Peaceful Chaos

2009-05-28T20:20:00.002-06:00

In the past year I have struggled with deciding what my talents are when it comes to writing. I know that I *want* to write, I know that I *can* write. I just don't know what on earth to write ABOUT. I want to write for kids, of all ages. I have hundreds of stories, poems, songs, novels and jokes rambling around in my brain.

Just recently I started writing down my stories and came up with a birthday idea. I always struggle with birthday gifts for my daughters; they have toys piled to the ceiling, drawers jammed full of clothes, various stuffed friends and all kinds of books, movies and music. Plus a huge assortment of family and friends to add to the collection when Christmas and birthdays roll around.

However, this next birthday will be a special one for Chloe. I am making her a book full of original stories and poems, I'll have it bound and spend some time making silly illustrations (since I am no artiste!). I sincerely hope she will keep it forever and look through it often to remember how much fun I have had making up stories and challenging her imagination.

I will give Alivia her book when she is five. I know I'll need that much time to work on another. Right now my goal is to have 10 short stories, 5 poems, a couple of songs and a longer story in each book.

This is a song I created for Chloe when she was a newborn. She nursed so frequently and we spent MANY a night in her bedroom, gently rocking in my rocking chair while she laid in my arms. She was so quiet and peaceful and she loved when I sang to her. I sang Hush Little Baby over and over so many times and realized how outdated it really was (horse and cart? mockingbird?) so I made up a fresh version.

Hush, little baby don't make a noise
Mama's gonna find you a bunch of boys.
And if that bunch of boys won't play
Mama's gonna buy you a bale of hay.
And if that bale of hay gets dry
Mama's gonna sing you a lullaby.
And if that lullaby sounds awful
Mama's gonna make you a blueberry waffle.
And if that blueberry waffle tastes bad
Mama's gonna buy you a big Leappad.
And if that big Leappad won't beep
Mama's gonna buy you a baby sheep.
And if that baby sheep has no wool
Mama will still think you are beau-ti-ful!

We still sing this everynight and both girls know all of the words. I haven't made one up for Alivia yet, because I didn't spend most of her babyhood rocking gently in a chair. I spent most of it rocking back and forth in the corner tearing my hair out whilst my ears bled!!!

Tuesday Ten

2009-05-26T20:22:00.002-06:00

Ten Things That Have Happened in the 9 Months Since I've Blogged:

1. Chloe turned four and Ali turned 2.

2. The Hubs and I became The Ex and I.

3. Got a car, a roommate (cousin), fell down the stairs at work, took an ambulance ride, did all the everyday Mommy stuff and fell in love with life.

4. I graduated college.

5. I started working at a high school that I hope to teach at within a few years.

6. I laughed, smiled, joked, giggled, appreciated and enjoyed. A lot.

7. I realized that my 4 1/2 year old is quite possible the most charming child in the world!

8. I realized my 2 1/2 year old is quite possible the most irresistable character in the world!

9. I read a lot of books, wrote a lot of stories, did some puzzles, read some blogs, caught up on Tivo....you know, geeky things.

10. I became very zen and realized how damn good life is!!!

I've missed everyone, I hope to make blogging a regular part of my week now.

Stretching Meals.....

2008-08-13T18:02:00.003-06:00

I've always been intrigued by the thought of cooking once a week, and making enough meals to eat throughout the week.

I've tried it a few times, but my biggest concern is our lack of freezer space. I have a Rachael Ray cookbook that shows how you can use extra food from one meal and stretch it into several meals. I've tried her recipes, but her cooking is a bit too fancy for me. I messed around with a few recipes using affordable food that is easily found at the grocery store. The chicken pocket recipe is one I found on a blog, but I've tweaked it to fit our taste.

On the menu
Night One: Grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, brown rice
Night Two: Chicken Pockets, corn on the cob
Night Three: Chicken and fusilli, veggies, garlic bread

Grocery List:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta (or any pasta, really)
1 Package frozen broccoli
4 ears of corn
Brown rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
Sour cream
Mayo (These can be reduced fat/fat free/regular)
Cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove
1/4-1/2 onion
2 cans crescent rolls

Night One: Prep/cook time.....1 hour
-Grill all the chicken (start early!). You can do this on an actual grill, or on the stove top. Season with salt and pepper, and a dash of poultry seasoning, lemon pepper, or all purpose seasoning.
-Cook brown rice (this is only for one night, so make only what you will eat that night)
-Steam entire bag of broccoli

Refrigerate half of the broccoli and at least 3 of the chicken breasts.

Night Two: Prep/cook time.....40 minutes
-Chop reserved chicken
-Chop onion, mince garlic, and chop reserved broccoli
-Mix together the above with 1/3 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cheddar, and 1 can cream of chicken soup
-Split your ears of corn in half and toss them in a pot of boiling water
-Roll out your crescent rolls on a baking stone (or sprayed cookie sheet) Pinch together seams, spread a scoop of filling on crescent roll, and fold over, again pinching seams and ends. You can make one large pocket, several medium sized pockets, or individual ones. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 15-20 minutes (check often!) until golden brown. You should have lots of mix left.
-Serve with half of the ears of corn

Refrigerate leftover mix and the rest of the corn.

Night Three: Prep/Cook time.....20 minutes
-Slice off corn from reserved cobs, add to reserved chicken mixture.
-Cook pasta according to directions, drain, return to pot.
-Add the chicken mixture, and a small splash of milk. Heat through and serve.
-For a side dish with this, you can do any veggie and garlic bread.

So yeah, it's a lot of poultry, but we like our "Kicken" around here.

But what do you EAT?

2008-08-11T19:09:00.007-06:00

This question has been posed to me a few times since I've started couponing. When I boast about my great savings and how much I am bringing home, people often think it is just pure junk. Convenience, packaged food and snacks are often cheap, cheap, cheap. And the coupons issued in the Sunday papers are mostly for junky stuff. We do eat pretty healthy, but we just can't afford to eat ONLY pure/organic/healthful stuff. But I also don't want to fill our bodies with the cheap stuff (read: junk). So, what is more important.....eating healthy or saving money?

The answer (for my family anyway) is............BOTH! :)

If my focus is JUST on saving money, we eat too much junk. If my focus is JUST on eating healthy, I go over budget.

The solution is a good balance of healthy, pure foods, with a little bit of the sugary, fattening, delicious crap thrown in!

We eat lean meat (manager's special/bulk sales), tons of fresh produce, low fat dairy products, lots of water and milk, plenty of healthy snacks. We also eat unnaturally orange mac n' cheese a few times a month, chocolate every once in awhile, and last week we had ice cream for breakfast. (<----That's the cool part about being a grown up!)

So in my cupboards you will find a box of whole wheat pasta sitting next to a package of Keebler cookies.

But...it works. It really works for us. We're all happy with the fact that I can buy a whole cart full of groceries for $50. And The Hubs and I are using awesome products we've never used before. Name brand razors and shave gels, fancy shampoos and soaps. And our rears are wiped with the finest of TP. All purchased lovingly with a handful of coupons, a little planning, and just a few dollars.

Welcome to America!

