we're all healthy! hooray!
it took forever but cade & reese are back in school today and elisha is heading back tomorrow. it's been 2 full weeks since she was in her little tues/thurs 3's class at preschool. i'm afraid we're going to have to go through the same separation anxiety that we went through with her in september.
truthfully, i was a little annoyed at the public school schedule. before halloween, my 2 kids missed a total of about 10 days of classroom time because of the flu, and then last week monday and tuesday were teacher workdays/conference days so no school. then on thursday i had to take everyone out of school to go to their dentist appointments i had scheduled 7 months ago. with a little forethought i could have just scheduled them for one of the teacher workdays, but no...i missed that by a few days.
speaking of dentists...my kids totally bombed their appointment. reese had to go through remedial tooth care 101 by the staff, her teeth were pretty funky. i expected this, she's been getting loose teeth and hates to wiggle them and thinks it hurts when she brushes them. i know, she's a wimp. cade did OK, no cavities, and his teeth weren't so bad. elisha, my BABY!, has a cavity. sigh. i blame it on the pushy neighbors that are always giving her treats, we're going t have to have a chat, just mom-to-mom. e will get that filled in january, at a cost of about $60 out of pocket!!
the dentist suggested that we get electric toothbrushes and that would encourage proper brushing. he slipped me some coupons and i went right out and bought a set. what i got was a single charger, 2 rechargable handles, and a total of 4 removable brushes. the brushes have a 2 minute timer to them, and what i like best is that they're really quite small heads on them so maybe they fit a little better inside kids' mouths than your typical toothbrush. i had purchased my own electric toothbrush this past spring and i LOVE it, rob has had his for 7 or 8 years now, so it made sense to try it out on the kids. so far so good, there have been no complaints from the oldest 2 and they have been brushing for the full two minutes.
the best part was the coupons. the package was $90, with a $10 instant coupon from the dentist, then a $15 mail-in rebate. (i have yet to pass up a mail-in rebate, i love those things! you mail them away and forget about it...6-8 weeks later you get a check in the mail! it's like free $$$!) anyway, a total of $65 for two electric brushes that seem to have a very long life (rob uses his twice a day, religiously) sounds like a great deal. cheaper than paying to have those cavities filled i guess.
11.09.2009
10.29.2009
just another day in the fight
good morning! i picked a new font, just to be a little crazy. why would i do something crazy, you ask? well...
we're going on day 5 of flu in the house, all 3 kids have had the bug. the germs attacked late friday night and they're still going strong around here. i wipe down all the doorknobs and light switches twice a day but looking at how often my kids put their fingers in their noses, there was no way i could win.
both girls are back to health, although that cough really lingers on, but cade is at home with me on sick day #2. his fever just does not want to go down and he was so restless last night, meaning i feel like i'm hungover this morning. a neighbor gave us some children's tylenol so we're going to piggyback the motrin and tylenol so this boy can get some rest.
i kind of annoyed at all the stuff we've had to miss out on since there seems to be at least one person in the house feeling sick or feverish.
we've been quite lucky to not have any complications pop up though. the kids haven't needed any doctor appointments or prescriptions. it wasn't as easy as it could have been, rob escaped ALL of it by jetting off to seattle for work. he comes home tonight and i think i might start a pool...hourly increments for sale, guessing when rob will start running a fever???
my mom & i have had an interesting discussion over the last few days. i was born in february 1976 and in central iowa at that time there was a flu going around, then it was claimed to be the swine flu. during our hospital stay, my mom started to show flu symptoms and although i don't think she felt all that bad, she still had to wear a hospital mask when she was around me. i was a breastfed baby and now i'm wondering if any immunities were passed along to me. with this flu being as potent as the media says it is, i just don't know how i haven't gotten sick along with the kids. i have a sore throat though, so i guess it could turn worse. i promise i won't come and infect you all if i do show flu-like symptoms. that would be a true computer virus, then, ha!
we're going on day 5 of flu in the house, all 3 kids have had the bug. the germs attacked late friday night and they're still going strong around here. i wipe down all the doorknobs and light switches twice a day but looking at how often my kids put their fingers in their noses, there was no way i could win.
both girls are back to health, although that cough really lingers on, but cade is at home with me on sick day #2. his fever just does not want to go down and he was so restless last night, meaning i feel like i'm hungover this morning. a neighbor gave us some children's tylenol so we're going to piggyback the motrin and tylenol so this boy can get some rest.
i kind of annoyed at all the stuff we've had to miss out on since there seems to be at least one person in the house feeling sick or feverish.
- reese was to have attended a girl scout campout over the weekend
- 2 days of preschool (about $30 worth there)
- 5 days of school, which might increase since cade is not bouncing back as fast as his older sister
- a 30-minute tap dance class, $10
we've been quite lucky to not have any complications pop up though. the kids haven't needed any doctor appointments or prescriptions. it wasn't as easy as it could have been, rob escaped ALL of it by jetting off to seattle for work. he comes home tonight and i think i might start a pool...hourly increments for sale, guessing when rob will start running a fever???
my mom & i have had an interesting discussion over the last few days. i was born in february 1976 and in central iowa at that time there was a flu going around, then it was claimed to be the swine flu. during our hospital stay, my mom started to show flu symptoms and although i don't think she felt all that bad, she still had to wear a hospital mask when she was around me. i was a breastfed baby and now i'm wondering if any immunities were passed along to me. with this flu being as potent as the media says it is, i just don't know how i haven't gotten sick along with the kids. i have a sore throat though, so i guess it could turn worse. i promise i won't come and infect you all if i do show flu-like symptoms. that would be a true computer virus, then, ha!
9.09.2009
it's enough to drive you crazy.
domesticity sucks.
i want a tidy house that doesn't smell bad. no one else in this family gives a shit what the house looks or smells like, so i wipe and wash and repeat the same tasks over and over so i can work toward my utopia...a clean and clean-smelling home.
my husband KNOWS that when the mess gets too deep and too smelly that i'm going to start snipping at him...could he get rid of some of the mess by putting away his 3 pairs of shoes on the front door rug? could he take some recycling over to the bin in the garage a few feet away? take the 3 year olds pee-filled undies & pants down to the laundry room to soak? scrub a toilet? could he do anything AT ALL to help have a cleaner living space?
we all know the answer to that, otherwise i would not be here venting my frustrations about my messy stinky house.
school started 2 days ago, but i could use a vacation already. or a house cleaning service! oooh, baby! wouldn't that be grand???
we couldn't afford activities for the kids (tap & karate), but i would get my clean house every week. wonder if that would make the kids and husband realize how frustrated i get that i get dumped on when it comes to housework. i've tried chore charts but really that just makes more work for me, hassling the kids into their chores and listening to the whining at bedtime that they didn't "have enough time" to finish everything (yeah, but you had enough time to dump every lego in the house into a pile in the middle of the toy room).
i might have to give this serious thought over the next few days. i'm headed to bed here shortly, my power cleaning has left me a little tired.
i want a tidy house that doesn't smell bad. no one else in this family gives a shit what the house looks or smells like, so i wipe and wash and repeat the same tasks over and over so i can work toward my utopia...a clean and clean-smelling home.
my husband KNOWS that when the mess gets too deep and too smelly that i'm going to start snipping at him...could he get rid of some of the mess by putting away his 3 pairs of shoes on the front door rug? could he take some recycling over to the bin in the garage a few feet away? take the 3 year olds pee-filled undies & pants down to the laundry room to soak? scrub a toilet? could he do anything AT ALL to help have a cleaner living space?
we all know the answer to that, otherwise i would not be here venting my frustrations about my messy stinky house.
school started 2 days ago, but i could use a vacation already. or a house cleaning service! oooh, baby! wouldn't that be grand???
we couldn't afford activities for the kids (tap & karate), but i would get my clean house every week. wonder if that would make the kids and husband realize how frustrated i get that i get dumped on when it comes to housework. i've tried chore charts but really that just makes more work for me, hassling the kids into their chores and listening to the whining at bedtime that they didn't "have enough time" to finish everything (yeah, but you had enough time to dump every lego in the house into a pile in the middle of the toy room).
i might have to give this serious thought over the next few days. i'm headed to bed here shortly, my power cleaning has left me a little tired.
