I feel like a Secretary.
Today I'm busy updating all of my spreadsheets, and am working on a guide for the next sorry schmo who will volunteer for the Mardi Gras Raffle Committee. I'm actually alphabetizing my lists, how sad is that? Anyhow, am making sure I have everyone on each spreadsheet that I need, and am attempting to hunt down all the folks who won prizes, but didn't get the the night of. Phoning what feels like a million (but in reality it's more like 25) ppl, trying to make sure they get their prizes.
Yeah, I'm being productive, I rock.
I wonder who'd love me if I were their secretary. My imagination is working overtime, LOL
Got half of them out the door in the direction they need to go, with a major note that the school secretary is being much nicer to me of late. That took me off guard...cause she's been a bit of a hag since day one. Truthfully I wonder if she isn't getting a bit burnt out.
Mr's off to work tonight, and the house feels a bit empty, cause H is still napping and it's just D & I downstairs completing our daily routine.
So...for now, as I can't think of anything else.
Useless Survey from Quizopolis.com
What's your sexual orientation? - orientation? I Like it...does that count?
Do you share your bedroom with someone? If yes, with who?? - my Mr.
Do you resemble a famous celebrity? - I resemble my mummie, that's famous enough for me
What brand is your mobile? - I dunno, Samsung I think
What key chains do you have with your house keys? - Library tag, Lake City Casino key chain, on a Roots Canada lanyard
Do you drive? If yes, what cars do you own? - A 95 GMC Yukon
Do you read the newspaper? - no
Is the TV on right now? - no
What song are you hearing right now? - none
Any favorite books you wanna mention here? - I just finished reading The Kite Runner, pretty intense book.
Are you up-to-date with the latest news on celebrities? - probably more than I'd like to admit
Have you ever lied to a best friend? - yes
Do you consider yourself intelligent? - yes
Are you a morning person or a night person? - a morning
Do you enjoy doing stuff on your own? - very much so
Take This Survey at Quizopolis.com
http://www.quizopolis.com/survey/5756/Useless-Survey/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Secretary Me
Monday, March 30, 2009
Potty Training Round 2
Yup, we first attempted potty training two weeks ago, just before I got sick. Unfortunately, with me being the chief determined person, it kinda got put on the back burner with that yucky cold, and with my busy week.
Now, we haven't got anything overtly scheduled, outside of our regular weekly extra-curricular plans, so here I am. This is round two, and we've had numerous accidents today. Despite my efforts to toss him onto the potty, H seems a bit reluctant to actually tell me when he needs to go. That's ok, he'll get the hint eventually. For now though, we're going to be home-bound until he gets the idea.
I've never really been one to believe in Pull-Ups, because to me they're just a bigger diaper, and they can't really teach him too much. Never mind the fact that they aren't all that eco-friendly. We've taken to bringing books with us to the potty, and I'm on an hour schedule. Every hour on the dot I toss him up there (unless we're guzzling water, then it's every 30 minutes), and we read a book together. Makes for a long day, and a bit of laundry, but that's ok.
I'm a determined kind of gal, and I figure if I keep myself consistent enough, he'll get the idea and the winds of change will blow through our home.
Sharing
I've been recycling a long time. I recall having done a post like this a while back. I've been working on downing our garbage output per week, to one bag. High ambitions, I know.
Now, I've been watching out, checking each and every label that passes through my hands, and asking the Mr to check as well. Here's what I came up with...
Did you know these items are recyclable:
- Yogurt Containers - (I buy Dannon All Natural, the kind with a peel off top) I knew the hard kind with an actual lid were, but I didn't think any others were.
- Fruit Cups - yup, thos little things you pack your kids, those just need a quick rinse to get rid of stickies (or so I believe) and you're good to go
- Frozen Instant Meal & Gerber Graduates Containers - you know, the kind you buy & toss into the microwave, yup, rinse & add that into your growing pile of recyclables.
-Laundry Detergent bottles - along with any other cleaning product bottle, just give it a rinse.
- All Plastic & Cellophane wraps - the ones that touch food need to be rinsed though, especially if food is stuck to them, cause then they could contaminate stuff and make it all garbage. Did you know they recycle some plastics into polar fleece? Yup, the stuff they used to make the snazzy vest or pullover you wear.
- Raw Meat Containers - Both the styrofoam kind & the plastic kind (the kind you find in Wal Mart here in the USA) They do need to be washed first before you put them in.
- Clothing - everyone knew they could donate their old clothes...but what about the ones with holes in them that wouldn't be any good to anyone?? You could just turn each & every item into something useful around the house, be a it a dog toy, a new bag (something simple), a dust rag, a catnip toy, how about some decorations for your child's room? Lots of ideas to be found, all over the place.
- Aluminum - I know someoene who works in the food industry, and I've tried very hard to have them crack down on their employer to start recycling more, as their (and I'm sure any other food place) amount of waste is atrocious. From pop/soda cans to aluminum foil that you use in the home. Did you know the aluminum covers for, say, a burrito, is recyclable? A quick rinse to make sure there's no sauce on it, and into the blue bag it can goes.
- Paper Bags - From McDonal's to Arby's, and any other fast food joint. What about from the grocery store? Yup, all of them can go into that blue bag I know I've convinced you to stash away.
- Glass - From old Jelly & Pickle Jars, to those pesky empty beer & wine bottles you have leftover from last weekend. ;o) Did you know they can recycle glass into astro-turf??
Wanna know how I know all this? Well, aside from clicking the links I've posted above...I turn my containers over when I'm either considering buying them, or when I'm through with them. I look for that recyclable sign. It's ok if it has a number next to it, or on it, or by it. It doesn't matter. Anything that has this symbol on it can head straight to the blue or clear bag. It's true, some things need a rinse, and some take more effort than others to recycle. How much plastic do you think they can still make out of what's left in the world? Enough for 20 more years? What happens after that? I want you to imagine this for me...who would want the job of digging through a landfill, to look for plastic to recycle? Not I. Now, I'm not saying that something like that WILL happen, it's simply a COULD factor.
Plastic takes a long time to decompose...depending on the object, anywhere from 5- 80 years. 5-80 years of people's plastic built up all over the world in every landfill. How long before those places will be useful again?
Now, all that aside. I have us down to two garbage bags per week, and anywhere's between 4 & 6 recycling bags per week. I'm grateful that we have curbside recycling here in our town. Even when we lived in the country where they didn't do this program, and instead encouraged burning, I bagged it all up and tossed it into the truck to take into town when I went shopping, dropping it off in a large recycling bin along the way.
I was doing the dishes this morning and was nearly complaining about the amount of recyclable containers I had accumulated on my counter as I was rinsing things for my dishwasher. I began pondering if anyone else knew about all of these things that could get tossed into that recycling bag. I was raised with recycling, but I'm still learning about what can & can't go in. This concludes my thoughts for the day...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mardi Gras Success
Ahhh, I can taste it. Mardi Gras was, for me, a great success. The school halls flowed with people, moving, milling about, checking out each room that had a game in it. Bobbing in and out in a single direction was nearly impossible, but that's part of the excitement.