2008-08-06T22:29:00.005-06:00

So, you are thinking of coming to America? It's a magical place, really. No where else on Earth can you come to a country and become a millionaire practically overnight. You can achieve your dreams and feel free to express your ideas and thoughts.

You will find lush forests, towering sky scrapers, neatly mowed lawns in Suburbia, and warm, sandy beaches on the coast.

You will meet men and women of every color, race, ethnic background, and every moral and religious belief system. Men who love men, women who love women, and lots who love both.

You can watch child movie stars who make millions, reality TV shows about nothing, late night shows, true crime series, and any of the other programs on your 1200+ channel set.

You can drive through any town and see high flying American flags, hear the star spangled banner, vote at your local polling place, and lobby for the latest issue on the capitol steps.

I think you would be hard pressed to find a country that has this much diversity, this much freedom, this much opportunity.

Welcome to America! The land of hope!

And the land of despair.

This is America, the country where we don't give a damn about each other.

The country where a molested child is finally taken out of her home and placed into a foster home, where she is then molested.

This wonderful land of morbidly obese children, a McDonald's on every corner, and a school cafeteria that calls a packet of ketchup a 'vegetable'.

This fantastic country where babies are tossed out with the daily trash, women are raped in alleys, and a Mexican immigrant is beaten to death by rich white kids.

Welcome to America! The country where you can sue the coffee shop for making coffee that is too hot. And you can be sued over taking your neighbor's newspaper.

This is the place where the customer is always right (even when he is wrong) and customer service does not exist anymore. The place where you can pitch a fit about your burger because you ordered it without mustard; yet you can see a smudge of the yellow stuff on the bun.

This is the country where billion dollar executives live in the same zip code as homeless children.

If you come to America, please come see our crumbling schools, under paid and under appreciated teachers, and parents who won't send a pack of crayons to the classroom with their child.

On our buses you will find bullies. In our courtrooms you will find snakes. In our operating rooms you will find lawsuits waiting to happen.

This is the country where the sickly can't get health insurance. The rich can't get enough Botox.

If you decide to relocate to this amazing country, don't forget to visit Capitol Hill and say hello to a corrupt politician. Wave hi to that racist policeman over there, and don't forget to grab a donut at the overpriced coffee shop. And if that donut makes you sick? Sue!!!!

The United States...home of the pill pushing 8 year old, gang-banging 10 year old, and child-porn-watching 50 year old.

The place where we check out the daily Hollywood gossip and stalk every moment of a celebrity's life and relationships. And then make a TV show out of it.

This is the country where you can get married at a drive thru chapel, and you can get divorced a few minutes later.

This is the land of Give-Me-What-I-Deserve, and the land of I-Don't-Want-To-Lift-A-Finger.

Welcome to the place where we bitch and moan over how hard it is to make it these days. (As we drive to our 3 story houses in our gas-guzzling SUVs)

It's America. And out of all of the countries in the world, there is absolutely no place like it. If you decide to come, if you are willing to take the plunge, please be aware that you are in for a rough ride. The rewards are sweet, the injustices bitter, and the roller coaster is wild. Watch out for that good Samaritan though. It looks like he is extending his hand to help you up, but he is really trying to steal your watch.

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Tuesday Ten

2008-08-05T10:19:00.003-06:00

Ten Reasons Why I Haven't Been Blogging Lately

1. Summer semester is over so we've been doing all kinds of summery things!
2. I have total blogger's block and can't think of one interesting thing to say.
3. Alivia is in the middle of a mid life crisis and can't figure out if she loves us or hates us.
4. The above mentioned child also is going through a sleep strike so I am tiiiiiiiiiiired.
5. My house is in disrepair from neglecting it during school, so I'ma catchin up!
6. I haven't been reading or commenting on other blogs, so I feel guilty posting on mine.
7. I have started reading for fun again; no more Biology books! But no more evening blog time.
8. I am starting to prepare for the busy fall semester AND Chloe going to school.
9. We are going on vacation in a week so I am getting ready.
10. DH has been working lots of overtime, so I hate getting on the computer when he is home.

Grocery Game-My New Binder.

2008-07-24T21:46:00.005-06:00

Oh baby, I'm excited!!!!

With the school supply sales as of late, I found a great zippered binder on sale for $4.99. So I snatched it up and set to work organizing, clipping, sorting and putting together. And boy was it a fun way to spend 7 hours! It really was, couponing is my drug!

So, this is the front. I picked gray, a nice neutral color. I had it for only one day before little greasy fingers touched it. I think that is how they mark their territory. They just never know how many toddlers will come sniffing around their mom while she is shopping.

In the front I have a few little spots for scissors, extra paper clips, and a pen. I also have a zippered pocket where I keep my extra envelopes and other paraphernelia for my 'drug' habit.

Also in the front I have an expandable section. Here I have a pocket for my weekly list paper clipped to the specific coupons I need. A pocket for extra inserts, or store coupon books, and a final pocket for my calculator.

Then I used baseball card organizers, there are 9 pockets on each page, and I got a pack of ten of them for $2. I know they can be found cheaper, but I really wanted to get started. I still need to label my pockets. I have the similar categories as my previous binder, just a few extra. I split hair care/razors/body wash into male and female categories.

Then I have extra notebook paper for my lists.

In the very last section I have a coupon organizer for my food coupons. So many of these were large or irregular shaped, plus I just have so many, I didn't want to mess with the baseball card inserts. So I found this Q organizer at Target in the dollar section, so I set to work getting it organized. Not very many categories, but really it is very handy. My categories are fridge/frozen, meat, dairy/cheese, cereal, boxed and other.

Yay! I've already used it at the store a few times and I have noticed such a big difference in how easy it is to find things. No more flipping through pages and getting flustered at the checkout.

Tuesday Ten

2008-07-22T10:54:00.002-06:00

Ten Things I Can't Stand

1. Bad drivers
2. Naptime cut short.
3. Having an empty fridge.
4. Waiting for something exciting.
5. Wearing shoes.
6. Leftovers that go uneaten.
7. Sleeping when it is hot.
8. Warm soda.
9. When DH drops his clothes next to the laundry hamper instead of in.
10. A messy house (even though I live in one every day).

Disturbed and Amused

2008-07-17T12:13:00.001-06:00

I recently went through Sitemeter to check who was visiting my blog. Not so much WHO....but HOW. I knew I was getting quite a few hits, but just not sure from where.

The post of mine that gets the most hits is this one.... Thank You Mom In Law which is one of the first options listed when you Google "Thank you Mom".

The second most popular post is Mosquitoes, Lawn Mowers and Whip-Its, Oh My. In this post I very innocently talked about my pleasant evening and a quick whip it that I did with my sister for the first time in 10 years. Okay, no big deal, right? Yeah, not so much. At least once a week I get a hit (heehee, a hit!) from a person searching "How to do whip its" "How do you do whip its" or "What is a whip it?" I even once got a visit from someone searching "Whip me" Oh yes, whip you indeed. So, for all of those teenage boys who have now killed their brain cells because of MY blog...you're welcome. And by the way, don't do whip its.

Also popular is The Five S's, people have stumbled upon that one by searching "What the HELL are the 5 s's?" Hmm... I think I sense a little sleep deprived testiness.