9.01.2009
an odd year
all our children were born during even years (2002, 2004, and 2006). it's kind of handy to think that if the year is an even year, then the kids will all have even birthdays that year. on the flip side of that, since it's 2009, all 3 children will turn an odd number this year.
yesterday my "baby" turned 3 and hers is the last of the kids' birthdays for the year. as happy as i am to see her grow up healthy and strong and to see her own personality, i get a little shock to my heart when i realize that she is the last.
that the crib won't hold any more of *my* babies.
that i won't have to hang onto those toddler clothes, just in case we can use them again for a younger sibling.
that from here on out, they're all just going to get bigger and heavier and with sharper elbows and knees jabbing me in the tummy and boobs as they try to squeeze onto my lap.
i can see so many changes in all of them over the last year. i'm thinking i never noticed them in my oldest child as she was growing because i was always busy with her younger siblings. so while i'm missing having a cuddly baby, i am relieved.
relieved that all 3 of them can trail after me in the store and i'm not having to carry anyone.
relieved they can pretty much feed themselves.
relieved that everyone is sleeping through the night (and has been for almost the last 2 years).
relieved that we're almost diaper free. (a certain little boy still wears pullups to bed and i don't see that ending anytime soon, unfortunately).
i'm excited to start doing more things as a family, things that aren't baby-friendly...like camping. going to the pool. short hikes in the great outdoors. playgrounds!!
i'm almost a little sad that school will be starting next week, i suddenly want to make plans and show the kids everything i can about this great big world. to see a little bit of wonder on my 7 year old's face, to challenge them a little...
but school is starting in 7 days, so we'll make weekend plans here & there and hope we can squeeze in some fun. just because school is starting doesn't mean the fun has to end...that's a new perspective for me this year. i hope it makes me enjoy these next 10 months a little bit more. last year was long and tedious...and long. did i mention long??
anyway, what i meant to do on this post (before i got all emotional) was to share some pictures of my baby, who's not such a baby anymore.
this is elisha holding up her card from grandma & grandpa. she thought it was pretty cool, getting to open her own mail!
the birthday cake.
i was suprised i got it all done. we got home from the store at 3pm and baking commenced then. it was all decorated, ready to go by 7:30. elisha kept on saying how she wanted a peanut cake and although i would have loved to shape a peanut out of 2 round cake pans, i just didn't want to try it. i really didn't think it would work and frosting it would have been a disaster. so i used a peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting. as i was frosting it, i realized it was going to like a big pile of brown frosting, so i threw in the orange to give it a little zing. everyone was happy. and it was cheaper and yummier than a storebought cake.
so, now that the kids' birthdays are done for 2009, only 115 days til christmas!
yesterday my "baby" turned 3 and hers is the last of the kids' birthdays for the year. as happy as i am to see her grow up healthy and strong and to see her own personality, i get a little shock to my heart when i realize that she is the last.
that the crib won't hold any more of *my* babies.
that i won't have to hang onto those toddler clothes, just in case we can use them again for a younger sibling.
that from here on out, they're all just going to get bigger and heavier and with sharper elbows and knees jabbing me in the tummy and boobs as they try to squeeze onto my lap.
i can see so many changes in all of them over the last year. i'm thinking i never noticed them in my oldest child as she was growing because i was always busy with her younger siblings. so while i'm missing having a cuddly baby, i am relieved.
relieved that all 3 of them can trail after me in the store and i'm not having to carry anyone.
relieved they can pretty much feed themselves.
relieved that everyone is sleeping through the night (and has been for almost the last 2 years).
relieved that we're almost diaper free. (a certain little boy still wears pullups to bed and i don't see that ending anytime soon, unfortunately).
i'm excited to start doing more things as a family, things that aren't baby-friendly...like camping. going to the pool. short hikes in the great outdoors. playgrounds!!
i'm almost a little sad that school will be starting next week, i suddenly want to make plans and show the kids everything i can about this great big world. to see a little bit of wonder on my 7 year old's face, to challenge them a little...
but school is starting in 7 days, so we'll make weekend plans here & there and hope we can squeeze in some fun. just because school is starting doesn't mean the fun has to end...that's a new perspective for me this year. i hope it makes me enjoy these next 10 months a little bit more. last year was long and tedious...and long. did i mention long??
anyway, what i meant to do on this post (before i got all emotional) was to share some pictures of my baby, who's not such a baby anymore.
this is elisha holding up her card from grandma & grandpa. she thought it was pretty cool, getting to open her own mail!
the birthday cake.
i was suprised i got it all done. we got home from the store at 3pm and baking commenced then. it was all decorated, ready to go by 7:30. elisha kept on saying how she wanted a peanut cake and although i would have loved to shape a peanut out of 2 round cake pans, i just didn't want to try it. i really didn't think it would work and frosting it would have been a disaster. so i used a peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting. as i was frosting it, i realized it was going to like a big pile of brown frosting, so i threw in the orange to give it a little zing. everyone was happy. and it was cheaper and yummier than a storebought cake.
so, now that the kids' birthdays are done for 2009, only 115 days til christmas!
8.31.2009
messy houses anonymous
or at least as anonymous as the internet is these days...
amy requested messy house pictures. these are just a few of our house, there could have been TONS more. i didn't include pictures of rob's "man room", which really could be a post all it's own. (in fact i don't even go in there anymore, his mess frustrates me more than any other mess in the house...it's so full of random memoriabilia and pennies in ziploc bags and piled investment statements that i just cannot handle it. the messes in the rest of the house can easily be classified into laundry, dirty dishes, dusting, vacuuming, picking up, etc. but his room just has too many open-ended categories.)
we begin in the dining room...this picture just looks like it's a big wall with a computer...there's a dining table and 6 chairs. 2 of the chairs have been kidnapped for the computer and the others never get pushed in. the room isn't big enough to show the mess in just one photo so i'll have to maneuver to get the whole messy thing.
above is the stash of booze (for me) and packables for the kids' lunches when school starts. they've been sitting there for 6 weeks. school doesn't start for another 7 days.
a box of school supplies...and the birthday party extras from reese's birthday party back in mid-june. what the hell do i do with a box full of tea hats and fake flowers?!?
this is why there's 2 chairs to the computer...one for me, one for my sidekick. this table was cleared for about the first week i got the computer, now it's a catch all. to the right is a stack of papers to file, to the left is my cereal bowl, phone, a stack of empty steno pads...right in front, my beloved coffee cup. and did you know, habits are hard to break?