Now, I spent my morning getting ready for it all. I woke up at 6am to bake a cake for D to decorate for their contest (I forgot about it until I was about to fall asleep the night before). Silly, now that I think about it, but I did promise him, so that's that. Made the icing, and he went with Happy Faces, which made me smile :o). Looking at it now, I realize it just doesn't make much sense visually. Oh Well. I sent the Mr over with cake & raffle tickets (plus money) in hand to take D to school. He didn't come back until
nearly an hour later. I guess he volunteered to help the other PTO members who were there, which was really nice of him. He reported that there were some fantastic cakes, and that D probably wouldn't win anything. *sigh* Oh well.
After D was off to school I spent my time at my sewing machine finishing up the bags I was making for the prizes. We had started with envelopes, and on each one was written the value of the package it contained, but as we 
swapped them around they just became scribbled. I thought they were ugly, and as I'm trying to get rid of my fabric collection (hopefully by using it), I decided to make matching bags for all of them. No time really, about 3 hours in all, over a few days. Anyhow, finished up the (pretty green gingham) bags, and headed over to the school to transfer all those prizes from ugly envelopes to pretty bags, and also, to number thew all. See, I made a master prize list. We weren't going to do any of the announcing, and to make it easier (and quicker), I thought I would make up a list of the bundles that I had, and
number them so we could keep track of which one we were on. In all, she announced for about 20 minutes, and we made it through our entire 54 Item list. Not bad timing. The only thing I forgot was a master list. It was my first time doing it, I was bound to make a mistake. After all was said and done, everyone swarmed the stage to ask if they'd won anything. Great. In the end I just said if you won, we'll call you to tell you about your prize. Did I mention my committee and I had a blast up there? Laughing at each was lots of fun.
Now, I started my night out by buying my dinner there. The boys 
& I, and MIL sat and ate at their cafeteria (which is also their gym) tables. Afterward we picked up some game tickets & milled about, waiting for the game rooms to open up. I did a few last minute things, and then caught up to the family, who were visiting the Jail & the game room behind it, when the sheriff arrested me. Now, I'll admit it, it was a comfy jail. I didn't mind being forced to sit & do nothing for about 5 minutes, it was quite nice. Besides, H was busy winning himself some prizes. Continue on. Though we did try and get to most of the games early on, they were all pretty crowded, so it made it a bit tough. Eventually the family sat in the gym, while I went up on stage to help get the raffling going. We all ended up on the stage, wanting to make it go as quickly as possible. Two of the committee members won, plus a number of PTO members. I wasn't one of them. Kinda sucks. BUT, I did bring home a fish. Only because I couldn't leave a live animal there in the PTO closet over the weekend...and because I need to phone the person who won. I only hope they're
willing to take it.
After we were finished I hiked down to take the boys out to play some more games. We had a ton of game tickets, and I wanted to be sure we got our money's worth. The lines had died down considerably, and waiting wasn't so bad. We stopped at the Knock -Em - Down game, where D surprised me by knocking them all down. He always did have a great arm, and a damned fine aim. Made me proud cause it took everyone in the room by surprise.
We headed to the dart/balloon room, where he popped a balloon, and even got his face painted. It was lots of fun, and I'm actually surprised that we came out with money left over. It was only cause I didn't have enough time to bomb around & spend it. I could've easily spent it on the Basket Raffle, or Spirit Wear, or heck, I could've even gotten myself some popcorn or Cotton Candy. But...alas. I gave the leftover cash to D, and he went out this morning with dad after ice skating. They hit a game store (as he actually received some cash in the mail in b-day cards from other relatives) and bought a couple of new games for his DS, as if he didn't already have enough to play. It was a fabulous success, and I'm happy it's over and done with for now. I'm looking forward to relaxing some this weekend. I've already edited all my pictures, I now just need to get them off to the yearbook person, and I can veg all I want. I guess I should go do that...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday Fill-Ins #117
1. "In a hole in the ground there lived a family of rabbits."
2. "We all know she did it, but that ain't no matter."
3. "After dark the rain began to fall again, and with it the world was rinsed clean."
4. "Jack Sparrow gloomily eyed the water, from the hold of the Spanish galleon."
5. "There was a hand in the darkness, and every time she breathed she could feel it tighten around her."
6. "Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, and often relieve those who are prepared." (yeah, don't know what that's all about, it was the first thing that popped into my head)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to our school's Mardi Gras Fundraiser (you know, that thing I've been working on since November?), tomorrow my plans include cleaning the house and Sunday, I want to make it to service, as I've missed the last two weeks!
I'm so excited that today's the Mardi Gras event. I'm looking forward to spending some time having fun playing games, and people watching, and taking lots of pictures. I hope no one's disappointed with all of the prizes that we've rounded up, and that everything goes smoothly. I'm not nearly as nervous as i usually get, so that's a big relief. I've got a few things to accomplish today before I can say I did it all, so I had better hop to it, cause we all know when things get busy there's never enough hours in the day. Wish us luck!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Snarky Boob - A - Thon
only4 days left to send in YOUR boob pictures today!
Ok ok, so I urge you to consider donating to this cause, or submitting your own, tasteful (meaning NO ACTUAL NUDITY PPL) boobie pic. Cleavage, ok.
S'kinda funny. This new hard drive is running super slow, so when I had my multiple windows opened to send this lady my picture, I entered in her email, but when I sent it I noticed the comp must have been lagging and it actually was sent to snark @ gmail . com instead of the actual snarkysarah @ gmail . com. I was panicking a bit, I'll admit it, but then I got the delivery notification that it failed to deliver. WHEW.
It's fun, it's cool...and not everyone can say "Hey, my boobs helped raise money for a cure!".
To Quote:
I will post the photos weekly (I can link you, or you can submit anonymously) and keep a running tab of money raised. If you don't feel like you can participate by showing your boobs (again, tasteful - cleavage is okay, nipples not so much), please consider making a direct donation. You can also help by donating prizes to be awarded to Boob-A-Thon participants (contact me if you'd like to help).
The stipulations are: 1) Submission must be tasteful
2) Submission must be your own (please don't send me photos of your neighbor's rack - I don't want any nasty grams in my inbox)
3) Only one submission per person (if you are undecided and want to send a couple photos, that is fine, but I will select which to post, and it will only be counted as 1 monetary amount) 4) While I am hoping that I will get more submissions than I can keep up with, please understand that I am not a millionaire (plus, I have a NKOTB habit to support!) and will need to cap off the donations at the amount that best suits myself and my family
How to participate: Email me at snarkysarah AT gmail DOT com Include your name (or blog name) and if you would like to be linked or not Keep yourself healthy, check your "girls" and Remember Betty...