And the shocking one...my post a few days ago about The Hubs and our wedding. It seems harmless, except for the fact that I mentioned the word corset. My blog is listed among quite a few results some of which include "Latex and corsets" "Hot men in pink corsets" and many other results that made me gasp out loud. Yikes. I am sure when the man (woman?) seeking some nasty photos of corset-clad sexsters arrived at my blog, he (she?) was a little dissapointed. Raunchy pictures? No. Mommy blog? Oh yeah baby!

Meet My Family: Alivia

2008-07-16T13:24:00.005-06:00

First, go meet The Hubs and Chloe.

Now I would like to formally introduce you to the goofball of the family. The one that makes all the noise.

Yes, yes, Alivia Mae is the crazy girl of the house, she is outspoken and loud and wild and fiery. But first let's talk about how she entered this world......

Chloe was 1 when The Hubs and I started talking about having another kiddo. We wanted to have our kids close together. We started "trying" in February of that year. Although we didn't really try, we just didn't really prevent. I discovered I was pregnant in May of 2006. Imagine my shock when I went to the doctor and discovered I was due ON Chloe's second birthday!

My pregnancy was rough. Oh baby, it was rough. I have a fractured vertabrae and problems with my pelvis. I was always in pain, my back and hips hurt so badly. I quit working and decided to stay at home (on the couch) for the rest of my pregnancy. I never really felt well, and luckily I only gained half as much weight the second time around. The pregnancy went by very slowly and I spent a lot of time researching ways to have a better birth experience. I wanted a calmer atmosphere, no drugs, mobility during labor and alternate birth positions.

As my due date approached, and then passed, I got a teensy, wee little bit frustrated. The daily phone calls from my family members didn't help either "Did you have that baby yet???"

"Umm...no I did not. I don't think I will ever have her, and I am doomed to be pregnant for the rest of MY. FREAKING. LIFE. Ahem..sorry Grandma. Nope, no baby yet."

The Hubs and I were doing everything to speed up the process which was great for him, ya know. He couldn't have been happier. Thursday morning when I was five days late, we decided that we were having a baby THAT DAY. We started out with a little roll in the hay, then went out grocery shopping. We spent several hours walking around the store to get things moving. I bought all of the ingredients to make hot chili dogs, since spicy food might move things along.

Once at home I made our hot dogs, with super hot chili, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese. Although I didn't feel well, I still ate one. As I sat there with steam coming out of my ears and fire churning in my stomach, it hit me that the baby hadn't moved all day. I'd been so busy I hadn't noticed. I took a bath and pushed on my tummy a little to get her wiggling. Nothing, not a wiggle or bump or hiccup. I called my sister to take me to labor and delivery while The Hubs stayed home with Chloe, who was napping. I was trying hard not to freak out and panic over the child who was NOT MOVING. I was prodding her and poking her and nothing was happening. We raced to L&D, I jumped on the bed, stripped down and the nurse quickly hooked me to a monitor. The baby's heart was beating, but she wasn't moving. The nurse checked my cervix and smiled at me. "Your baby is not moving because you are in LABOR! You are having a contraction right now!"

What??? Ok, that works for me. This was 6 PM, and my doctor arrived to break my water. Over the next few hours things were very quiet. I was progressing slowly, not in major pain, very calm. Lights were dimmed, I was able to get up and shower, I even caught an episode of Wheel of Fortune. I bounced on my birthing ball, walked around the room, laughed and joked with my family, and concentrated on my contractions.

About 1 AM, I was getting so tired and I knew I was getting somewhat close. Time was going by so quickly. I got in and out of the hot shower three times in the next hour, with contractions so close together. The only complaint I have was that the hot chili dog from earlier....yeah that was not a good idea. I had heartburn from hell!

At 2:30 AM I was sitting on the soft chair in the shower when I realized wave after wave of intense pain was hitting me with barely a second to catch my breath. I stood up and very akwardly made it to the bed while calling out "Call the nurse, NOW!" The nurse ran in, checked me and lights were switched on, equipment was brought in; things went from calm and quiet (The Hubs was actually sleeping) to hectic and crazy in a matter of seconds. A group of student nurses piled in to watch the show, which I am sure was fun for them. I pushed only a few times, in an alternate position and within a few minutes...

Alivia Mae entered this world. Bright pink, a tiny bit of peach fuzz, crying quietly. She stopped the moment she was held though.

As a baby Ali was busy. Rolling, sitting, crawling very very early. When she could stand on her own at 7 1/2 months, I knew I was really truly screwed. She took her first steps at 8 1/2 months, and was running all over the place within a few days.

She is a little parrot, she will repeat everything she hears, so she *might* have a few four letter words in her extensive vocab. She is so incredibly smart, she learns very quickly. She can count to three, sings songs, and dances like there is no tomorrow. She throws and catches a ball perfectly, can climb anything, and runs like the wind.

BUT...she thinks she is way too busy to sleep and eat. She doesn't listen to a thing we say, she hits (hard!) when she is mad, she throws temper tantrums that are unbelievable, she dumps things out, and she throws things in the toilet and garbage.

She has the prettiest red hair (which she won't let me do) and the sweetest little grin (which she won't let me brush). She makes everyone laugh with her funny little quirks and mannerisms. If she hears someone toot she yells "Ooooh Nooo....POOP!"

Name: Alivia Mae
Age: 1 1/2
Loves: Books, cartoons, any sweet treat, cheerios, slurping milk off of her high chair tray, dancing, her binky, bathtime, Daddy, the vacuum, playing with her sis, and antagonizing her sis
Hates: sitting in the cart at the store, eating vegetables, riding in the car for long distances, going to bed, cleaning up toys, being told no
Favorite Food: Ice cream
Least Favorite Food: Meat
First Word: Dada
Favorite Word: Shoot

She is my hard headed, stubborn, crazy little monkey, but I can't imagine my life without her (although it might be quieter) because she is 1/3 of my heart.

Meet My Family: Chloe

2008-07-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

Chloe is my oldest daughter, she is 3 1/2 years old. Technically she is 3 years, 5 months and two weeks. Even more technically, she is 1261 days old, counting Leap Day. Or 30, 264 hours.

But who's counting?

Chloe was born on a freezing cold January day in 2005. I was currently 3 days overdue, miserable, gigantic, nervous, terrified, and frustrated.

My contractions began around 9 PM on a Monday evening. I was vegged out on the couch, I had barely moved from the sofa for three straight days I was so tired and miserable. On the tube was a marathon of Made episodes on MTV. The contractions made me uncomfortable, but I just wasn't sure if it was the real deal or not. The Hubs had to get up at 5 AM to go to work, so he gave me a quick kiss on the head and went to bed with a cheerful "Wake me up if you have a baby!" The next three hours were spent getting in and out of the bathtub, timing contractions and drinking water. Still unsure if it was the real thing, I called my doctor. "Drink another glass of water and call me in an hour." I still was feeling crampy, a little uncomfortable, but not that bad yet. I was grinning to myself at how strong I was. This labor thing is no biggie! But then I started to panic a little thinking I was about to pop a baby out on my living room floor. I went and woke The Hubs and said "I think it's time." And did he jump out of bed, throw together our bags and herd me out the door?