moving on...the kitchen.
clutter clutter clutter. my idea with cade's sight words might not have been the brightest. those post it notes are driving me crazy. above the cupboards we have what i like to call "sarah's club shopping addiction." i buy big boxes of food but have limited storage space. sigh.
this is the living room. a carseat whose cover is still waiting to be washed (yes the toddler is properly secured in a different carseat in the van)...the collapsible dog kennel which is made to be stored away but the dog loves it too much to put it away...the beach towels on the red recliner...the BACKPACKS that seem to follow my husband home but are not allowed to be put on the floor...ugh.
the basement/playroom. i refuse to call this the playroom but i have to call it something so the kids know what i'm yelling about when the mess gets too deep in here. it's not so bad today...out of focus, but i've seen it lots worse.
moving back upstairs, our bedroom.
oh my.
i'm not sure when this room will recover. i do my best to make my bed at some point during the day, doing anything beyond that is 'extra' in my book. at the foot of the bed we have a twin size box spring from moving the girl's beds around last week. the blue beach bag of swimsuits (remember the beach towels from the living room? they're waiting to come home to the bag after they get washed, dried and carried all the way upstairs)...the bag of crib sheets and mattress pads...ugh.
master bedroom continued...dirty clothes, hamper of dirty clothes, rubbermaid container of blankets, crib mattress. i don't even know where to start. well, actually i do. i need to start with laundry, i heard reese saying she was wearing her last pair of underwear today.
this is reese's room. and yes, she made her bed today! yay! the rest is a disaster but the bed is made as good as she can make it. she's 7. i may put her to work on my bed.
this is cade's room. i should have gotten a better angle of the top of his dresser. it's full of lego creations that he refuses to break apart. add in the comforter wadded up in the corner (there was a pee accident that happened a month ago and it *might* have gotten contaminated, i should wash it to be on the safe side but i just haven't yet), the pink waterwing (???), and the assorted trucks i told him to pick up 3 days ago.
all the time that i spent snapping and posting these pictures, i bet i could have picked up quite a bit of the mess. my sudden devotion to this lonely little blog is astounding, but i'll do anything to avoid housework.
amy requested messy house pictures. these are just a few of our house, there could have been TONS more. i didn't include pictures of rob's "man room", which really could be a post all it's own. (in fact i don't even go in there anymore, his mess frustrates me more than any other mess in the house...it's so full of random memoriabilia and pennies in ziploc bags and piled investment statements that i just cannot handle it. the messes in the rest of the house can easily be classified into laundry, dirty dishes, dusting, vacuuming, picking up, etc. but his room just has too many open-ended categories.)
we begin in the dining room...this picture just looks like it's a big wall with a computer...there's a dining table and 6 chairs. 2 of the chairs have been kidnapped for the computer and the others never get pushed in. the room isn't big enough to show the mess in just one photo so i'll have to maneuver to get the whole messy thing.
above is the stash of booze (for me) and packables for the kids' lunches when school starts. they've been sitting there for 6 weeks. school doesn't start for another 7 days.
a box of school supplies...and the birthday party extras from reese's birthday party back in mid-june. what the hell do i do with a box full of tea hats and fake flowers?!?
this is why there's 2 chairs to the computer...one for me, one for my sidekick. this table was cleared for about the first week i got the computer, now it's a catch all. to the right is a stack of papers to file, to the left is my cereal bowl, phone, a stack of empty steno pads...right in front, my beloved coffee cup. and did you know, habits are hard to break?moving on...the kitchen.
clutter clutter clutter. my idea with cade's sight words might not have been the brightest. those post it notes are driving me crazy. above the cupboards we have what i like to call "sarah's club shopping addiction." i buy big boxes of food but have limited storage space. sigh.
this is the living room. a carseat whose cover is still waiting to be washed (yes the toddler is properly secured in a different carseat in the van)...the collapsible dog kennel which is made to be stored away but the dog loves it too much to put it away...the beach towels on the red recliner...the BACKPACKS that seem to follow my husband home but are not allowed to be put on the floor...ugh.
the basement/playroom. i refuse to call this the playroom but i have to call it something so the kids know what i'm yelling about when the mess gets too deep in here. it's not so bad today...out of focus, but i've seen it lots worse.
moving back upstairs, our bedroom.
oh my.
i'm not sure when this room will recover. i do my best to make my bed at some point during the day, doing anything beyond that is 'extra' in my book. at the foot of the bed we have a twin size box spring from moving the girl's beds around last week. the blue beach bag of swimsuits (remember the beach towels from the living room? they're waiting to come home to the bag after they get washed, dried and carried all the way upstairs)...the bag of crib sheets and mattress pads...ugh.
master bedroom continued...dirty clothes, hamper of dirty clothes, rubbermaid container of blankets, crib mattress. i don't even know where to start. well, actually i do. i need to start with laundry, i heard reese saying she was wearing her last pair of underwear today.
this is reese's room. and yes, she made her bed today! yay! the rest is a disaster but the bed is made as good as she can make it. she's 7. i may put her to work on my bed.
this is cade's room. i should have gotten a better angle of the top of his dresser. it's full of lego creations that he refuses to break apart. add in the comforter wadded up in the corner (there was a pee accident that happened a month ago and it *might* have gotten contaminated, i should wash it to be on the safe side but i just haven't yet), the pink waterwing (???), and the assorted trucks i told him to pick up 3 days ago.
all the time that i spent snapping and posting these pictures, i bet i could have picked up quite a bit of the mess. my sudden devotion to this lonely little blog is astounding, but i'll do anything to avoid housework.
8.26.2009
just peachy, thanks
i'm showered, dressed, make-up'ed and blown out...and i have been since 8am. the girls had their beds delivered today from a furniture store and lucky me, the delivery window was from 8am-10am. so at 8:05 while i'm chowing on my kashi cereal, guess who comes knocking on our front door?
the beds were set up by 8:30 so i do have to give the guys kudos for a quick set up. their rooms are all set up and ready for bedtime tonight.
since i got a jump on the morning by showering so early, i even added some perfume to my routine. (hey, i'll be heading out to sam's club and target later today, i might as well smell purty!) my neighbor is an avon lady and i had ordered a new perfume called 'chic in white.' my avon lady, being from afghanistan and maybe not aware of how english has borrowed a lot of words from the french, pronounces this perfume as "chick in white." if you say it fast enough it sounds like "chicken white." it doesn't really smell like chicken though...after wearing it for a bit now, it reminds me a lot of peach schnapps...which makes me want a fuzzy navel...which makes me realize i have no clue even where to buy hard liquor around here. beer & wine are everywhere but i have yet to see the rough stuff for sale. it's probably better for me, i might try to make mojitos or appletinis or something else equally yummy and calorie-licious.
rob hasn't smelled it yet, so i don't have a male's opinion on this scent. so far i'll give it 4 stars out of 5. ok, maybe 4.5 stars b/c my neighbor threw in a bunch of free samples with my order and that always cheers me up. so before we head out to run errands, i'll get to pick out a lipstick sampler. i tried one the other night and damnit, i really liked it. samples really are a good way to hook you. i think sam's club has known that for a while though, my kids are always hoping for snacks when we go there.
the beds were set up by 8:30 so i do have to give the guys kudos for a quick set up. their rooms are all set up and ready for bedtime tonight.