Remember that boobs are earning $2 for each submission (in the case of Barb & her daughter - that's a $4 earning!).
And to spice it up a bit - I will pay $3 for each MAN that submits his boobs!!!!
So, let's go!!!!
Email your submission to:
snarkysarah AT gmail DOT com
The Boob-A-Thon is running until at least March 30th so there's still plenty of time!
Thursday Thunks
1. What is your favorite type of soda (if you drink soda)? Pepsi
2. Do you believe in astrology? If so, what does your sign say about you? Sometimes. I'm a Libra
3. Who is John Galt? I dunno, you tell me
4. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep at night? Fluff my pillows and get as far under the blankets as I can
5. Who's your Daddy? I don't have one, I was immaculately conceived
6. Jelly beans or Jelly Bellies? Ew. Let's not go there
7. What do you think about yellow car? Why car manufacturer actually made yellow cars? I like yellow cars...if I had one I'd plaster a giant happy face on it so you'd know it was me driving down the street. They make yellow cars cause they don't suck as much as limes green ones.
8. Holding on or Letting go? To what? I'd say letting go
9. What kind of underwear, if any, do you wear? Thong. Visible Panty Lines (VPL) are a sin.
10. Who is your daddy and what does he do? Arnold Schwarzenegger
11. Spring - is it here yet?? Sure, you can go dance in the rain, quick, before the lightning charges it up!
12. Does Google Streetview scare you? What's that? I should go Google it now.
13. What is your favorite brand of ice cream? Don't have one, as long as it's cold
14. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Kahlua Chocolate Fudge
15. Do you ever get tired of your everyday routine? I don't have one, I do something different each day. Unfortunately that means the kids aren't trained.
16. What inspires you? My kids.
17. It’s springtime-do you spend more time outdoors? Yes
18. When do you think Bud will let us see the DVD of him and the french twins? When we pay him 25 bux a piece
19. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you, and why? Europe...so long as I could drag my family with me.
20. Why do you blog? Because I have nothing better to do. Seriously, I only started so my family could keep up with what I was doing. And then I got followers...
21. What are electrolytes and why are they good for us? I dunno
22. Do you twitter? Why or why not? No, cause it's useless. Anyone who wants to know that much about me can follow my blog. I consider twitter followers stalkers.
23. What did you dream last night? Something about guns, a motel, children & monsters.
24. What is the strangest thing you've eaten? Baluga Whale. It was WAY too oily & bitter for my tastes.
25. What was the last picture that you took? My HNT picture.
26. What is your favorite part of spring? Watching the boys splash in all the puddles
27. What is one thing that you did this past week that no one knows about? I slept in until 11am this morning
28. What kind of bandages do you typically have in your household? Fabric. I hate plastic bandages cause they're weenie and come off too easily. I only buy the plastic kind if they have a design the boys like.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Catching Up
Okay, so my morning meltdown turned out not too bad. I'm still missing my pictures pretty bad, but at least I have a tech guy in the family who's willing to try and salvage them if they can be.
My MIL was nice and bought the makings for dinner as well as an ice creak cake! Yum :o)
I found the two main PTO documents online on my yahoo group, but I did have quite a lot of updating and figuring to do with them, I still need to remake the last one, which hopefully will take no time at all. As my day went on I discovered that I'm starting to miss all the links that I had saved in my favorite bookmarks, I only hope I can remember the most important ones that I visit.
I managed to finish some sewing, and hopefully will complete all tomorrow. I will need to look up a recipe for window paint that washes off easily, as it's my job to go make nice decorations on the school's front windows for this Friday.
Just need to breathe...I'm capable to overcoming the losses that I face with my missing hard drive. I'd give it a funeral if I could...
I'm going to chalk it up to divine intervention that I thought a day beforehand to start following all of those that I read on a regular basis, but did not follow...at least that'll save me some brainstorming.
Thank goodness for caffeine.
Why?!?!
So, I got my energy back lastnight, enough to do my laundry, clean the kitchen put laundry away and continue on.
At some point last eve the Mr informed me that little H had shut down the comp on him. Oh well, no big deal, we'll just leave it off until we need it right? WRONG!
I was getting ready to head upstairs for the night, and I went ot check my email. I push the button on the hard drive, and it starts it's usual whirring, and then...it starts click & clunking.
Shit.
I had spent about 20 minutes on the phone earlier that eve chatting with my mom, celebrating that I had only 3 days left until Mardi Gras , and I was almost ready to submit all my paperwork. I was nearly finished with my volunteer obligations. WRONG!!
Somehow, H crashed our hard drive lastnight. Our computer is shot. I've lost all of my pictures, all of my PTO files, all of my programs. I'm really upset about the pictures. Really really upset about losing my pictures. There was 8 months worth of pictures (multiply that by a minimum of 300 per month, and a max of 900) on there that I didn't have backed up anyplace.
I count myself lucky that we actually had a spare hard drive in our basement, and Mr was kind enough to bring it up and hook it up for me to get my work done.
What does this mean? Well, thankfully, I uploaded 2 of my PTO spreadsheets to our Raffle Group on Yahoo, so I will only have some updating to do on that, but I'll have to start again on my Bundling Sheet that shows the values of each bundle I have made. I swear I feel like it was something done intentionally. Let's se how stressed we can make amber before her PTO obligations end shall we?? It's a busy week for me, I don't have frickin time for this!!!
Oh my god. I want to cry for my lost pictures, scream and beat something...a wall, anything. I was to groan at the extra PTO work I'll have to do before Friday. I need to focus to bake a cake & cook dinner for D's birthday dinner this eve.
It's just not fucking fair.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
This Is: My Reality Show
This week's This Is... topic was chosen by Insomniac Lolita. She decided to go with a Reality Show theme. What would I call it, where would I film it, theme song, and so on :o)
Let me just say that there are oh so many reasons why I need my own reality show.
I've been pondering it all week, and the few styles that I came up with were:
Parenting, How To, Stupid Things People Do, If Kids Ran The House, Random Thoughts, The Real Life of Me.
So many choices. I found this topic to be rather difficult. I've often thought my life was crazy enough to turn into a Reality Show, but never really pondered the specifics.
I think I'd probably end up going with The Real Life of Me. My theme song would be ABC by the Jackson 5, and my intro would feature a series of pictures of me & the fam on a backdrop of a map of North America. Picture chalk outlines and scribbles there too to highlight each picture. It would also have sound effects, like real life SHOULD be. *boink boink* for blinks, and gulping 
noises, along with some funky chopping sound when we walk. You get the idea. It would frequent music whenever we begin to think, and feature flashbacks to go with. Each time I snicker or giggle the audience would get a cue to laugh. They'd get the cue to clap whenever we do something mediocre. Intense music would play when I tangle to get the stupid bags out of the truck without spilling anything. Slow-motion would come into play whenever I nearly drop something, or whenever the kids throw something at us.
