Joe and I had the privilege to board the Michigan Princess for “metal on the river” a few weekends ago and that was quite an interesting experience. There was a lineup of bands performing on the boat as it paddled down the river. I am not a huge fan of death metal or really heavy stuff but it was still fun. I was very impressed with a group called “EFH.eye” that mixed metal and hip-hop. I love the way those two styles of music sound together.

The band “cat tongue” was also good with an acoustic sound that was different. Find them both on Facebook. I know the names of bands always make me laugh. There were good people watching for sure but when one of the other band’s singers was smashing a bottle on his forehead then smearing the blood on his face I was pretty embarrassed to be there. I thought really? How old are we? At one point I looked over and Joe’s talking to the captain then later the captain is sitting in a chair sleeping (after the boat stopped) while this metal music is playing.

   The recent show on TLC called Extreme Couponing is definitely fun to watch but kind of gives average couponers a bad name. I was introduced to couponing a few years ago through an article in the Livingston Parenting newspaper and then attended my friend’s coupon party. Personally I don’t go couponing as much as I want because it is time consuming. You have to clip the coupons, sort them and the actual shopping with them takes me a long time. It is always worth using them and when I leave the store with a cart (sometimes two) of cheap or free groceries it feels great.

   The show has people that spend 30 hours a week couponing, hours just in the checkout, a garage or whole floor of their house just for their stockpile, and that’s just a few of the crazy things these people do. It’s just not practical. Every store that I know of around here only lets you use a certain amount of the same coupons. Not hundreds. If you want to do practical couponing go to the blogs Bargains To Bounty and Savvy Spending and all the work is done for you. Buy a few papers on Sunday morning, check the blogs then go to VG’s and Kroger in Howell where the coupons that say $1.00 actually double to $2.00. I have got some coupons to clip!

   Go over to Ellies Country Kitchen in Williamston on Sunday, May 22 from 4pm-8pm to benefit the Webberville/Williamston Relay For Life. Say hi to my little sister and the Stiffler family!

   So in about a week I officially have a high schooler, 7^th grader, 4^th grader, 3^rd grader and kindergartener!! I am not old enough to have a freshman. My poor freshman has been held up at home for a few weeks with mono. He missed his graduation, track season, and last of his swim lessons. Poor guy. He’s getting ready for exams at home and will have to take them in June. Come on summer! We are ready for you.

I’ll leave you with this vision – I picked out an outfit for Daisy to wear and it had colored stripes and she says, “It feels like a rainbow puked on me!” We were driving by Twisters the week it opened and someone asks if we can stop and Abram says “Not till summer Johnny!”