since i got a jump on the morning by showering so early, i even added some perfume to my routine. (hey, i'll be heading out to sam's club and target later today, i might as well smell purty!) my neighbor is an avon lady and i had ordered a new perfume called 'chic in white.' my avon lady, being from afghanistan and maybe not aware of how english has borrowed a lot of words from the french, pronounces this perfume as "chick in white." if you say it fast enough it sounds like "chicken white." it doesn't really smell like chicken though...after wearing it for a bit now, it reminds me a lot of peach schnapps...which makes me want a fuzzy navel...which makes me realize i have no clue even where to buy hard liquor around here. beer & wine are everywhere but i have yet to see the rough stuff for sale. it's probably better for me, i might try to make mojitos or appletinis or something else equally yummy and calorie-licious.
rob hasn't smelled it yet, so i don't have a male's opinion on this scent. so far i'll give it 4 stars out of 5. ok, maybe 4.5 stars b/c my neighbor threw in a bunch of free samples with my order and that always cheers me up. so before we head out to run errands, i'll get to pick out a lipstick sampler. i tried one the other night and damnit, i really liked it. samples really are a good way to hook you. i think sam's club has known that for a while though, my kids are always hoping for snacks when we go there.
8.24.2009
blogger envy
i love the internet.
possibly more than my children. yes, maybe so.
********************************************************
yesterday i saw my husband had commented on one of his friends' pictures on facebook. the picture was of a homemade apron that the woman had just sewn and when i saw it, i immediately thought 'i want one too!'
so i googled the style of apron and i fell in love with it even more. from there i posted my apron-related links and musings on a mommy message board. suprisingly, another mommy posted back that she had just made herself a new apron and gave me MORE links to homemade aprons.
one of those links was to lucy who makes some super neat stuff (including aprons!) and the best part? she has music on her website and her playlist really is awesome. i'm always looking for something new and varied when it comes to music. and lucy doesn't play commercials in her music lineup, definitely a plus :)
i've left that window open for the last 2 days and that's what i've been listening to whenever i'm at the computer. i have a list of about a dozen songs from her playlist that i may add to my itunes. i bookmarked her site, not only for her apron-making abilities but b/c her music choices ROCK!
you won't get that classy treatment around this blog. no sir. instead you get one post in 2 months and some teeny font that makes you squint at the monitor. not to mention the sea green background that looks a bit institutional.
***EDIT***
i've got music now! woohoo! so there's still tiny print and that lovely green background but be patient. just adding music took me at least 2 hours of ignoring the kids, maybe i'll save the background editing for the first day of school!! :) so even though i have music up now, i'll probably still listen to lucy's playlist. i highly recommend it!
possibly more than my children. yes, maybe so.
********************************************************
yesterday i saw my husband had commented on one of his friends' pictures on facebook. the picture was of a homemade apron that the woman had just sewn and when i saw it, i immediately thought 'i want one too!'
so i googled the style of apron and i fell in love with it even more. from there i posted my apron-related links and musings on a mommy message board. suprisingly, another mommy posted back that she had just made herself a new apron and gave me MORE links to homemade aprons.
one of those links was to lucy who makes some super neat stuff (including aprons!) and the best part? she has music on her website and her playlist really is awesome. i'm always looking for something new and varied when it comes to music. and lucy doesn't play commercials in her music lineup, definitely a plus :)
i've left that window open for the last 2 days and that's what i've been listening to whenever i'm at the computer. i have a list of about a dozen songs from her playlist that i may add to my itunes. i bookmarked her site, not only for her apron-making abilities but b/c her music choices ROCK!
you won't get that classy treatment around this blog. no sir. instead you get one post in 2 months and some teeny font that makes you squint at the monitor. not to mention the sea green background that looks a bit institutional.
***EDIT***
i've got music now! woohoo! so there's still tiny print and that lovely green background but be patient. just adding music took me at least 2 hours of ignoring the kids, maybe i'll save the background editing for the first day of school!! :) so even though i have music up now, i'll probably still listen to lucy's playlist. i highly recommend it!
6.25.2009
wedding gifts suck.
my cousin is getting married this weekend.
in iowa, of course, where all the rest of my family resides. we're not attending the wedding, mostly because we weren't invited. we didn't make the list for the wedding, just for the reception. (ouch.) the wedding ceremony is going to be held at a covered bridge somewhere in marion county, and there's limited parking so the guest list for the ceremony had to be trimmed significantly...seems the out-of-town cousins get whacked off without a further thought.
even if i sound bitter, i am going to send them a card with some money in it but i'm really puzzled as to how much to enclose.
$25 seems appropriate in my mind, but a little nagging thought pops up and says, 'maybe $50 would be better?' after all, $25 doesn't buy much anymore...a dinner at a restaurant, 1/2 a tank of gas, 1/2 of a cell phone bill...on the other hand, i really don't want to give them $50.
the last family i sent money to never sent me a thank you card and i'm HUGE on proper ettiquette when it comes to thank you cards. in my mind, there's no reason not to send a thank you. everyone knows where the post office is and i print my return address very neatly, so that couldn't have been the issue. it was for a wedding gift for my cousins on the other side of the family, and suprise! the check was cashed on the very day of their wedding. (rolls eyes) this is also the couple who got married in may and their firstborn arrived that december. whatever. you can be damn sure i didn't send them a baby gift.
yes, it's an old-fashioned attitude but along with thank you cards, i'm a big believer in baby announcements. most of my family has email access, why is it so hard to put together a mass email of the actual name of the baby and the birthdate? i like to know these things about the new members of the family.
anyway, enough of my mind wandering. $25 or $50. cheapskate or too much. an oddball amount like $35 seems a little weird.
you know, now that i think about it...both the bride & groom are employed full time, living together, and i haven't even seen my cousin (the groom) in years. $25 sounds about right. shall i enclose a stamped, pre-addressed thank you card as well?
in iowa, of course, where all the rest of my family resides. we're not attending the wedding, mostly because we weren't invited. we didn't make the list for the wedding, just for the reception. (ouch.) the wedding ceremony is going to be held at a covered bridge somewhere in marion county, and there's limited parking so the guest list for the ceremony had to be trimmed significantly...seems the out-of-town cousins get whacked off without a further thought.
even if i sound bitter, i am going to send them a card with some money in it but i'm really puzzled as to how much to enclose.
$25 seems appropriate in my mind, but a little nagging thought pops up and says, 'maybe $50 would be better?' after all, $25 doesn't buy much anymore...a dinner at a restaurant, 1/2 a tank of gas, 1/2 of a cell phone bill...on the other hand, i really don't want to give them $50.
the last family i sent money to never sent me a thank you card and i'm HUGE on proper ettiquette when it comes to thank you cards. in my mind, there's no reason not to send a thank you. everyone knows where the post office is and i print my return address very neatly, so that couldn't have been the issue. it was for a wedding gift for my cousins on the other side of the family, and suprise! the check was cashed on the very day of their wedding. (rolls eyes) this is also the couple who got married in may and their firstborn arrived that december. whatever. you can be damn sure i didn't send them a baby gift.
yes, it's an old-fashioned attitude but along with thank you cards, i'm a big believer in baby announcements. most of my family has email access, why is it so hard to put together a mass email of the actual name of the baby and the birthdate? i like to know these things about the new members of the family.
anyway, enough of my mind wandering. $25 or $50. cheapskate or too much. an oddball amount like $35 seems a little weird.
you know, now that i think about it...both the bride & groom are employed full time, living together, and i haven't even seen my cousin (the groom) in years. $25 sounds about right. shall i enclose a stamped, pre-addressed thank you card as well?