I think each episode could consist of one day out my week, or quite possible a montage to explain why the f*** I'm so tired all the time. I
honestly don't picture it being filmed all in one location cause I do love to travel so much, but I like the idea of either hand drawn backdrops or just pictures of the backdrops enlarged. Like I'd be in front of a green screen or something. I think I'd enjoy something along the lines of separated images and animation being fused together here.
The show itself would center around me, and the choices I make, and how humanly rateable they'd make me.
I think it would even be cool if people could vote for my choice for me. I've often wondered if others were in control of my life if it wouldn't suck as bad as it does sometimes.
"IF YOU WANT AMBER TO GO WITH THE STEAK AND NOT THE CHICKEN TEXT OR CALL YOUR VOTE INTO 3256 NOW!"
or how about "SHOULD AMBER IMMIGRATE TO THE USA OR MOVE HER KIDS TO ANOTHER COUNTRY ENTIRELY? BE SURE TO TUNE IN & FIND OUT NEXT WEEK..."
It'd be pretty cool.
Did I mention I'd love it to have a Classic Rock song base? You know everyone would laugh their asses off each week. I'd give all those prime timers a run for their money...honest.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Chalk It Up
You know, I do a lot of stupid things. I admit it, I do.
I've been fighting a feeling of "I know I'm forgetting something" for the whole day.
MIL comes over, and asks, Has D had his medicine yet (they were preparing for Violin practice) and I say "Oh, No I haven't. Let me grab it out of the fridge."
Yesterday we went to MIL's where I got to clean out their garage (sounds weird, but it drives me nuts whenever I'm in it cause I itch to tidy it up a bit). I knew we'd be there for a bit so I took their medicine with us. Only, when we got home we were all bagged & since H was asleep in his seat we agreed we'd just leave everything until "later".
Normally, I hate that phrase, cause it usually means we're not going to get it out until days later, if at all.
Can you guess what happened?
Yup, we left the medicines (Flavored Amoxicillan) in the back of the truck, in our heated garage overnight.
That feeling of forgetting something was me trying to remind my useless self to put the medicines in the fridge where they belonged.
Damn it all to fricken %^#%$#%&)^)(&*()&
*sigh*
Call the Dr's, then call the pharmacy, and wait. Now we've missed almost a full days' worth of doses. Frick.
I blame my useless cold-ridden brain for dismissing important information because it's too sick to hold onto it. Honest.
Monday's...
It's been a week since I first got sick. I'm still all stuffed up sounding. My nose still needs to be honked about once an hour. I'm tired of being sick. I'm tired of wearing out quicker than normally. Just get over it woman! Drinking plenty of fluids, trying to get my strength up by eating the nice healthy leftovers from the party. Big bowl of fruit with my name on it is nearly all gone now.
Gonna be another hectic week. Today D has Violin lessons (which I'm ashamed to admit we haven't touched at all in the past week), tomorrow eve the Mr is going to have company over, Wed is D's actual B-day where we'll be squeaking in a nice dinner & cake after school & before Ice Skating. Thursday is our Cub Scout Pack meeting where our Den in going to do a cheer in front of everyone. Friday is Mardi Gras. At some point in time I need to finish working on the spreadsheets I have with all my donation info on it, including find out the value of each bundle we have (about 40) so we know what we're advertising as. Very busy week.
The laundry needs to be done today, as well as the upstairs. It was deemed a hazardous area during the party cause Mr just threw everything upstairs & left it, rather than putting away cause there was just no time. Under normal circumstance I start cleaning about two days beforehand, and since I was sick, I didn't do any cleaning. I'd definitely have to say that the worst part about this sickness is how tired I get so quickly. It doesn't take much before I'm in need of a break and a rest off my feet to regenerate what energy I've depleted. Silly. I have, however incorporated some caffiene into my diet of late so I can stay energized for a bit longer, though, it honestly doesn't work as well as I'd like
.
We recieved our copy of the poster with H on it last week, and decided to go with a Pewter style/color frame. Beautiful 16x20 print, that is now hanging above my computer.
It's a beautiful day out today, hopefully we can squeek in some outside time with the kids before everything gets underway. I'm dying for some fresh air. Sometimes, I worry that I'd never get any if it weren't for my sons' extra-curricular activities.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Birthday Success & Hot Salsa
We rose out of bed a bit later than we had planned yesterday. Weird, cause it was the Mr stressing, and not me. For once. It's always the other way around.
D had to take a shower, and get ready for ice skating. MIL arrived to take him over, and then we got going on the house. Friday night I made Mr take D to OWL while I stayed home and made his cake. I needed to bake two cause rather than cut his cake 
to shape I planned on just piping my design right onto it. I did a not too bad job. I made the cake, and after getting the boys to sleep, I came back downstairs to start my decorations. I had two rolls each of crepe papers, so I really wanted to make an actual try at using it all. 6 rolls of crepe paper, and about 35 balloons later. I was happy MIL had bought a helium tank for the day of, made things much easier. While Mr cleaned, H & I filled balloons together. The box set we had gotten for 
our Super Mario theme included 24 balloons, and once we finished those I added in some from the ones that came with the tank itself, to add a bit of extra color. I wish I had taken pictures of my streamers hung up everywhere, the Mr actually didn't want to take them down cause they looked so nice. That's rare. You know I did a good job 
on them when the Mr doesn't want to take them down. In any event, out of the 12 kids we invited, the only ones who came were in the Cub Scouts, and his best friend from class. I always have luck like that when it comes to parties. We all had a fabulous time, we fed them, stuffed them full of fruit and DiGiorno Pizza. Apparently our party times are too early, cause no pizza places made pizza that early (we started at 11am). So, we went the low road and bought frozen, and combined it with fresh fruit & juice. The kids scarfed food, then moved on to cake, and onto the party poppers (NO clue why Mr insisted on purchasing these for an INDOOR party), and then we moved right on to presents. I was against doing presents, as I felt it 
would just be too hectic and akward to have to handle. I was right. I hate it when kids crowd in, and I can't see my child because everyone else is pressing in so hard. I hate having to tell other people's kids to back up, even though their parents are right there. I hate seeing other kids unwrap their gifts for my child. Drives me nuts. I got almost no good shots of D opening gifts, too many heads in the way, and no good angles. He did say thank you, and really enjoyed his gifts though.
Well, after that we pushed our time limit, and we rushed everyone out the door. MIL offered to stay home & clean with H, which was really nice. We rolled out the door in a collective heap into the truck and headed to our next destination. We arrived, the last ones there (eep) and got everyone their wristbands, and off intot he play area. They disappeared for an hour before they resurfaced for a drink and a potty break. I was happy to cover the younger siblings who accompanied their invited older siblings. I had paid for 12, and even with 3 extra siblings, we ended up with 11. I ended up getting my last 5 dollars back in tokens. Once again, the Mr and I traded places. He played & romped with kids in play place, while I kicked back and chatted with the other parents. It was a pleasant change, and lots of chuckles were had. I'm actually thinking I may miss this group of parents when we move. I'm just glad our party was such a smashing success.