No. He sleepily asked if I was okay, then resumed snoozing. I spent another hour timing the cramps, cleaning the kitchen and reading horrible stories about childbirth-gone-wrong on the Internet (caution: not advised!!!!). Finally at 1 AM I was feeling ready, pretty certain I was in active labor. I shook The Hubs a little harder and demanded he get up. When he realized I was serious, he set to getting us out the door. We were in the middle of a harsh winter, it was snowing heavily and very icy outside. He ran out into the pitch black night to warm up the car and I sat inside and rejoiced a little more about how easy-peasy this childbirth thing was going to be.

I wish I had some great story about getting stuck in a snow bank and delivering our child in the warm car while the rescuers dug us out. But the truth is we drove one block over to the brightly lit hospital, where we were informed I was not even in real labor. We settled in for a long night/day.

The next three hours we walked all over the hospital, I was given induction medication, we called our family.

The next three hours I cried about how hungry/exhausted/in pain I was.

My water broke.

The next three hours were full of hard contractions, terrible back pain, lots of visitors.

More contractions. Pain medication that made the world spin and made me throw up.

7 PM...I hadn't eaten in 24 hours, I hadn't slept in 36 hours, my body was battered and bruised and I just wanted to give up.

2 more hours of pushing with all my might.

A doctor's threat "Julie, if you don't push this baby out in the next five minutes, we are going to have to do a C section"

6 minutes later...........

Chloe Joy entered this world. A perfect 8 pounds 9 ounces, thick, dark red hair, deep brown eyes, and wailing her little lungs out.

Chloe is my quiet girl. She had a speech delay for several years, and even now she is soft spoken. Shy and reserved at first, then happy and full of life when she is comfortable.

Her hair falls down her back in thick, auburn locks. Her eyes are the exact shade of dark chocolate and they twinkle when she is happy. She delights in ordinary things, and is very easy to please. Very rarely does she misbehave, she sleeps like an angel every night. I get so much joy in watching her play, she has such a rich, vivid imagination. She falls asleep every night with a stack of books in her bed and walks out of her bedroom in the morning with yet another stack. She is so sweet, she "lubs ebbybody so much!" and says the silliest things. She brings so much light and laughter to our family.

On the other end of the spectrum, she hates change. She doesn't like to leave a place if we've been there for more than a few minutes. She also gets frustrated easily. Wants to do everything by herself. Fights with her little sister. Cries easily. Sometimes too shy and quiet, she would rather sit on the sidelines. Gives up easily. Is super picky.

But the sweet and sour all combine together to make this fantastic, well balanced, beautiful and happy little girl that I am incredibly proud to call my daughter.

Name: Chloe Joy
Age: 3 1/2
Loves: Books, music, cartoons and movies, her cousins, the park, ice cream, fruit, bathtime, drawing, the Library
Hates: getting dirty, bugs, taking naps, tags on her clothes, plain milk, getting her hair brushed, sharing her toys, sparklers
Favorite Food: Apples
Least Favorite Food: Cooked vegetables
Favorite cartoon: Dora
Favorite Book: I'm a Big Sister
Favorite Color: Pink

Enjoys long walks, running errands with Daddy, quiet time with Mommy, making up stories, all holidays and family get togethers, riding her trike, blowing bubbles, going for ice cream, and dressing up like a princess.

Grocery Game Binder

2008-07-10T16:36:00.005-06:00

I've shared a little bit about how well the Grocery Game is working for me, and how I shop. I thought I would post pictures of my binder system for organizing my coupons. This system works well for people who do not want to spend a lot of money on their system. Many grocery gamers spend a ton of money on zip up binders, organizers, etc. That didn't make sense for me, as I am trying to *save* money, not spend it!!

To create a system of your own, you will need:

A binder, a simple basic one will do just fine
Paper clips
Envelopes (standard size, not big ones)
Tape
Notebook Paper
Scissors
A pen/marker

First, figure out how many categories you will need. I started with 6 and added more, I now have a total of 18. I found that the more categories I had, the fewer coupons per envelope (therefore less digging to find the right one!)

My categories are: (I'll explain these more in a bit)

Weekly Qs

Store Qs

Baby & Kid Items

Girly Stuff

Medicine

Household & Paper Goods

Body Wash, Soap, Lotion

Razors & Deodorant

Tooth Care

Hair Care

Laundry & Dishes

Cleaning Supplies

Meat, Dairy, Cheese

Refridgerated & Frozen

Cereal

Dry Boxed Food

Sauces, Condiments, Spices

Other Foods

Next, label your envelopes, then cut off the top flap (the triangle with the sticky on it). Then use tape (or glue or staples) and attach your envelopes to a piece of notebook paper (two to each sheet). Make sure the opening is facing out so you can slide your coupons in. Make sure to use a paper clip on each envelope to hold your stack of coupons in. If you drop your binder or tip it upside down, your Qs will not fall out (I learned this the hard way as I watched a hundred coupons flutter away across the parking lot!).

This is how mine is set up.

Front pocket...my shopping lists, extra paper, a pen, extra paper clips.

Middle....my envelopes, labeled, Qs sorted by expiration date and paper clipped in

Back: (nice little paper clip marks LOL!) Extra coupon inserts, a bundle of food coupons (fast food, pizza, etc)

Ok, so more about my categories. In my first envelope I have the weekly coupons. Once I receive my list, I go through and pull out the coupons that I will need for that week. I also grab any coupons that are going to expire that week, bundle them together and put them in my Weekly Q section. I also clip together the ones for each store since I go to several.

My store Qs are coupons that are exclusive to a store but ones I won't use that week (ex: a Walgreen's only coupon that expires next month). This envelope also includes register rewards and catalinas. These are coupons that are printed at the grocery store checkout (some are for a dollar amount off of your next order, free items, percentage off, etc).

The rest of the categories are pretty self explanatory. At the beginning I lumped them together (just one envelope for personal care) because I did not have very many coupons. As I have collected more coupons I had to expand the categories, they got way too full.

My binder goes with me all the time since I might be running to the post office and decide to stop in at Target suddenly. I usually leave it in the car and grab it when I go into the store. As I shop I place my binder in the front of the cart and grab coupons as I need them. If I have a kiddo in the front of the cart, I leave it in the back but refer to it often. Does it make it harder to shop? Sure. But I am willing to sacrifice a little time and convenience for a little more dough in my pocket. Often I shop by myself on Sunday mornings while The Hubs watches the childrens, which makes it a little easier.

So, that's the basics. I have several hundred coupons organized in my binder, and that is after only 4 weeks. Some weeks I use 3 or 4 coupons, some weeks I am handing over a stack of 30 Qs to the cashier.

One more note.....each Sunday I get my paper with coupons. I cut out the Qs, sort them by category and then add them to my envelopes by expiration date. At that time I can pull out the ones that are about to expire. These will all be right at the front of the stack, so it is easy to keep track of them.

Yet one more note...As I walk through the store I will grab an item on my list, then pull out the coupon for it. I put it aside with a paper clip on it. As I shop I will add the Qs I have used to the paper clip group, so once I am at the checkstand I can just hand over my stack of coupons that are organized. This way I am not fumbling around trying to find the correct one as my cashier is standing their impatiently.