6.24.2009
summer is a little anticlimactic.
we're on day 5 of summer vacation (i had to open up my calendar to actually count the days, they already seem to run together) and i'm over it. as we speak the kids have been camped in front of the TV for the last 48 minutes. at least it's PBS, that's the only effort i'm making lately. they can watch TV all day, as long as it's PBS. but when did PBS start slipping in all the commercials? sure it's a 10 second spot of a product because the company paid for the airing of the show, but isn't that technically a "commercial?" arg. makes me think i should start donating to public broadcasting, but living in northern VA..really i'm unsure who the money should go to. we get (and watch) maryland and virginia broadcasting. maybe alternate year by year? although it seems like maryland's PBSkids is a little bit better.
anyway, those above dilemmas are the silly things that occupy my brain these days.
over the last few days, it's been "i should really sweep and mop the wood floor." which is followed by "but then the kids will just get it dirty again" or "it's supposed to rain tomorrow, then the dog will track in mud and i'll have to scrub it again." however, if the kids and/or dog did happen to get it dirty again, you know i really wouldn't go to all that work and mop it again. clorox wipes are heavily used in this house. i've had to order rob NOT to use them to clean our 2 year olds' hands after a meal. good thing she doesn't wear diapers anymore, i'd be afraid to leave clorox wipes in the house with them.
so...today, we shall head to target. i'm not sure WHEN, since it's already after 11am and it takes me about 45 minutes to shower & get dressed, and that brings us smack into lunch time. lunch truly is its own time suck.
feeding kids really is too much work. there's the work of making a choice, prepping the food, waiting for them to eat (holy crow does it take forever for them to just EAT IT already!), reminding the kids to put their dishes in the dishwasher, and then cleaning 6 hands and 3 faces and the island, the counters, and the table. it annoys me that i have to do this THREE times a day, and it further annoys me that experts recommend that all meals should be sit-down meals at the table and adults should try to carry on meaningful conversations with their kids during this time. really, do i have to?
sigh. we're working on 78 minutes of PBS now, just in case you're keeping track.
we're on day 5 of summer vacation (i had to open up my calendar to actually count the days, they already seem to run together) and i'm over it. as we speak the kids have been camped in front of the TV for the last 48 minutes. at least it's PBS, that's the only effort i'm making lately. they can watch TV all day, as long as it's PBS. but when did PBS start slipping in all the commercials? sure it's a 10 second spot of a product because the company paid for the airing of the show, but isn't that technically a "commercial?" arg. makes me think i should start donating to public broadcasting, but living in northern VA..really i'm unsure who the money should go to. we get (and watch) maryland and virginia broadcasting. maybe alternate year by year? although it seems like maryland's PBSkids is a little bit better.
anyway, those above dilemmas are the silly things that occupy my brain these days.
over the last few days, it's been "i should really sweep and mop the wood floor." which is followed by "but then the kids will just get it dirty again" or "it's supposed to rain tomorrow, then the dog will track in mud and i'll have to scrub it again." however, if the kids and/or dog did happen to get it dirty again, you know i really wouldn't go to all that work and mop it again. clorox wipes are heavily used in this house. i've had to order rob NOT to use them to clean our 2 year olds' hands after a meal. good thing she doesn't wear diapers anymore, i'd be afraid to leave clorox wipes in the house with them.
so...today, we shall head to target. i'm not sure WHEN, since it's already after 11am and it takes me about 45 minutes to shower & get dressed, and that brings us smack into lunch time. lunch truly is its own time suck.
feeding kids really is too much work. there's the work of making a choice, prepping the food, waiting for them to eat (holy crow does it take forever for them to just EAT IT already!), reminding the kids to put their dishes in the dishwasher, and then cleaning 6 hands and 3 faces and the island, the counters, and the table. it annoys me that i have to do this THREE times a day, and it further annoys me that experts recommend that all meals should be sit-down meals at the table and adults should try to carry on meaningful conversations with their kids during this time. really, do i have to?
sigh. we're working on 78 minutes of PBS now, just in case you're keeping track.
5.25.2009
the planning begins
i am a mother to a little girl who will be turning 7 in 21 days.
i am a mother who has given into her daughter's request for a birthday party with friends.
i am a mother who will be throwing a birthday tea party for 8 little girls in 19 days.
i am a mother with a shitload of work to do!!!
apparently, so does reese. she's been keeping her own list of items to get for her party and one of them is "party manners." i had to laugh at that one, reese seems to take after daddy in the manners department.
the part i'm nervous about is having all the moms hanging out during the party. i am NOT good at small talk and even worse at keeping the house clean enough for adult guests (my list at walmart includes ant traps, is that telling enough?).
it should be fun, i just have to stay focused and not let the calendar get away from me. i also need to figure out what the birthday girl will be receiving from us this year. on her birthday list she included: a nerf gun, an ariel head (for hairstyling practice), a pug (!!!), and american girl doll, with 'esesorees' (ahem, accessories), paint and easel, barbies, a webkinz and a computer. there will have to be some brainstorming going on. i would love to get her a trampoline for the backyard but our backyard is so small and hilly that i imagine she'd bounce over the fence and into the woods beyond. we'll have to save that for some other birthday.
for the now, it's time to get some coffee and head to the grocery store. seems un-american to spend memorial day buying food but at least i'm buying SOMETHING and *that* is american. hey, maybe we'll add an american flag to our shopping list. thanks for reminding me, blogger! we have the holder on the porch but no flagpole or flag. seems like a navy family should display a flag every day, not just patriotic holidays. we'll have to get on that!
i am a mother who has given into her daughter's request for a birthday party with friends.
i am a mother who will be throwing a birthday tea party for 8 little girls in 19 days.
i am a mother with a shitload of work to do!!!
apparently, so does reese. she's been keeping her own list of items to get for her party and one of them is "party manners." i had to laugh at that one, reese seems to take after daddy in the manners department.
the part i'm nervous about is having all the moms hanging out during the party. i am NOT good at small talk and even worse at keeping the house clean enough for adult guests (my list at walmart includes ant traps, is that telling enough?).
it should be fun, i just have to stay focused and not let the calendar get away from me. i also need to figure out what the birthday girl will be receiving from us this year. on her birthday list she included: a nerf gun, an ariel head (for hairstyling practice), a pug (!!!), and american girl doll, with 'esesorees' (ahem, accessories), paint and easel, barbies, a webkinz and a computer. there will have to be some brainstorming going on. i would love to get her a trampoline for the backyard but our backyard is so small and hilly that i imagine she'd bounce over the fence and into the woods beyond. we'll have to save that for some other birthday.
for the now, it's time to get some coffee and head to the grocery store. seems un-american to spend memorial day buying food but at least i'm buying SOMETHING and *that* is american. hey, maybe we'll add an american flag to our shopping list. thanks for reminding me, blogger! we have the holder on the porch but no flagpole or flag. seems like a navy family should display a flag every day, not just patriotic holidays. we'll have to get on that!
