Costco

A while ago, one of the blogs I read, mentioned how much they like Costco diapers and wondered if it was worth a Costco membership. We live 4 hours from Costco so we only go a few times a year. We LOVE Costco! We don't have a Sam's Club membership, just a Costco membership.
When we had supper with the Kolb family at CCA, we had a conversation about what products we really like from Costco. I thought I would blog a little about this.
Here is our system-we got an American Express Card from Costco and we charge every place that accepts American Express and pay it off at the end of every month. Our rebate the last few years has been around $150 with this system. We use the rebate to pay for the annual membership. So I figure we get a free membership plus about $100 to go shopping at Costco every year. We do not buy gas with our American Express card because we have another charge card that gives us a better rebate for that. The last rebate that we redeemed, the clerk said it was one of the biggest ones she had redeemed. I find that hard to believe, but I do know $150 is a nice rebate check!

The photo above, we bought ice cream cones last time. We needed ice cream cones and the Lambs were excited about all the different kinds in the box. I should have realized it was a Costco size box-we won't need to buy ice cream cones for a very long time!
We love the produce at Costco, especially the avocados. We only buy avocados at Costco and we make lots of guacamole when we have avocados. I bought some organic raspberries last time we went and made jam with them.
The refrigerated section has mango peach salsa that is great.
We drink rice milk, not cow's milk, and they have excellent prices on it, but they don't have it every time we shop there. We buy 6 cases when we get there.
Ram's mom brought us biscotti last time and it was great!
We even bought Ram's new car through the Costco buying program-excellent prices and he got a car with only 6 miles on it.
Ram had to go visit someone in the Twin Cities the week before we went to WI. He was able to go do all the major shopping at Costco and had no problem fitting it in the car when we weren't with him. Then on the way home from WI, we all went to Costco. It was a fun trip as we didn't have to buy the basics (TP, rice milk, etc.) and there was plenty of room for what we did buy. It was great to go to Costco twice in two weeks!
The Kolbs told us we had to try the ice cream bars at the snack bar at Costco. We let Lamb 1 and 2 have one each for their lunch. They were delicious. Next time I will have Lamb 1 and 2 split one because they are so huge-I should have known they were Costco size!
We can't buy much that is frozen or refrigerated at Costco because we have no way to get it home over the 4 hour drive.

The closest Costco to us is in the Twin Cities. The next closest is in Billings, MT. There just aren't Costcos in this part of the USA!
We think Costco is worth the membership even though we only get there a few times a year. Those of you that live closer to Costco than we do would be able to take advantage of Costco even more than we do. What products do you like from Costco?

Visiting the Torkelsons

After Divine Service on Wednesday night at CCA, we stayed at the hotel with CCA. We ate breakfast and let the Lambs go swimming before checking out of the hotel. Ram took turns taking one of the older Lambs swimming while I sat with the other two on the steps of the pool. Our system worked great and all 3 Lambs really enjoyed swimming. None of the Lambs have had swim lessons yet so I wasn't sure how it would go.
Then I was able to have a nice chat with Glenda while Ram was kind enough to take the Lambs upstairs and give them a long bath and Glenda's kids were swimming. We checked out of the hotel and headed over to Watertown, WI to our friends, the Torkelsons. Jennifer and I are friends from college. They moved last year so they were able to give us a tour of their huge house. Lamb 1 is afraid of cats and they have several, but he survived. The Lambs enjoyed playing with "girl toys" at their house. We visited most of the afternoon and then drove to the Twin Cities and stayed in a hotel.
Jennifer was due to have a baby any day when we visited. BETHANY ELIZABETH was born on June 26, 2009 at 3:48AM. They now have two boys and three girls. We are so excited for them!

Lamb Lawnmower

We attended a birthday party in May and the Lambs played with a play lawnmower. All 3 Lambs loved playing with it and "mowing" the lawn. The Lambs, especially Lamb 1, started begging for a play lawnmower. We looked at Once Upon a Child, Goodwill, etc. without finding one. Toys R Us had these fancy lawnmowers that were $25 or bubble lawnmowers that were $20. We found a new lawnmower at the local hardware store for $6. Ram went and bought it and saved it until Lamb 1 and 2 went to bed so Lamb 3 could play with it first. The Lambs have really enjoyed their new mower.

CCA

Since Ram attended his retreat, he felt we should head home and not stay for CCA this year. We were able to attend Divine Service on Wednesday evening. First we met the Kolb family and ate pizza with them. By the time the dads went for pizza and we ate, it was a mad dash to get everyone dressed and over to the church. We only had 3 Lambs to get ready and the Kolbs still beat us!

Unfortunately my camera was still broken so these are the two photos of the Loopers (homeschool Lutheran e-mail list) that were taken. One of the Loopers said I should say the "lurkers" didn't show up in the photo. I think between the two photos you can see most of the Loopers in the photo. I was really disappointed these didn't turn out. It was quite a feat to get all these Loopers gathered for a photo-especially when they were all involved in their own conversations. I tried to get a photo from the one other Looper that took a picture, but so far I haven't been able to get it. There were a few Loopers in this photo that I had never heard of-they hardly ever post. Although I knew almost everyone, it was fun to meet a few new faces.

This is my friend Leah from college. She is a pastor's wife in the same district as me, but I haven't seen her for over a year because I haven't attended conferences/conventions since Lamb 3 was born.

I taught with Kim in Fort Wayne. She now teaches at the church school that CCA is at.

Even though I didn't have much time, I enjoyed the evening reception after church and time to have short conversations with my Looper friends and other friends.

Ram's retreat

Ram attended an LCMS retreat at Holy Hill monastery in WI in June. We went along with him.

Our 3 Lambs and Lion Boy (Father and Mrs. Hollywood's son) at the retreat. It was bedtime and no one cooperated for a photo very well. I really had my hands full during the church service-in a strange chapel, Papa wasn't the pastor, different service than they are used to, it was bedtime, the service didn't start right away because we were late coming back from supper, etc. Mrs. Hollywood had it easy with just one child compared to my 3. We survived all the church services we went to this week, but this one was the one that my Lambs were the worst behaved. Thankfully I was able to hear some of the sermon and Father Hollywood posted it on his blog for the part that I wasn't able to hear.

Some of the men left early so here is a photo of some of them. Ram is in green.

Here's some more of us, Mrs. Hollywood took the photo.

Lamb 1, 2, and Lion Boy.

I took a few nice family photos with the beautiful background and we were all in green-they would have made a nice Christmas photo. Except the lens jammed and didn't open all the way. I lost several photos from the day before I realized it was broken. This one of Holy Hill monastery turned out ok-I think it is kind of cool how it is framed.

Ram really enjoyed his retreat and came back refreshed. It was a beautiful setting. I hadn't been there since I was in college.

Aprons

I've been reading Geisel's Apron Book so when Jane posted this, it caught my interest. Aren't these aprons cute? I'll post more of my thoughts about the Apron book later, but check out this giveaway!

Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Wordless Wednesday