This may work incredibly well for you. And it might not. I have received some odd stares from people wondering why I am shopping with a binder full of coupons. It may seem nerdy, but I am laughing all the way to the bank. My binder full of these little snips of paper...yeah it is worth hundreds of dollars. Just last week I used 20 coupons worth over $100. Boo yah!

Meet My Family: The Hubs

2008-07-08T22:58:00.006-06:00

I haven't really talked about my partner in this blog very much. Probably because I wouldn't want my husband to find out about him.

I joke!

No, I've been with The Hubs for 5 years. We met one hot and steamy night (no really, it was 105 degrees outside!) when I was set up on a blind date with his roommate. His roommate was a no show, for reasons I can't remember now. The Crush and I hit it off right away, we sat up and talked for hours. When I left I thought for sure that it would be a fling, a little one night summer romance, I did not think we were going to end up together.

We saw a lot of each other that summer but were not exclusive. My best friend started dating the no-show-blind-date-roomie (who was really a good guy) so I found myself with The Crush more often. I was going into my senior year of high school, he was living on his own, working and going to school, I was totally hooked. A summer fling turned into a semi-serious relationship, then a steady relationship, then a full blown lovefest. We had a lot of fun together.

In March of 2004, after 7 months of serious dating, we started tentatively talking about tying the knot. My parents were not delighted (yet) since I had big college plans. We decided to move in together after I graduated high school, and then set a date.

I graduated high school in May 2004 (yes, I'm a young'n!) and went out that night to celebrate with The Boyfriend. We had big dreams and ideas about our future.

Two days later, during a routine gyno check up (birth control refill) I discovered that I did not need birth control, no siree. I was expecting, knocked up, great with child, preggo. Pregnant. I could not believe it. That was the start of our family.

We decided to get married that summer. I wanted to be married before I had a baby, and I wanted to do it before I was really showing. We set a date for two months down the road.

Our wedding was simple. (Read: Cheap!) About 100 guests, nothing too over the top or fancy. My little tummy was mashed down and squeezed into a tight corset (poor baby!) and I think I looked pretty decent (except for the giant scarlet P). The Hubs looked quite dashing.

Our honeymoon was spent camping. You knew that mosquitos and firewood are totally romantic, right? Sure. We go camping every year for our anniversary too.

So that's it. Our family grew from 2 to 3 to 4 in just a few years. And the road to where we are now has been rocky, bumpy and dark. But it has also been thrilling, joyous, and laughter-filled.

All About The Hubs:

Real Name: Tony

Age: 25

Occupation: Operator at a box making company

Enjoys: All kinds of sports, outdoor activities, computers, his kiddos

In high school he: was a sports freak. Star of the football, wrestling, and track team. Enjoyed snowboarding, fishing, dirt biking

As an adult he: Fishes as much as he can, likes to golf, is pitcher for the city's baseball league, likes to tinker around with computers, enjoys working out

Best qualities: Is fiercely protective of his girls, works very hard, fun-loving, strong, great cook and grill operator, smart, bilingual

Worst qualities: Total slob and packrat, can be pretty anti-social, he's a bed hog, selfish sometimes, major selective hearing issues, rarely finishes projects

Can't wait to: Buy a house, have a son, win the lottery

****

So, that is The Hubs. Even though he forgets dirty socks on the floor, leaves the toilet seat up, steals my blankets, and forgets Valentine's Day......I love him.

And when he is crawling on the floor giving horsie ride after horsie ride, wrestling with his beautiful daughters and laughing as they squeal and jump on him.....I love him.

And when he makes a nice dinner, gives me a back rub, brings home flowers, and watches the kids while I sleep in.....I love him.

And when it feels like our marriage is not a calm, tranquil sea, but a hurricane with howling winds and blustering storms.....I love him.

Tuesday Ten

2008-07-08T08:16:00.005-06:00

Ten Things I Have To Do Today

1. 3 loads laundry, bringing my two day total to 11 loads.*
2. HOMEWORK!**

3. Put together two packages to mail out tomorrow.

~~4. Clean my living room and kitchen.~~
~~5. Pay online bills.~~
~~6. Vacuum.~~
7. Clean my bathroom.

8. Shower. ***

9. List kids' clothes on Ebay.

~~10. Clean girls' room.~~

* The Hubs decided to clean out our closet. It was very scary. You see, we are total slobs, and we both have an insane amount of clothes, most of which we never wear. The discarded and unworn clothes were taking over our closet floor. The Hubs threw them all into my laundry pile, which soon became a mountain, and I am washing them all, then sorting them to take to charity. Since I am sure they don't accept wrinkled clothes *rolls eyes*

**I am going to try to squeeze in two hours of schoolwork at naptime, and two hours tonight and then maybe I'll be caught up. Sigh.

***Shower is on my list today because it is desperately needed. I usually shower every other day, which is all fine and dandy. But my showers consist of jumping in the water (sometimes scalding hot, sometimes ice cold) and spending exactly 5.8 seconds washing hair/body before I am wrenching off the water, and jumping out to make sure Ali hasn't knocked the house down. I need to take one of those wonderfully productive showers where things like shaving and exfoliating happen. Oh the bliss.

The Line Sirkit

2008-07-02T20:26:00.005-06:00

A few years ago I worked as a customer service representative at a large, world-wide computer company. I don't really want to say which one it is, so for the purposes of this blog entry, we'll go ahead and call it Hell.

I first started at Hell during the summer of 2006. The group of newbies I was hired with were in a training class every day. For the first week we spent our days in a classroom, learning applications and procedures. The next week we were put on the phones, taking calls from irate customers who had all kinds of computer issues. Not technical ones, just customers needing help tracking their Hell package, or exchanging their Hell Computer.

My very first phone call. I was incredibly nervous to take the phone call, but I lined up my notes in a neat stack, did a quick review of my opening script (Thank you for calling Hell, my name is Julie, how may I help you today?) and accepted the first call.

Now first of all, I was so nervous I stumbled over my opening lines and could feel myself blushing furiously. All during training we heard all kinds of horror stories about furious customers, bomb threats, screaming callers, and complicated issues. I just knew that my first call would be a doozy.

And it was.

The lady who was calling Hell that day was incredibly polite. Oozing with sweetness and Southern charm. And when I say Southern, I mean Southern. Picture the deep swamps of Georgia, then go a little further South. Little more. Little more. Yep, that's where she was from. Very, very strong accent, a lot of ya'lls and yes'ms. She spoke incredibly fast and I was getting very flustered as I was sorting through the information I had on my notes and scrambling through the complicated computer system.

I took a deep breath and asked her to please explain the problem again. She, again very politely, said "No probm ma'am. The som'n som'n line sirkit and ya'lls som'n som'n, k ma'am? So I kulled the please and ya'lls...." I was lost. I calmly placed her on hold and then took off my headphones and shot a panicked look around the room. I found my trainer and explained what was going on.

"I can't understand this lady! She's talking about a line SIRKIT or something? Help!"

I got back on the phone with my trainer by my side and asked the woman to repeat the problem slowly, explaining that I could not understand what she was saying because of her accent. She laughed and again blathered on about a line sirkit with little pause for breath. I was near tears now. I started to think she was talking about something related to the circuit board, which would be a technical problem. I started to direct her towards Hell's technical support team, but she insisted it was not a technical problem.