For some reason, my Mr spontaneously offered to take me to Hot Salsa night at our church. Weird, considering it was for Salsa Dance lessons. I couldn't figure out if he was serious or not when he came home (I secretly think he did it because another guy friend asked him to). After napping with H when we got home from the rest of the party, he woke me up and told me to start getting ready. Wow. I got dressed, went through 4 outfits before I found one comfortable enough to dance in, did my make-up, and we headed out. It was fun, but it was supposed to be 4 hours long (and $15 each!). They provided dance lessons, dinner, and a contest. We stayed for dinner and the lessons, but I was pretty tired by then and I insisted we go home.
It was a pretty long day yesterday, and because of my lack of stress, I didn't take as many pictures as I normally do. I barely broke the 100 mark...for a birthday party. That's just sad.
Anyhow, we've got plans to keep us busy today. I'm feeling much better, just itchy ears and a yucky dry hack. Keep the fluids up, and the kleenex box handy, and all will be well, right?
Friday, March 20, 2009
I'm One Hot Mama
Yup, it's true. I fit the criteria as a Hot Mama.
I'm doing a Hot Mama dance right now, but you don't need to see that. ;o)
My thanks to Sage & the guys over at Hot Dads.
You hear that everyone? Hot Dads, go visit it, it's funny, and insightful. You know you're dying to read life from a dad's point of view, or heck, even life from a man's point of view. Go visit them!
Friday Fill-Ins #116
1. Why do we have to get so busy once we have kids? (seriously, I was not this busy before I had kids)
2. What was once a chore to get the kids to do, are now habits.
3. I have two boys and a husband, I'm doomed to forever be outnumbered.
4. I had never heard the phrase "S*** On Shingles or SOS" and it made me giggle.
5. I just mind my own business the way I always do.
6. How as I to know D had made that craft, I thought it was just a tube of paper, but to him it was a Kaleidoscope, a rocket launcher, and a loudspeaker.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cleaning and OWL, tomorrow my plans include having D's Birthday Party and Sunday, I want to get some rest!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Lemonade, My Fav!
Last week I cruised by Jack's place, and discovered she had awarded me this fabulous bit of Blog-o-sphere greatness.
The "When Life Gives You Lemons" Award.
Rules for the Lemonade Award:
Now, I can't recall whom out of all my bloggy friends I've given awards to. Truly, I do try and place the most fitting & deserving ones in the slots provided because timing it everything, right? So...
1. Jodi @ Moody Blue. I do realize she's already received this award from someone else, but this is one of those times where it's a terrific reminder of what great friends we make online, and what a wonder it is to smile.
2. Kimber @ Life In A Zoo. It's truly amazing what mother's are capable of. I don't know how she manages, but she homeschools her children, and I know from experience how much devotion that must take. I admire that she has the ability to stay relatively sane during those rough times that I've witnessed being a frequent visitor to her blog for the last few months. She's a special kind of lady :o)
3. John @ Curdled - I haven't been a reader for long, actually the first time I can remember reading I was instantly sucked into his world, and how different his was, from mine. I'm intensely curious about him, and I love the snippits he provides about his world when he blogs.
4. my MIL Ronnie @ Certifiable. We've been family for nearly 8 years and I keep finding new reasons to love her each and every day. It will never fail to amaze me how she can be such a pillar of strength when we start to fail each other.
Made it through today, Yay!
Starting to feel better, didn't need the Tylenol so much today either, but was still real tired.
Had Cub Scouts, made some musical instruments with the kids, was a bit of a brain blunder trying to figure out enough instruments for everyone and making sure they all had an idea of how to put them together. Completely forgot to bring a CD with world music on it. Our aim was originally to have them earn their belt loops (I think that's what it was, I loose track of these things, honestly), but I guess we can finish it another time.
My poster with H on it arrived the other day, I was really impressed that the Graphic Artist special ordered a 16x20 version of it. It's beautiful, and we're going to mat & frame it.
Tomorrow we'll be cleaning from top to bottom. MIL will be coming over to help Mr & I with the task. D's B-day party is on Saturday (though his actual b-day isn't until Wednesday, we went earlier cause our Mardi Gras fundraiser is on Friday), so we'll be expecting lots of company and the like. Ahh, gotta clean, decorate, do some shopping because I haven't even made up a menu of food, OR the cake...OMG. I haven't planned for the cake yet. shit shit shit. Dammit. I hate it when I do that.
Anyhow, tomorrow's gonna be pretty busy, but it's all in good fun :o)
My First HNT
I ended up at Osbasso's site, where he managed to explain Half Nekkid Thursday in a way that I rather enjoyed. Apparently it's garnered a lot of acclaim, and I'm happy to report it's rather like my photo therapy. Some choose to make it more racy than I myself would, but it all depends on your level of comfort. So, this is my intro to HNT, and my first in hopefully a long line of HNT posts. Enjoy!
Thursday Thunks
1. The last flight of stairs you walked up/down - were the carpeted? Yup, my stairs are carpeted
2. Green or purple grapes? I prefer green, the boys prefer red. Always seedless
3. Do you like Peeps? No, I don't believe I've ever actually eaten one.
4. The smell of Vicks - like it? Yup.
5. Do you put decorative cling-ons on your windows for different holidays? Sometimes, if MIL buys them for us, but I don't usually buy them because H tries to eat them
6. Finish the sentence - I spent too much money on ________ . I haven't spent too much money on anything in a long time, I'm quite proud of that cause it used to be a regular occurrence.
7. Which celebrity should be flown into outer space or placed on a desert island? Howie Mandel
8. Would you support schools changing the "open" time? Such as 10am - 5pm, for example? No
9. Do you go fishing? Only with my Grandpa. We kids start a bonfire on the banks of the river and explore everything in the woods on the banks while the guys fish. We chase the dogs in the sand and throw sticks for the to fetch, build sand castles, and see who can go into the freezing river water the farthest. God, I can't wait to go fishing this summer when we get home.
10. What question should we ask next week? What are electrolytes and why are they good for us?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
We're All A Bunch of Sickos
Well, today didn't feel too horrible. I was able to at least do a load of laundry, and we ended up heading out for a bit.
D stayed home from school (and Ice Skating) cause he was running a fever and was coughing with a runny nose. It wasn't drastic though, so he was still full of energy, and very nearly driving me bonkers cause I couldn't keep up with him.
H, on the other hand, slept like a load of bricks. When he woke up he was raspy, and gurgly, and full of sneezies. His eyes were all gooped over, and I ended up wiping them down real good with a warm washcloth so he could open them. He was running a fever too. Poor babies.
