extras" is a little tricky, but not nearly as tricky as keeping track of all of the paperwork that I kept track of back in the day.

The only drawback to this process is the ease with which applications can now be submitted.  When I was in high school, the sheer volume of paperwork kept most of us down to 3-5 schools.  Now, the ease of the paperwork encourages students to apply to many schools.  I've heard of students who are applying to 10 or more schools.  At $40 or more per application per school, those application fees can quickly add up.  When you include the cost of the SAT scores - with a separate fee for every submission - the application process itself can quickly come up to $500.

Why the Ramble?
I'm not sure what this ramble is all about.  I think I'm just appreciating the ease with which students can now apply to college, and wishing that this had been in place when I was in school.  Since we are currently in the midst of daughter's applications to college, I am both frustrated and thrilled with the process.  She's applying to four schools.  I will be able to breathe a sigh of relief when the last application is submitted on Friday.  She is being very methodical in her approach to submitting applications, and the supplementary materials, but I keep worrying that she (or worse, ME) has forgotten something.

The Homepage of the Common Application.