This went on for about twenty more minutes. Her talking about line circuits, and me confused and unsure of how to help her. I asked her if she was talking about a computer part. She said no. I asked her if something was wrong with her computer. She said yes. I asked her how we could fix the problem. She said "I need a new computer because line circuit."

Wait, line circuit?

Then very sloooowwwwlllly she said "Ma'am lass nigh' there was a big stome (storm). There was thunner and LINE and all a suddn, LINE CIRCUIT. Now my computer's broke."

"Ooooooh, there was thunder and lightening and lightening struck it?"

"Yes'm. Line circuit."

I think this is where my deep loathing of the word ya'll was founded. Hearing that word sends shivers down my spine. It reminds me of the day I cried over the southern woman calling Hell's customer service about her line circuit.

Snack Attack

2008-07-01T15:17:00.002-06:00

I have a hard time getting my kids to eat healthy snacks. Technically, it is me that has a hard time putting out a healthy and easy snack. It just seems so time consuming, and much easier to just unwrap a granola bar.

Last Sunday I started "Snack Bags". So far the system is working INCREDIBLY well, I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.

I took a box of the small size snack bags (the ones that zip, not the ones for sandwiches) and our haul of produce and snacky type items I had purchased that day. Then I set to dividing it all up.

Here are some examples of our snack bags:

-3 or 4 carrot sticks, a few broccoli trees, a few cucumber slices
-A handful of grapes, 1/4 of a sliced peach, kiwi chunks
-2 slices of cheese, a handful of grapes
-1/2 of a sliced apple (A little bit of lemon juice to avoid brownness), cucumber slices
-5 ritz crackers, 2 cheese slices
-A scoop of dry cereal
-2 graham crackers, 1/2 a banana

And on and on. Together, Chloe and I cleared 1/2 of a shelf in the fridge and filled it with the snack bags. She had a great time helping me prepare them too.

Throughout the week, when it is time for a snack, both girls can grab a bag then sit down and eat. I can also snag a snack bag on my way out the door for school. No clean up, no preparation, no fuss, no junk. Although I did throw in a couple of "special" bags which aren't the healthiest, but once those are gone they are gone. I think this will help Chloe learn the value of eating healthy and having an occasional treat.

This was a bit time consuming when I put them together last Sunday. But I just tried to remember it will foster a bit of independence in Chloe (since she can get her own snacks now) and will eliminate me giving them junk because I am too tired to cut up fresh veggies. We are also reusing the snack bags, I just give them a quick rinse and put them aside for next week.

Tuesday Ten

2008-07-01T10:00:00.001-06:00

Ten Things That Make Me Deliriously Happy:

1. Climbing into a neatly made, freshly washed bed.

2. Air conditioning.

3. Reading through a big stack of books with my 3 year old.

4. Naptime.

5. Rocking and cuddling my girls before bed.

6. Putting the kids to bed and relaxing with a brand new fiction book, a comfy pillow, and an ice-cold soda.

7. Unexpected money.

8. Tivo.

9. Popping popcorn and watching a movie with The Hubs on the weekends.

10. Getting an excellent grade on a test.

Grocery Game Update......Week 3

2008-06-30T21:05:00.000-06:00

Mary Ann asked for an update, so I am happy to give one. Although pretty soon you might be begging me to just shut up already; once I start talking about the Grocery Game, I have a hard time stopping.

So first of all: My totals for this week were good. I went to two different stores, spent $60 total and my house is bursting with stuff. I got several items for free, and several more for nearly free. It was really great!

Second of all: I am really getting my system down. I've figured out which cashiers are the nicest, what time of day is best to hit the store, how many papers to buy, and how to organize my coupons. More on that later.

I also wanted to address the fact that the Grocery Game is NOT for everyone. If you
a) stick to organic, fresh, healthy foods
b) don't want to clip coupons or
c) don't have the time to grocery shop

then you are not going to find a lot of success with the program. It's not like the list is filled with junk, but you will definitely find more convenience foods than fresh foods. Although I have had several kinds of produce on my list each week (watermelon, kiwis, grapes, etc) and a few organic items. But not enough to feed a whole family. If you don't have the time/energy/motivation to clip coupons and grocery shop, you might have a hard time as well. I currently spend about an hour each week clipping and organizing, and an hour-ish grocery shopping.

BUT....even if you don't want to do it for the groceries, you should consider adding JUST a drugstore like CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc because you can really get fantastic prices on home and beauty products (some even free). It may be worth it just for that reason alone! And don't be afraid to try a store you don't usually shop at. The main grocery store on my list was Albertson's, which I do not usually shop at. BUT...they have great rock bottom prices, a good coupon policy, and mostly friendly cashiers and managers.

Ok, so now more on how I do things.....

-I buy four newspapers. I also get 3 additional coupon inserts from family members, and can usually find one or two sitting on an abandoned table at Starbucks or McDonalds. Each $1.50 paper has anywhere from $20-50 dollars of coupons inside.
-I go shopping on Sunday morning, and I tend to go to young male cashiers, or friendly older ladies. They just seem to get excited with you when they see your final total and your full cart.
-I have a coupon binder I use to organize and sort all of my coupons (more on that tomorrow....). I take it with me to the store so I can have all my coupons at my fingertips.

This weeks totals:

Shelf: $150
Out of Pocket Price: $60
Savings: $90 or 60%

Man Beans

2008-06-30T01:37:00.001-06:00

Some kids don't like veggies. It's a fact. Some moms worry about this, some moms don't.

One of my monkeys really enjoys vegetables. She likes carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, etc, she mostly likes them raw though. The smaller monkey hates veggies, but hey whatev. I try to plan my meals with lots of veggies and make them tasty.

But the hardest part of my vegetable mission is getting The Hubs to eat something green. He really does not like vegetables. He will eat them occasionally, but he is more of a meat and taters kind of man.

Last week we had green beans, just boring ol' ones from a can. The girls and I like beans, so we just eat them plain. But The Hubs would rather stick a sharp knife into an electric socket than eat plain green beans.

So I butched 'em up. Fried some bacon and cut it into thick chunks, added that to the pan, a splash of Tabasco sauce, lots of salt and pepper, then drained off the water and sprinkled pepper jack cheese on them. Seriously, it looked disgusting, so don't think I am recommending this for a tasty side dish. But he ate it. He ate all of it (after a gentle scolding from me).

It's a sad day when I have to smother healthy food with fat/cheese/spice for my husband to even glance at it. Meanwhile my kids had finished their plain portions and were asking for more.

After washing the dishes and heading to bed, I laid there wondering if I was his mother or his wife. After a little contemplating I decided that I was NOT his mother because that would be just...well...sick.

Beans, beans the magical fruit,
The more you eat, the more you toot.
The more you toot, the better you feel,
So lets eat beans for EVERY meal!

Burgers, Fries and a Shake

2008-06-25T18:21:00.003-06:00

Tonight we indulged in big, fat, juicy burgers, a generous helping of fries, and thick, sweet shakes. It was the yummiest meal I've enjoyed in a long time.