We ended up heading to the Dr's, who diagnosed them both with Ear Infections. This is a first. Neither of my boys has ever had an ear infection. So, we got the antibiotics & Ibuprofen prescriptions, and hauled them over to Wal Mart. Mr took H to get his haircut, and D, MIL & I wandered the Dollar General before we all headed back to the Wal Mart Subway for lunch. Oh-so-classy. :oD I was already starting to feel worn out by this time, but as the prescriptions were taking an hour, so there wasn't much that I could do about it. We ate, after some pretty lousy service (I often wonder why people can't be bothered to put more effort into making themselves seem like decent human beings), and headed back to pick up the medicines for the boys.
We came home, I dosed the boys, and I headed to bed with H. A nice nap will do the trick. Riiight, you tell yourself that. God, I didn't want to wake up. I could've easily slept for the rest of the night with no issues, but Mr had a meeting tonight with the other Den leaders for Cub Scouts. He was going to take D to get his haircut first, and I can only assume he kept him with him for the meeting, cause he hasn't dropped him off yet. Thank goodness, cause even though I had a really decent day without feeling overly yucky, I'm starting to feel that yucky naseaus and feverish feeling again. I took some Tylenol though cause there's no way I can go through another evening like yesterday. I feel like I'm starving, but nothing tickles my fancy when I look in my fridge. I hate that.
I'm glad the boys have something treatable, and that they won't suffer overly much. Both have been itching to go outside and play, and have asked multiple times to do so, because it's just so beautiful out, but it took all I had just to get dressed to take them to the Dr's.
I will say, that I am so glad that MIL & Mr are home from work, and that I can call them when I need them. I'm also in awe of the fact that Mr hasn't gotten sick, but the rest of us have. Usually when I'm sick I'm not usually so well supported cause everyone works, at a job they can't slack off at. Now, if I can only train Mr to read my mind in what I feel like eating, life would darned near be perfect :oD
Props to...
I watched Nights in Rodanthe last night. The Mr went to the movie store a couple of nights ago, and I asked him to pick me up a chick flick. This is what he brought home for me. We popped it in last night after I had taken some Tylenol and was able to concentrate on something. It was Epically cheesy, and totally predictable. It literally had me covering my eyes and chuckling out loud at just how epic it was aiming to be. I did enjoy it though, all judging aside.
When Mr filed his taxes, I started browsing online to see what I could get him to buy me for a small treat with the return. I came across Acne.org while doing a search for Acne medications. I had wanted to try Proactiv, but it was so well endorsed I couldn't see myself using it without giggling at how cheesy I was being every day. So, Acne.org it was. They make kits, give a video tutorial (the maker actually uses his own products), use recycled bottles, and aimed to use less shipping material. It's a very easy and straightforward site that makes it crystal clear what you should be buying. So, I made him order when he got his return, and anxiously awaited my package. When it arrived I was excited to start using it, and could hardly contain myself. It's been just over two weeks since I received my product, and I'm happy to report wonderful results.
I chose to start using this product because I was tired. I've had this blemish on my chin since the beginning of January. That's not normal...for a blemish to last more then two months. I was sick of looking at it, and sick of both my face, and portions of my body, breaking out. Now, if you're a frequent reader, you'll know that I use two shampoos. I'm an oily kinda gal. My body produces tons of it. That's the trade off for looking younger, longer.
I love the results I'm seeing now. The product cleared up a whole lot of my problem areas, and though it hasn't taken it away completely (probably because I'm still only doing one treatment and not the recommended two), I'm amazed at what it has done. My forehead, once a disgusting field of bumps and craters (though they were never really actually pimples or zits) has cleared up, and I can no longer find a mass of bumps on it. It's smooth. It hasn't been smooth since I was a kid. I actually thought they were scars of some sort. My cheeks, which sport a hint of Rosecea (runs in my family) calmed down immediately. The redness was reduced (and nearly disappeared completely), my pores were less visible, and any blemishes I had disappeared within about 3-4 days. The one time I've had a pimple bust out on my face, it disappeared within 2 days of first appearing. Ah-mazing. Just take a look at the header on my blog here, you can see what I'm talking about. I'll get around to posting an after picture soon, but seeing as I'm still sick I wouldn't want to take one now as I still look like hell.
I guess you could say that this is a big review of the product, but there are a lot of factors to consider here. I've never really made it a habit to buy an entire line of products that are supposed to go together, I used to just buy this and that and piece them together. There were a few sets that I went through, but they never worked, so I preferred making my own. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, has worked to help clear up both my facial, and body Acne. I had given up and thought I'd just need to live with it the rest of my life. Go see a Dermatologist? Not on our income.
I'm now devoted to paying around $39.00 (with shipping) for this product each time I order a new kit that'll last me about a month and a half. I can handle that. Fair trade-off. Some folks spend more than that on clothing, or shoes, or whatever for themselves each month. Yes, I'm justifying myself here.
So, in short, I've become a follower of this set of products, and am thoroughly happy with the outcome. It's a happy ending...who doesn't love those?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
I suffered through the majority of my day on the couch, or in my bed. I had a raging fever that literally brought me to tears, and had me writhing in agony. It hurt everywhere, my eyes, my head, my neck, my whole body. After the regular morning shower, where I didn't feel too bad, I actually got dressed. It wasn't until around lunchtime where I started to really feel bad. My body ached, and my skin was on fire, I couldn't stay warm. I wound up taking a wonderful scalding hot bath. It brought out a sweat, and allowed me to be comfortable for about 45 minutes. Just long enough for me to get H down for a nap, and long enough for me to fall asleep with him.
After we got up I moved to the couch where I dozed for another hour, and then the boys went outside. Writhing and crying, and in general trying not to let the boys see just how horrible I felt, we managed to suffer through until D's bedtime, where I decided to break down and take a couple of Tylenol. I just couldn't take it anymore.
It was a beautiful sunny, warm day out today, and I missed it. It's a beautiful cool evening out tonight, and the few moments I stepped outside for were amazingly refreshing on my skin.
The Tylenol didn't do much else for me than take away the fever. I'm still achy, and am on the verge of pain and throwing up, but considering how far that boundary was pushed today this is much tolerable. If I'm still feeling like this tomorrow I'm going to the doctor.
D has a bit of a fever, and he has a runny nose. H's eyes are all goopy, and he's got a terrible runny nose as well. Gave him some Tylenol cause he was starting to run a bit of a fever as well. God help us if we all get as sick as I was today.
So much for potty training, I was rendered useless and wasn't able to help much at all. Talk about bad timing.
Whenever I get sick like this I always feel so guilty that I can't just suck it up and take care of my kids properly. Silly, I know. Oh well, gotta go eat to gain a bit of strength, as I've really only had a bowl of fruit, and a bowl of soup today...outside of tea & water, I'm surprised I'm even hungry at all, all things considered.