5.21.2009
summer's a comin'...
preschool is over!
yay! and boo! what am i going to do with cade allllll day??? especially since his favorite activity is picking on elisha whenever possible. the neighbors *might* be hearing more yelling from this house and i just might be the one doing it, as i'm running away from home.
there's one last preschool activity. today the preschool is hosting a family day at a local park. some craft activities for the kids, feeding the ducks, playing in the fresh air...which sounds fine & dandy but it starts in 45 minutes and i'm still working on my first cup of coffee. there's a reason why cade went to school in the afternoons and it's called "momma can't be anywhere before 10:30." my eyes still won't fully open, for god's sake.
the fun part is it's a picnic so we bring our own food to eat in the park so i have to get that all put together too. meanwhile, i just want another cup of coffee and some more computer time.
yay! and boo! what am i going to do with cade allllll day??? especially since his favorite activity is picking on elisha whenever possible. the neighbors *might* be hearing more yelling from this house and i just might be the one doing it, as i'm running away from home.
there's one last preschool activity. today the preschool is hosting a family day at a local park. some craft activities for the kids, feeding the ducks, playing in the fresh air...which sounds fine & dandy but it starts in 45 minutes and i'm still working on my first cup of coffee. there's a reason why cade went to school in the afternoons and it's called "momma can't be anywhere before 10:30." my eyes still won't fully open, for god's sake.
the fun part is it's a picnic so we bring our own food to eat in the park so i have to get that all put together too. meanwhile, i just want another cup of coffee and some more computer time.
5.13.2009
to do list...
i woke up today WITHOUT my alarm going off, and yes i am impressed about that. right at 6:45 my eyes popped open and i didn't even think about rolling over and snoozing for a bit longer. instead i thought about what i could do today that would keep me busy.
so far, i'm planning an exciting day of:
1. reese off to school
2. clean & vacuum main level, it's desperately needed!
3. take cade to preK
4. head to walmart and choose some more flowers/plants for our house (isn't it sad how walmart has become the neighborhood greenhouse as well? i have no clue where the closest greenhouse or nursery is, but i can find 3 walmarts no problem.)
5. spend after school time planting some flowers while the kids play
i might throw in a walk for the dog if i really get busy on the house cleaning. i've been making time to walk the dog every day, hoping to aspire to 'pack leader' among all my other job titles. which reminds me, cesar milan is just YUMMY, and it cracks me up to think that south park has added him to their list of popular folks to parody.
ok, off to the bus stop!
so far, i'm planning an exciting day of:
1. reese off to school
2. clean & vacuum main level, it's desperately needed!
3. take cade to preK
4. head to walmart and choose some more flowers/plants for our house (isn't it sad how walmart has become the neighborhood greenhouse as well? i have no clue where the closest greenhouse or nursery is, but i can find 3 walmarts no problem.)
5. spend after school time planting some flowers while the kids play
i might throw in a walk for the dog if i really get busy on the house cleaning. i've been making time to walk the dog every day, hoping to aspire to 'pack leader' among all my other job titles. which reminds me, cesar milan is just YUMMY, and it cracks me up to think that south park has added him to their list of popular folks to parody.
ok, off to the bus stop!
5.11.2009
sunny sunday
i click "create post" and after playing quietly for the last 10 minutes, elisha must suddenly speak up and begin whining. how does she have such perfect timing?!?!
we had a wonderful mother's day. the kids let me sleep in til 9:30 and then i came downstairs to be greeted with homemade cards and coffee a la rob. i had wanted for the last few weeks to go on a family hike at one of the local state parks and we finally did that yesterday. it was a 2 mile loop, complete with a view over the potomac river. it was gorgeous weather, and surprisingly no one got a single bug bite! (this could be because i generously applied the avon bug spray, but it was breezy so maybe that helped also.) the 2 year old only needed piggy-backed about 1/5th of the way and everyone agreed that we should do that again. rarely do we get that much agreement about ANYTHING in our family.
to top my weekend off, i stepped on the scale for a 1.6 lb loss this morning. life is going well right now.
we had a wonderful mother's day. the kids let me sleep in til 9:30 and then i came downstairs to be greeted with homemade cards and coffee a la rob. i had wanted for the last few weeks to go on a family hike at one of the local state parks and we finally did that yesterday. it was a 2 mile loop, complete with a view over the potomac river. it was gorgeous weather, and surprisingly no one got a single bug bite! (this could be because i generously applied the avon bug spray, but it was breezy so maybe that helped also.) the 2 year old only needed piggy-backed about 1/5th of the way and everyone agreed that we should do that again. rarely do we get that much agreement about ANYTHING in our family.
to top my weekend off, i stepped on the scale for a 1.6 lb loss this morning. life is going well right now.
5.09.2009
coffee loosens the lips
another saturday, another 6:30am wake up call from a certain 2 year old who was extremely thirsty at bedtime and needed to use the facilities. pottytraining is awesome, except before 7am.
it wouldn't hurt so badly if i would have headed to bed before midnight. it wouldn't have hurt so badly if rob hadn't decided that it was time for a big emotional discussion about our relationship, and we stayed up for another 90 minutes hashing that all up. i have no clue what time i fell asleep but i know i didn't sleep nearly enough.
i have dibs on a nap some time today, even if i have to sit out in the van to hide from the kids.
part of the whole relationship discussion has to do with me and my own little depression.
or it might just be craziness. i'll settle with calling it depression, that sounds a little less scary than crazy. they can treat depression with medication...do they have meds for "crazy?" or do they go straight to electro-shock therapy and padded rooms?
i guess i'll be researching our insurance coverage to find out what they allow...and then trying to figure out how to even get an appointment to get things started. sigh. i've been hoping it will just go away by itself, and it does for a few weeks but then it's followed by a few bad weeks and it's getting harder to come back. there's a song by pam tillis, called "land of the living" and the refrain starts out "hurry back to the land of the living." that's truly how i refer to it in my mind, those days when the fog lifts and i can feel good about myself, i feel like i'm back in the land of the living. during my dark days, i feel content to watch the world go by from my window.
i'm also overeating like crazy, whether that's self-destructive behavior i'm not sure. or was it self-destructive behavior when i was on weight watchers and lost 80 pounds in 4 months? looking back at it, i thought it was awesome but now maybe i enjoyed restricting my eating a little too much? the last few days (now my cloud has lifted once again), i've been strict about my eating again and i feel self-confident, sexy, powerful. i type it out though, and i feel crazy. crazy or not, i'm 10 pounds above where i was when we moved here, arg.
how did i get like this??? media? my parents? high school boyfriend?
i told rob last night that talking about all this with a professional is going to be a lot more difficult than just moving on. i'm not sure i have the energy to go through all this. i don't remember a specific incident that would cause this behavior, so maybe it's just me. maybe it's my maternal grandma smiling down on me from somewhere, having possibly passed her depression on to the next generation.
on a good note, i finally remembered my blogger password so i can share all this uplifting news with the world. (ok, i know no one really reads this, but it's out there so it's possible!! :b)
it wouldn't hurt so badly if i would have headed to bed before midnight. it wouldn't have hurt so badly if rob hadn't decided that it was time for a big emotional discussion about our relationship, and we stayed up for another 90 minutes hashing that all up. i have no clue what time i fell asleep but i know i didn't sleep nearly enough.
i have dibs on a nap some time today, even if i have to sit out in the van to hide from the kids.