And the healthiest.

Yes, you read that right. Our entire dinner tonight was nutritious and DELICIOUS!

Burgers:

-Lean ground turkey, a small sprinkle of salt and pepper, and McCormick's burger seasoning
-Done just like regular burgers, shape turkey into patties, cook over grill, or on stovetop. I just used a big skillet and cooked ours inside since it is rainy today.

Fries:

-Sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into fries. Shake in a bag with seasonings (I used a little bit of seasoning salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper) and a few sprays of cooking oil (The original recipe calls for oil, but I subbed non stick spray and found the results were great!)
-Laid out on non-stick sprayed cookie sheet and stuck in 350 oven for 45 minutes, turning once.

Shake:

-1/2 a bag of whole, frozen strawberries. 2 cups of skim milk, blended together. More or less depending on thickness preferences.
-I also add a scoop of sugar free strawberry jam, which adds just the touch of sweet strawberriness!
*You could totally add in bananas, kiwi, peach, etc.

Extras:

Reduced fat cheddar atop our turkey delights, fresh baked whole wheat buns from our grocery store's bakery, thick slices of juicy tomato, and fresh, crisp lettuce leaves.

Seriously, I was in heaven. Super super yummy, not dripping in fat and calories like it would be from a fast food joint, and the kids dug into their plates!

**Another Kid-Friendly Tip: Deconstructed burgers. Seriously! Neither of my kids will eat a burger if it is in traditional burger form (ya know.....bun, meat, bun) so I deconstruct. They get half of a hamburger bun, cut into chunks, 1/4 of a patty, again in chunks, some shreds of lettuce, a slice of cheese, and chopped tomato. Ketchup on the side because when you are a kid, everything pairs well with ketchup. They eat way more than they would if they were looking at just half a burger on their plates.

So seriously, if you are looking for a healthier alternative to the burger/fry meal, you gotta try this! The shake adds just the touch too, it made the entire meal a real treat for my whole family.

Lastly, because of my new Grocery Game skills, my entire meal costs $9 (everything was sale, clearance, or couponed!), so $2.25 per person. Try that at your local restaurant!!!

99

2008-06-24T23:02:00.000-06:00

It's blogging tradition to post one hundred little factoids about yourself on your 100th blog post. Since I don't like following rules, I am posting 99 things about myself on my 99th post! I can't believe it took me a year and a half to blog one hundred times. I kept taking long breaks and I messed with the 'flow.' Ready?

1. I was four months pregnant when I got married.

2. I was only 18 when I got married.

3. Everyone thought we wouldn't make it more than a year.

4. We will celebrate four years this summer.

5. I have a broken back, literally.

6. My doctors don't know how I fractured my vertebrae.

7. I was 3 days overdue with my first pregnancy, and 6 days overdue with my second.

8. I didn't experience heartburn until I was 19.

9. I thought I was having a heart attack.

10. My hubby and I were friends with 6 other couples when we were first wed.

11. 5 of those couples are now divorced.

12. My best friend was 9 months pregnant at my wedding. I was 8 months pregnant at her wedding.

13. I hate my name.

14. I read a new book every other 2 days.

15. I often stay up until 1 or 2 AM reading.

16. Last night I read a 250 page book in one sitting.

17. No, I don't consider myself a geek.

18. I sleep alone since DH works graveyard shift.

19. When he sleeps with me on the weekends, I feel cramped even though we have a king sized bed.

20. My first kiss was during spin the bottle.

21. My first real kiss was behind a church.

22. I went to church five days a week during my junior high years.

23. I went to Disney World in 6th grade with a group of friends. We won a creative acting competition and got to compete at Nationals.

24. That was my first time on an airplane.

25. While I was gone my sister got engaged.

26. I have one niece and one nephew, and one more nephew on the way.

27. I would be terrified to have a son.

28. If we ever have a boy, he won't be circumsized.

29. If I won the lottery I would have as many kids as I could.

30. I rarely listen to music.

31. I drive a Durango that gets horrible gas mileage.

32. Every time I fill up my gas tank I nearly vomit.

33. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment approximately the size of a cardboard box.

34. Our rent is DIRT. CHEAP.

35. I enjoy cleaning the bathroom.

36. I've never spanked a child.

37. I was an honor student by day.

38. And a total party girl by night.

39. I didn't shoplift as a kid or teen.

40. I've shoplifted as an adult.

41. I'm allergic to bananas and all kinds of metal.

42. I've never been stung by a bee.

43. I might be allergic to bees.

44. I was assistant manager at two different jobs by the time I was 16.

45. I dated the same guy from 8th grade to 11th grade.

46. He just recently got out of prison.

47. I was friends with pretty much everyone in high school.

48. I have been in too many car wrecks to count.

49. I was voted "Most Likely to Wreck the Driver's Ed Car" in junior high.

50. I hopped a curb in the driver's ed car 2 months later.

51. I still have problems figuring out left from right.

52. I had an eating disorder for many years.

53. I think NASA and the space program is a waste of time and money.

54. I could easily eat hot and fresh French Fries for every meal for the rest of my life.

55. The smell of pickles makes me sick.

56. I decided to use my children's real names on this blog.

57. I am going to school to be a high school geography/social studies teacher. Or an English teacher.

58. Although I really want to be a high school counselor.

59. I went on vacation with my family to Northern Idaho when I was 4 months pregnant with my first daughter.

60. I threw up on the airplane.

61. I haven't been on an airplane since.

62. I had severe post partum depression after my second daughter was born.

63. I have thousands of freckles.

64 . I tried to count them once and got to 200 just on one leg

65. I get sunburns really easily.

66. I love to cook and bake.

67. I enjoy doing homework. And taking tests.

68. I love love love scrapbooking.

69. My favorite number is 11.

70. I am a total homebody.

71. I feel guilty all the time over stupid little things.

72. My favorite two TV shows are Friends and ER.

73. My sister is my best friend.

74. I am the complete opposite of my sister.

75. I grow my nails long.

76. And then go on a biting frenzy and chew them down to nubbins.

77. Although I told everyone I wanted to have a boy, I really wanted my second child to be another girl.

78. I have really intense dreams.

79. I know a little bit about a lot of things.

80. But I know nothing about cars, science, technology and electronics.

81. I type 85+ words per minute.

82. I'm a HORRIBLE housekeeper.

83. When the kids spend the night with my in laws or parents, I sleep until noon.

84. I have a bleeding disorder, my blood does not clot properly.

85. I have been life flighted before.

86. I love learning about other cultures.

87. I am a Democrat.

88. I am a total cheapie, I never buy name brand things.

89. I love yard sales, but not when I have to drag my kiddos along.

90. I can name 140 of the world's countries in five minutes.

91. I love watching documentaries.

92. I'm scared of change.

93. My favorite holiday is Christmas, followed by Thanksgiving.

94. I am named after my paternal grandmother.

95. I'm a total procrastinator.

96. I worked at Dairy Queen through most of high school

97. I gained sixty pounds during my first pregnancy.

98. I am addicted to sunflower seeds and caffeine.

99. I rarely wear shoes.

Thanks for reading! Cheers to 99 more!

