hmmm...

Yesterday and today I really got hit with the impression that big bro is out to monitor as much as they possibly can about us regular ordinary people.

Case in point...we are refinancing our mortgage. We are doing this not only for a better rate, but becase we are expanding our kitchen.

So, we did the whole refinance thing exactly 3 years ago just to lower our rate. I was kind of amazed at that time all of the new paperwork there was to sign that hadn't existed when we purchased the home 5 years prior.

Well, now there are even more papers and they are more intrusive if you ask me.

They get your bank statement for the last month which is typical, however you have to PROVE what EVERY deposit is on your statement is from. For instance, when we visit the dentist, they turn in the claim to our insurance who then mails us the check and we then pay the dentist. So, right there is two deposits that we have to prove where they came from. So, I had to dig out the stubs from the ins. check (fortunately I kept them). Furthermore, they have to know what basically every penny is coming from. Personally, I don't think it is any of their business.
It is supposedly there to catch the drug people etc...Uh-huh. Because drug dealers keep checking/savings accounts for all of their cash...right! They also need to worry about refinancing their mortgages. Why would they need that when they have tons of cold hard cash and they stash it away...duh!

They also go over your credit report with like a fine tooth comb. Not really a problem per-se, our credit is great...but now it is like details, details, details. I often use a credit card to pay for various purchases and always pay in full when the bill comes due. Why they were worried about a couple hundred dollars on a credit card is beyond me. Really?? I understand that the banks collapsed and they were very irresponsible in lending. Yes, it needed reformed and yes they shouldn't lend to any Tom, Dick, or Stanley...BUT...we are not doing anything astronomical here and our house has a good amount of equity, and oh yeah...great credit.
Why the scrutiny?? I guess this is the new norm. We have to be questioned and let big bro know everything. Ugh. Let's just say...I am a fan of TINY big bro...not BIG big bro.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the loan @pplication fee...$300. We haven't ever had that before either.

In other more fun stuff, we went shopping yesterday at none other than Target.
My friend sent me some coupons in the mail and I was ready to pick up the deals.
Target was swimming with clearance yesterday and I was smiling with delight. We picked up a box of Huggies that were marked $25.48. Josh scanned them at the price checker thing and they were $12.64!! That is 12.64 for 168 diapers! Now, it gets better...I had a $2.50 Target coupon for the diapers AND a $3.50 manuf. coupon (you can stack coupons at Target) making the total $6.64 for 168 diapers!!!! Hello...that is .03 per diaper. YAY!!
Now, if you ever wonder why I cannot be convinced that cloth diapering is cheaper, this is the reason why. It would NEVER be cheaper for us. Not to mention, as J says, "we don't clean poo". You throw it away.
Back to the deals...
The Pantene Hairspray was on clearance for $1.54 (regularly $5.99). I had $1.00 off coupons making them a sweet .54/bottle!! YAY!
We scored a few good deals on cat food with coupons. Iams for $3.04 and Goodlife for $3.00 as well.
Oh yeah, no coupons for these, but we didn't need it...they had their portable heaters on wonderful clearance also!! A 2 pack of Holmes heaters for $8.74!!! They were regularly $44.96!! Those heaters work great! I didn't need any, but we picked up a set for my parents. They said they like them a lot!
Anyone else tired of the gray, drizzly, chilly days we have been experiencing? I'm ready for my great friend Mr. Sun to return. I'm ready to plant pretty flowers again!

Next month should be busy. Our kitchen expansion will be underway. I hope I'm not without a kitchen for very long. That makes things inconvenient. It will be great to have a larger space that can better accommodate us!

Aliyah has one spelling test and she is done with school for 3rd grade! It doesn't seem possible that I have a Kindergartener and a 4th grader now...oh my!
They are looking forward to playing outside and riding bikes again.

Noelliah cannot be stopped. She crawls to whatever she feels like and we must keep small objects off the floor. Ha...my older girls don't havee any small objects...yeah right. She also likes to suck her lower lip, stick her tongue out, and suck her thumb. She is a happy smiling girl, but doesn't have the sleeping through the night thing figured out yet. My body and brain will be excited when we get to that and I'm sure Josh will agree.

Another thing we agree on with Noe, she is growing too fast. Believe me, I'm not pushing any of this stuff she is rushing into like crawling...we put her on the floor one night like 2 weeks ago and away she went! I guess she wants to be just like those big sisters. She absolutely LOVES them! The other night, they had her in their "hair salon". Pretty soon Keirah appeared and said, "your baby will be out soon". Sure enough, Aliyah appeared out of the bedroom carrying Noe. She was happy as a lark. They had brushed her hair with a baby hairbrush (Aliyah's from when she was a baby). You could actually tell it had been brushed because Noelliah's hair is filling in now. Gotta love my brown, blue, & hazel eyed girls!!!

I've rambled on enough so now you won't hear from me until I sneak on here again when I find a minute (doubtful with the way life has been running). Spring is coming!!!!!!