part of the whole relationship discussion has to do with me and my own little depression.
or it might just be craziness. i'll settle with calling it depression, that sounds a little less scary than crazy. they can treat depression with medication...do they have meds for "crazy?" or do they go straight to electro-shock therapy and padded rooms?
i guess i'll be researching our insurance coverage to find out what they allow...and then trying to figure out how to even get an appointment to get things started. sigh. i've been hoping it will just go away by itself, and it does for a few weeks but then it's followed by a few bad weeks and it's getting harder to come back. there's a song by pam tillis, called "land of the living" and the refrain starts out "hurry back to the land of the living." that's truly how i refer to it in my mind, those days when the fog lifts and i can feel good about myself, i feel like i'm back in the land of the living. during my dark days, i feel content to watch the world go by from my window.
i'm also overeating like crazy, whether that's self-destructive behavior i'm not sure. or was it self-destructive behavior when i was on weight watchers and lost 80 pounds in 4 months? looking back at it, i thought it was awesome but now maybe i enjoyed restricting my eating a little too much? the last few days (now my cloud has lifted once again), i've been strict about my eating again and i feel self-confident, sexy, powerful. i type it out though, and i feel crazy. crazy or not, i'm 10 pounds above where i was when we moved here, arg.
how did i get like this??? media? my parents? high school boyfriend?
i told rob last night that talking about all this with a professional is going to be a lot more difficult than just moving on. i'm not sure i have the energy to go through all this. i don't remember a specific incident that would cause this behavior, so maybe it's just me. maybe it's my maternal grandma smiling down on me from somewhere, having possibly passed her depression on to the next generation.
on a good note, i finally remembered my blogger password so i can share all this uplifting news with the world. (ok, i know no one really reads this, but it's out there so it's possible!! :b)
4.02.2009
stupid coffee addiction
sigh.
i've been faithfully dedicated to my gateway laptop for the last 4 years. it's made 3 moves and even come along on several vacations.
yesterday morning, i spilled a full cup of coffee on the keyboard. so while my laptop may smell like the perfect cup of coffee, it's not working like it should :( my keyboard is fried and when i go to open any window to do anything, it keeps randomly opening more and more windows.
so while i'm sad to say good bye to my old laptop, i'm secretly excited to get a new one. the consumer in me is about ready to pee herself so she can get something NEW! yippee!!
here's another something secret...i think i'm going to give macs a whirl. i've been devoted to PCs forever but rob had to rebuild my laptop about once a year and it ran XP. while i loved XP, i'm not ready to move onto vista, so we'll give apple a shot. if nothing else, they keep their resale value like ca-razy! :)
i've been faithfully dedicated to my gateway laptop for the last 4 years. it's made 3 moves and even come along on several vacations.
yesterday morning, i spilled a full cup of coffee on the keyboard. so while my laptop may smell like the perfect cup of coffee, it's not working like it should :( my keyboard is fried and when i go to open any window to do anything, it keeps randomly opening more and more windows.
so while i'm sad to say good bye to my old laptop, i'm secretly excited to get a new one. the consumer in me is about ready to pee herself so she can get something NEW! yippee!!
here's another something secret...i think i'm going to give macs a whirl. i've been devoted to PCs forever but rob had to rebuild my laptop about once a year and it ran XP. while i loved XP, i'm not ready to move onto vista, so we'll give apple a shot. if nothing else, they keep their resale value like ca-razy! :)
3.25.2009
the 'bobeara gets smart
i've been having all sorts of deep thoughts lately. i wouldn't call them epiphanies, but for someone who tends toward selfishness (me ;)), they're pretty big.
an example...
after dealing with cade's rotten attitude all day, after cooking and serving and cleaning up a homemade dinner, after bathing all the kids and having at least 2 loads of laundry to look forward to after the kids' bedtime, i was a little touchy. rob knew i was grouchy but pointed out that he had at least read a book to the kids. (wasn't that so thoughtful of him??? i do all the legwork and he gets the cuddles? yeah, i thought so too.)
i started a load of laundry, still angry, then went up to the sofa to read & listen to my ipod. i needed some down time while i stewed in my anger.
after about 5 minutes of not being able to focus on the book b/c of my anger, i realized how thankful i should be that i have all of this work to do. after that little thought popped in my head, my balloon of anger also popped...thankful that my kids are healthy and home in their comfortable warm beds....thankful that my husband was home and ready to read them a book and kiss them goodnight...thankful that we have a working washer and dryer in our basement so that i can sit around and read a book...thankful for this body that can carry loads of laundry up and down the stairs.
my anger disappeared and i enjoyed the rest of the evening with my book. i let rob suffer a little longer however. i apologized for my behavior at bedtime though ;)
usually there are so many times during the day when i think about all that i HAVE to get done, and no one to help me do them. i begin to get resentful, it seems that all my time goes toward chores or encouraging potty time or reminding reminding reminding the kids to finish their chores or pick up their toys. with that teeny thought last night still in my head this morning, i'm going to try to remember that it is with a thankful heart i get to cook a healthy meal for my family, i get to encourage independence in my two year old, i get to teach my children about picking up after themselves and contributing as a member of the family. just one little thought is all it took.
what are you thankful for?
an example...
after dealing with cade's rotten attitude all day, after cooking and serving and cleaning up a homemade dinner, after bathing all the kids and having at least 2 loads of laundry to look forward to after the kids' bedtime, i was a little touchy. rob knew i was grouchy but pointed out that he had at least read a book to the kids. (wasn't that so thoughtful of him??? i do all the legwork and he gets the cuddles? yeah, i thought so too.)
i started a load of laundry, still angry, then went up to the sofa to read & listen to my ipod. i needed some down time while i stewed in my anger.
after about 5 minutes of not being able to focus on the book b/c of my anger, i realized how thankful i should be that i have all of this work to do. after that little thought popped in my head, my balloon of anger also popped...thankful that my kids are healthy and home in their comfortable warm beds....thankful that my husband was home and ready to read them a book and kiss them goodnight...thankful that we have a working washer and dryer in our basement so that i can sit around and read a book...thankful for this body that can carry loads of laundry up and down the stairs.
my anger disappeared and i enjoyed the rest of the evening with my book. i let rob suffer a little longer however. i apologized for my behavior at bedtime though ;)
usually there are so many times during the day when i think about all that i HAVE to get done, and no one to help me do them. i begin to get resentful, it seems that all my time goes toward chores or encouraging potty time or reminding reminding reminding the kids to finish their chores or pick up their toys. with that teeny thought last night still in my head this morning, i'm going to try to remember that it is with a thankful heart i get to cook a healthy meal for my family, i get to encourage independence in my two year old, i get to teach my children about picking up after themselves and contributing as a member of the family. just one little thought is all it took.
what are you thankful for?