This Is: My Creative Space
Barely able to hobble about cause my joints ache, and here I am meme-ing. I swear it's only cause it takes my mind off of just how crappy I feel.
This week's This Is: theme was chosen by Carina.
This Is: My Creative Space.
This is my dining room table. I'm a hurricane, I know. Once I get started I drop everything everywhere and try and do it as fast as possible so I odn't steal too much time from the boys. I do clean up when I'm finished though...I don't really set aside any specific space in my home, but this is usually where you'll find my mess when I'm working on something. Whether it be working with paper making cards or the like, or helping the kids get messy with paints, or sewing a bunch of stuff together, this is where you'll find me. When we moved in we originally agreed that the basement storage room (as big as the dining/computer room itself, was going to be where I worked. Unfortunately in the summer it's not A/C'd, and in the winter it's not heated. Plus it was more difficult to keep track of the kidlets in the garage. I mean, I can only move so much stuff before they creative and raise havoc with normal everyday things, right?
I'm dying. I swear. I hate it when I get a fever.
Give me hacking up a lung, give me headaches galore, give me a snotty raw nose, and all will be well. Give me a fever and I instantly claim I'm dying.
My whole body feels like it's on fire. It burns. I can't stand the feel of anything touching my skin, especially my back. My pain tolerance gets pushed to it's limit each time I shower. The scalding water feels amazing, but when I get out and head for the lotion I'm almost in tears smoothing it on to prevent dry, itchy skin.
My nose it running, I'm sneezing every which way, and I can't seem to stay warm. Each time I blow my nose it just keeps coming (which is a good thing, but still). MIL was kind and brought over the sick essentials to go with what I have. Chicken soup, honey (for my tea), and the other mild foods that won't leave me feeling like I should hurl my guts back up and out. I do feel nauseous. That's ok, I can deal with that.
Please let this be over and done with quickly...
Monday, March 16, 2009
Potty Training & Sleepwalking
Been fighting off that dreary kind of feeling. I'm sneezing, horrendous runny nose, aching back, and a slight fever. Yech.
My day was brightened when the mail person came to the door with not one (which I was expecting), but 3 boxes (All care packages from my mummie), and an envelope from Pokie! Thanks Pokie, I don't think I'll ever bring myself to use them (picture to follow), but I will be carrying them around just to show off cause they're cool like that. There was 1 package for me, 1 for H, and 1 for D. Thanks mummie! I'm almost finished the bag of chips she sent me :oD (seriously, my all time fav chip, I've been chowing on them since they came out with the flavor in their brand, and before that another brand made them from the time I was 11) I can't wait to get home to the Canadian food. It's funny, down here it's cheaper to buy instant meals (you know, shite that comes in boxes that you cook in your microwave in under 10 minutes). Back home it's cheaper to buy all ingredients and make em yourself.
We officially started potty training H today. Let the Wars begin. He actually held it for the majority of the day, in protest of us making him use the pot. He didn't like the (washable) training pants that I had pulled from the basement (saved from when D potty trained), he said they were too tight. So we'll hafta go and buy some in a larger size. I could tell he had to go, and he ended up making a soppy mess here and there twice, but after that it was a no go. By the time I went to put him to bed I could tell he had to go pretty badly, and ended up taking his potty apart and placing the seat on the actual toilet and sit with him for what felt like forever in the bathroom until he went. Victory. He was happy he got to flush it himself. When we were snuggling in bed I said "Big Boy". His response was "Thank You", and a nice smoochie on the cheek.
I honestly don't recall what it was like to potty train D. I'm going to admit here that I was a whole lot harder on D than I am on H in all ways of parenting. I'm working hard to change that.
Speaking of D. Last Friday he sleep walked downstairs (his brother was on an overnighter @ MIL's). When he arrived he bent down and started scratching at the floor. Woorisome. So, we decided to start closing the gate at the top of the stairs all the time during the night, and not just when H was up there. Tonight, D went to sleep in his own bed. When I sent Mr upstairs with H while I finished a few things up downstairs, I heard Mr kind of yelp. When I went to check it out, he said D spooked him cause when he got to the top of the stairs and headed to our bedroom (H was already in there) all he saw was an arm at about adult height come accross the doorway (D was standing on the bed, and all you could see was his arm). It turns out D sleepwalked to our room and curled himself up in our bed. He said he was dreaming of a light switch. I got a good chuckle just watching the Mr turning a few shades of red.
53% Nerd
Diana had this on her page and I couldn't resist following suit.
Oh What fun!
45% scored higher (more nerdy),
2% scored the same, and
53% scored lower (less nerdy).
Somewhat nerdy. I mean face it, you are nerdier than about half the test takers.
29% scored higher (more nerdy),
1% scored the same, and
70% scored lower (less nerdy).
Mid-Level Nerd. Wow, it takes a lot of hard nerdy practice to reach this level.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Accomplishment
Ahhh...accomplishment. It's ah-maze-ing. I am basking in my own glory.
I started this morning thinking I was going to make something. I was determined. I ended up working on a few things. I slapped the curtains for the bunk bed together, and now only need to press and top-stitch, and make the straps to hang them from and I'm finished them. I made a pair of pants for H, but need to adjust my pattern so they fit properly.
My MIL popped over to take me to the fabric store, and it was all downhill from there. I bought some upholstery fabric and came home with a plan. Over a period of about 6 hours, off an on because I had other things to do with the kids and what-not, I made myself a new purse. 
I found this fabulous purse that I loved in a catalog at my MIL's, and brought it home with me. The catalog, not the purse. I've been eying it as the new replacement for my old denim thing.
Now, in most cases when I see something I like, I go home with it in mind, and eventually make a pattern in my mind, then transfer the pieces to a roll of blank newspaper print. I spent about an hour working on the pattern, then on to actually figuring out how to put it together, mainly why it took so long (asides from family obligations). It was a bit of a challenge, but I figured it out eventually.
Yes...I'm satisfied. It's tacky, but it's me. And dammit, I'm proud it actually worked out the way I wanted it to.
The cost of the purse in the catalog? $164.00 plus shipping.
The cost of my creation? About $6.
I kicked some major ass.
I Love My Family
Yesterday morning I was making breakfast for H, and out of no where he walked up to my leg and hugged it, then said "I love you mom" and walked away as if nothing had happened. We had just finished a chat about what he wanted for breakfast.
The other night I was putting H to sleep, and as he was drifting off, he rolled over with his back towards me, curled up into a ball, and lazily reach back for my hand and placed it on his tummy, then drifted off to sleep.
Through this time with the Mr home, H has been spending more time cuddling with Daddy. Usually he runs to me first for everything, but with him home now I've been making sure H runs and gives Daddy extra hugs, smoochies, & I Love Yous (which he usually reserves for bedtimes only), to help remind Daddy that he's wanted and needed by our youngest. He's been asking Daddy to play more with him than usual, and has really been soaking up that male bonding.