3.23.2009
dinner. it's what's for, uh...dinner.
and it's monday again.
how do weekends go so fast? they go even faster when it's warm & sunny outside. rainy saturdays last FOREVER, it seems.
this weekend i started something that before i had always laughed at, secretly made fun of. when i realized that i could start saving money doing it, i decided to give it a shot.
i'm meal planning!!!
hm, not as exciting as training for a marathon or digging a garden plot but certainly a big change for us.
i'm only planning our suppers for now. i could go crazy and plan lunches, but during the week there's just 2 kids home so i'll just jump in and see where it takes us. before trying this grand experiment, i'd just throw some oven-ready creation in the oven, add a fruit or vegetable and call it dinner. truthfully, that still resembles my meal planning, only now it's on the fridge for everyone to complain about.
i shouldn't say everyone is complaining, just my 4 year old. he's been the main deterrent to meal planning in the past. the fact that he a) hates meat, b) hates most vegetables and c) hates most sauces should let you know why i've put this off for so long. i've realized that if he's going to be a kindergartener in a public school next year, i should start putting new foods under his nose. who knows what those lunch ladies will try to feed him!
so far, not so good.
last night was meatloaf muffins, using this recipe. pretty much just turkey meatloaf (with cheese mixed in, to tempt him...what 4 year old can resist melted cheese???), put into well-sprayed muffin tins, with a spiral of ketchup on top. reese and rob LOVED them, both will be eating them for lunch today as well. i thought they were pretty good too, but i restrained myself with just two. elisha ate about 1/2 of hers, which is normal. cade, however, had to add drama to the meal. crying, screaming, crouching into the fetal position on his chair WHILE crying AND screaming...but eventually he at least took one bite of the meatloaf, and one bite of the mashed potatoes i had fixed on the side. his dinner was: 1/2 an apple (no skin), 1/2 slice of homemade bread (with butter), one bite of meatloaf, one bite of mashed potatoes, and one mini banana chocolate chip muffin. the muffin was the deal maker, obviously. cade will do anything for those yummy things.
anyway, tonight is spaghetti and breadsticks, with broccoli and/or cantelope. cade's meal will be: buttered spaghetti noodles (remember he hates sauces), cantelope, and as many breadsticks as i'll let him have.
i'm actually looking forward to dinners this week. it's almost like since it's on paper, it's there to back me up when cade starts whining about what's being served. i did work in some fun dinners too, it's not all meatloaf and crockpot dishes. wednesday we're having chocolate chip flax pancakes. you KNOW no one will be late for that dinner!
how do weekends go so fast? they go even faster when it's warm & sunny outside. rainy saturdays last FOREVER, it seems.
this weekend i started something that before i had always laughed at, secretly made fun of. when i realized that i could start saving money doing it, i decided to give it a shot.
i'm meal planning!!!
hm, not as exciting as training for a marathon or digging a garden plot but certainly a big change for us.
i'm only planning our suppers for now. i could go crazy and plan lunches, but during the week there's just 2 kids home so i'll just jump in and see where it takes us. before trying this grand experiment, i'd just throw some oven-ready creation in the oven, add a fruit or vegetable and call it dinner. truthfully, that still resembles my meal planning, only now it's on the fridge for everyone to complain about.
i shouldn't say everyone is complaining, just my 4 year old. he's been the main deterrent to meal planning in the past. the fact that he a) hates meat, b) hates most vegetables and c) hates most sauces should let you know why i've put this off for so long. i've realized that if he's going to be a kindergartener in a public school next year, i should start putting new foods under his nose. who knows what those lunch ladies will try to feed him!
so far, not so good.
last night was meatloaf muffins, using this recipe. pretty much just turkey meatloaf (with cheese mixed in, to tempt him...what 4 year old can resist melted cheese???), put into well-sprayed muffin tins, with a spiral of ketchup on top. reese and rob LOVED them, both will be eating them for lunch today as well. i thought they were pretty good too, but i restrained myself with just two. elisha ate about 1/2 of hers, which is normal. cade, however, had to add drama to the meal. crying, screaming, crouching into the fetal position on his chair WHILE crying AND screaming...but eventually he at least took one bite of the meatloaf, and one bite of the mashed potatoes i had fixed on the side. his dinner was: 1/2 an apple (no skin), 1/2 slice of homemade bread (with butter), one bite of meatloaf, one bite of mashed potatoes, and one mini banana chocolate chip muffin. the muffin was the deal maker, obviously. cade will do anything for those yummy things.
anyway, tonight is spaghetti and breadsticks, with broccoli and/or cantelope. cade's meal will be: buttered spaghetti noodles (remember he hates sauces), cantelope, and as many breadsticks as i'll let him have.
i'm actually looking forward to dinners this week. it's almost like since it's on paper, it's there to back me up when cade starts whining about what's being served. i did work in some fun dinners too, it's not all meatloaf and crockpot dishes. wednesday we're having chocolate chip flax pancakes. you KNOW no one will be late for that dinner!
3.18.2009
spring is almost here
and where the heck have i been?!?!? geez.
can you believe that i had to have my blog password reset? i could not remember what it was for the life of me. now i doubt i'll really write in here much more than usual, but at least i can comment on other people's blogs. yay!
it's been a long winter and spring is taking it's own sweet time finally getting here. the crocus & daffodils are blooming but the last 5 days have been cloudy and about 45 degrees. i guess cold days like that make you even more thankful for those blooming bulbs.
the kids are great. our youngest is probably officially pottytrained. she's wearing underwear all day, keeping diapers dry almost every night, and running herself to the potty when she needs to. so now i have almost a full package of pullups leftover. and yes, i'm kind of irritated, those things are $15 a pack and of course i had to rip open the package so she could have the ones with the princesses on the tummy instead of the ones from target with the goofy little girls on them. our neighbor has volunteered to take them off my hands, her 3 year old SON is still in diapers.
rob is traveling more these days. lucky for him he gets to be in washington state for 3/4 of the kids' spring break. he gets back on april 10, the kids go back to school on april 14. and with the jet lag he'll go through, i'm sure he'll be pretty much worthless for 2 of those days. he is only gone for 2 weeks, as opposed to 6+ months, so i'll pipe down on the complaining...but i really think spring break is going to be anything but a break for me :/ it's 3 weeks away anyway, so here i am wasting so much energy dreading it when it's not even til next MONTH. that makes it sound even farther away.
i'll make a better effort this spring to bore you all to death with more frequent posts. sounds like a fun goal for me, for sure!
can you believe that i had to have my blog password reset? i could not remember what it was for the life of me. now i doubt i'll really write in here much more than usual, but at least i can comment on other people's blogs. yay!
it's been a long winter and spring is taking it's own sweet time finally getting here. the crocus & daffodils are blooming but the last 5 days have been cloudy and about 45 degrees. i guess cold days like that make you even more thankful for those blooming bulbs.
the kids are great. our youngest is probably officially pottytrained. she's wearing underwear all day, keeping diapers dry almost every night, and running herself to the potty when she needs to. so now i have almost a full package of pullups leftover. and yes, i'm kind of irritated, those things are $15 a pack and of course i had to rip open the package so she could have the ones with the princesses on the tummy instead of the ones from target with the goofy little girls on them. our neighbor has volunteered to take them off my hands, her 3 year old SON is still in diapers.
rob is traveling more these days. lucky for him he gets to be in washington state for 3/4 of the kids' spring break. he gets back on april 10, the kids go back to school on april 14. and with the jet lag he'll go through, i'm sure he'll be pretty much worthless for 2 of those days. he is only gone for 2 weeks, as opposed to 6+ months, so i'll pipe down on the complaining...but i really think spring break is going to be anything but a break for me :/ it's 3 weeks away anyway, so here i am wasting so much energy dreading it when it's not even til next MONTH. that makes it sound even farther away.
i'll make a better effort this spring to bore you all to death with more frequent posts. sounds like a fun goal for me, for sure!
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