Last week during a cold snap, it was freeze-your-nose-hairs cold outside. I walked D to the crosswalk at the school and watched him the rest of the way to the door. As he approached the door, he stopped and held it open for everyone who had just been dropped off in cars.
Since the Mr's been home, I wake D up in the morning & and ask him for a quick cuddle. I've never seen him move so swiftly to get out of bed. He hustles down to the bottom bunk to wake up slowly, all cuddled up with me.
D has been helping out loads more around the house picking his toys up after himself, which has been really nice. The other night we got home from Cub Scouts, and he asked if he could play Wii before getting to bed. "Sure," I replied, "but you have to get your jammies on first." He wandered upstairs, and I didn't hear a sound from him after that. I went up to check on him, and he was playing quietly in his room. I warned him that it was going to be bedtime soon, and he replied: "I know mom, but there's so much I want to do! I want to read books, and play with my toys, and play pretend, and play my Wii! Don't worry, I don't want to play Wii now, I want to play in my room." He proceeded to turn around and go on back up, and close his door and play quietly until bedtime.
Friday night D was afraid of going upstairs to go get ready for bed. I had a heckuva time getting him to go, as I wasn't willing to follow. He finally made it upstairs, and as he was moving about, he ignored what was around him (read: he stepped over the toys that had been left on the floor). He had his jammies in hand and moved towards the bed when he stepped on a musical book (you know, the type with the bar of buttons on the side) and scared himself silly. I heard him whine/whimper as my butt was planted on the couch. I looked up as he was tip-toeing down the stairs with his pj's in hand. He looked up at me and said, "Now, don't laugh mommy", and I couldn't help myself. The look on his face, eyes bright with residual fear, and still shaking like a leaf, but holding back a huge grin. "I scared myself by stepping on that book!"
We both broke out into peals of laughter and giggles until our eyes had tears in them.
We went out to eat the other day, to the local Chinese Buffet (so yummy). We had been seated, received our drinks, and I had just gotten H's plate before I sent the Mr off to go get his. D was happy, and he was playing with a toy, and he happened to shoot it across the table my way. He reached out for it, and spilled and entire cup of ice-water, right on my lap. It was cold out, and I still hadn't warmed up, and this just didn't help. Rather than get angry, I sighed and asked him why we don't play with toys at the table, and whether or not he had taken his goofy pill that morning. I could have very easily gotten angry, and upset (and even thought about it for a brief moment)...but it was only water, and though I was wet, nothing was damaged.
We are in the home stretch before D's Birthday party next Saturday, and I was able to go and pay for the play place we're going to visit with his party. I felt good about that. We also bought his gift yesterday, and are now wondering what type of games to get him. He's got a new Nintendo DS with a Super Mario carrying case (looks like a lunchbox) with accessories. I'm happy with it. I always get sentimental on his birthday (honestly, when am I not sentimental? LOL), and I have many fond memories of the trials he's put me through during his short lifespan. I can't wait to see what antics he gets up to this year.
Sprout Give Away!
A Frugal Friend is helping host this give-away for Sprout tv.
You can enter at this site, to win:
13" Sesame Street Plush
Mini Sesame Street Plush
6" Barney Plush
Sprout DVD
Sprout Adult's and Children's Apron
Sesame Street Photo Album
2 Sprout notepads, pencils, pens & activity books
6 sided Sprout crayon
Star Plush
Chica/Banjo Plush
Goodnight Show Nightlight
Sprout notebook & notecards
Sprout bib
Sunny Side Up Thermal Mug
All you have to do is leave a comment, or choose from the list of extras to enter multiple times. I'm blogging about it so, I'm going to get two entries. H loves Sprout and we watch the Sunny Side Up Show, as well as parts of the Goodnight Show. I'm excited, cross your fingers for us, cause H would love this collection of gifts from Sprout!
Giveaway ends at midnight (central time) on Friday, March 20, 2009! Valid for US residents and addresses only. They'll announce (and contact) the winner and the winner will have 3 days to get back to them with delivery details.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Carry On
Sometimes I really just don't understand it. I guess I need to face up, and just go with the flow. I feel a little stressed tonight, a little out of whack, exasperated, frustrated, tired. I need some re-direction and maybe quite possibly a drink. It's been a while.
Course, when I need it most, I blog hop, and clear my mind by reading other's thoughts for the day and eventually find just what I needed. No sympathetic ears, but someone who can give sound advice without actually intending it. You can see the hand in that little way, and it gives me what I need to carry on with my day.
The Problem or the Solution
I was walking back to the house after dropping D off yesterday morning, and a thought rang in my head.
By now, I could post that I'm a hope kind of person. I hope for the best, I hope for the future, and I hope that life will work itself out when times get rough. I hope.
I pity those who live without hope. I pity those who believe that this is what life gives us, and we have no choice but to deal with it. We can always make what's given to us, better. All we have to do is change our outlook. There are always people in this world who have it worse.
This is how I survive. I will always know that there are people who have it worse than myself at that specific point in time. I will always have a roof over my head. I will always have my needs met, all I need to do is ask for help when I need it. Whether that help comes from family or a social service doesn't make a difference to me. I only use them when I need it, like it was intended.
I believe that I can create a perfect world for my children. I have always believed that. I may not have control of how the world operates outside of my home, but I can contribute to it, to make it better than it was, and I can control the environment inside my home.
I recycle. My kids know the difference between recyclable items and non, and they know the difference between a recycling bin and a garbage can. My kids know to turn off the lights and electronics when leaving a room, and do it before I can even ask about it. They know to take a quick shower, or request a bath for longer durations, as well as turning off the water while brushing their teeth to preserve. They know not to waste food. They even offer their toys to donation.
My kids first words were dad, mom, please, and thank you.
I'm not much like other parents from my perspective.
Now, all of this doesn't mean that my kids are perfect angels all the time, they certainly have a tendency to drive me insane at their most opportune time. They heckle, they poke & prod, they repeatedly ask something until they get a clear response (yes, that means I sometimes tune them out), they fight & bicker and drive each other nuts to get attention (yes, that means sometimes I tune out everything). They do things normal kids do.
My point is, in all of this, out of all the crappy and stupid things that have happened in my lifespan, I've always been able to see the silver lining. I've always hoped for better, for a more opportune time to have fun, for the opportunity to learn from what I've just been (either forced or not) experiencing. I'm working very hard at making sure my kids have the same outlook. I'm their example, and by golly I'm gonna make sure it's the one I want them to be. I want them to see that no matter what, life goes on, and they can do something about it.
As this occurred to me, it kinda of popped into my head that you can be two kinds of people (as I so many others have said). You can be a part of the solution, or a part of the problem. Which one do you aim to be at the end of the day?