The Great Grocery Game Experiment

2008-06-22T15:30:00.001-06:00

I've been hearing about the Grocery Game for awhile now. At first I thought it was a game show like Supermarket Sweep. Remember that show? I just loved watching the people racing around the stores piling expensive things in their cart and solving peanut butter related riddles.

But after asking a few questions and utilizing my brain (read: Google) I discovered that the Grocery Game is a coupon/sale tracking program.

Eh...not for me. First of all, I shop cheap (say that five times fast!). Really, I stalk the clearance sales, we don't do name brand stuff, and we go without luxuries (who needs that silly old TP anyway?). So when I checked out the message boards on the Grocery Game website, I was still skeptical. Most of the coupons and sales were on name brand items, and some of the boasted savings just didn't seem, well, believable.

But it was only a dollar for a four week trial so I decided to grudgingly fork over a buck (I'm serious, I really am that cheap!) and try it out.

********

How it Works:

You get a list of stores in your area (drug stores and grocery stores). Each week you receive a list of all of the sales in the stores, both advertised and unadvertised. Teri (the creator) matches up the store sales, the store coupons (which you can get in weekly fliers) and manufacturer's coupons (which you can find in the Sunday paper, or through coupon clipping services).

What you have to do:

When you get your Sunday paper, clip the heck out of the coupons. You can also buy extra papers, or beg some off of your neighbors/friends. Print out your Grocery Game list, organize your coupons for the trip, and head to the store. After you have picked out your items, hand your cashier your coupons, pay and leave. Simple as pie, right? (Mmmm....pie!)

Why it's so fantabulous:

Without the grocery game, you go to the store and find a store brand toothpaste on clearance for 94 cents. That's a fantastic deal, so you snatch it up!

Now, with the grocery game, Teri already knows that toothpaste is going on clearance, AND she knows that there is a $1 coupon in your Sunday paper. So you get a tube for free. BUT...then you ask for your neighbor's and your grandma's coupon inserts and get THREE free tubes of toothpaste so you can stockpile for the next few months.

********

So, after reading the rules and going through my list, I had a pretty good idea of how it worked and what I needed to do. I also dug through my grandparent's huge stack of used papers that hadn't gone out for recycling yet. I scored dozens of coupons from past papers, some really valuable!

This week I got:

1 box cereal

4 laundry detergents (32 loads each)

2 boxes pasta

2 power toothbrushes

2 full sized bottles of dish soap

3 boxes of kleenex

All of these items were name brand.....total cost: $12.50!! This is such a huge savings because the laundry soaps alone are twice that amount (original cost).

Sooo...needless to say, I'm hooked. I really think this is going to help our family significantly this summer, what with me having to sell my kidney so that we can fill our gas tank.

If you want to join (please do!) go here and look around. The message boards have a lot of great insight too. If you decide to jump aboard, feel free to use my email as a referral (jewels099@hotmail.com).

(I just looked back through this post and discovered A LOT of parentheses (I love these things!). Sorry 'bout that!)

(Stay tuned next week for my second week of savings!)

(Bye!)

Crawling into my well lit cave......

2008-06-18T16:49:00.003-06:00

Last week I aced my first Biology test, I'm talking aced.

Once the euphoria wore off and the confetti settled, I realized that I was really screwed. See, the moment after we finished that difficult test? Yep, we jumped right into the next unit which consists of blah blah meiosis blah blah and then the chromosome blah blah (at least that is what the three hour lectures sound like).

So for right now I am finishing up assignments and lab sheets, studying for a test, working on a big project due Monday, and researching all kinds of biology-related-crud on the internet.

My head is swimming with words like bacteriophage, RNA polymerase and aneuploid. Somewhere in there I am trying to figure out babysitters-vacuums-dishes-laundry-bedtime-bathtime-dinner-storytime-errands-etc. Yeah, things are crazy around here. (Although I've only threatened to throw my ten pound Biology textbook at The Hubs once today, so things are looking up!)

So I will be MIA for at least three or four days, maybe more. I really need to get a good grade in this class to keep my GPA up for more financial aid next year. College ain't cheap!

Insane Pregnancy Moments

2008-06-15T21:44:00.002-06:00

Don't let the title fool you, I'm not knocked up, and I don't plan to be in the next 3 years or so. My two crazy monkeys keep me busy enough!

No, my family and I were reminiscing tonight about when we were pregnant, and some of the silly things we did. My sister is 7 months pregnant and is a tiny bit emotional. When I say a tiny bit, I mean a tiny bit. She also reads this blog and I really don't want to tell you how emotional she is because I am afraid it might make her bawl hysterically, so we just won't go there, k? Love you sis!

As we were talking about how funny it is that we have cried over cheeseburgers, or threatened our husbands with divorce over a dirty sock left on the floor, I had to laugh at my best(worst) irrational pregnancy moment.

I think I was in the ninth month of my first pregnancy, very large and uncomfortable. I was spending my days napping, half-heartedly cleaning, talking to my sister for hours on the phone, napping again, and watching hours of terrible daytime TV. Then, ten minutes before The Hubs would be due home, I would scramble around throwing away the empty chip bags and candy wrappers. Yeah, it was a pretty sad sight. I still can't figure out why I gained sixty pounds in that pregnancy. Hmm...

One day I was sprawled on the couch watching Oprah, when the commercial break began (pre-TIVO days...how did we all survive???). And it hit me...I wanted muffins. I wanted muffins NOW. I jumped up (or rather..awkwardly twisted and turned my large body off of the couch) and ~~waddled~~ raced to the kitchen. I fumbled around in the cupboards, scrambled through drawers, and finally found what I so desperately needed. Two boxes of muffin mixes, one apple cinnamon, the other blueberry.

Now, the serious problems started. They both sounded equally delicious, but I knew I couldn't make them both. I also knew I needed to get them in the oven so I could have a fresh plate of hot muffins waiting for The Hubs when he got home. After spending an eternity changing and re changing my mind, I finally picked apple cinnamon and set to work whipping up a batch. The house was soon filled with the heavenly aroma of baked apples and sweet cinnamon. I sat cross legged on the floor watching the muffins sloooowwwlllly rise. The moment they were done I yanked them out of the oven and burned my hand slightly trying to get them out of the muffin pan and onto a plate. I was salivating, my eyes were glazed over, every bud on my tongue was screaming "I NEED A MUFFIN NOW!"

I can still feel the agony, the pain of having to wait five minutes for the muffins to cool. The first muffin was still steaming, but I couldn't wait. I think I went into a bit of trance, my memory is a little fuzzy, but one second I was delicately biting into a moist muffin, and the next second I was surrounded by a nearly empty pan and a large amount of crumbs.

I panicked and counted the last of the muffins. Four. Four? FOUR??? I ate 8 muffins in one sitting? Ok, this is not such a big deal, The Hubs will come home and enjoy the last four muffins, problem solved. But wait, he is going to see that there are only four muffins left, which means he will see that I ate eight of them.

If you have ever been pregnant, you might see where this led me. Obviously, I needed to either A) eat the last four muffins or B) throw the last four muffins away. This way The Hubs would never even know they existed, and therefore would not see that I was a total hog. The thought of throwing the four muffins away really pained me though, I just couldn't do it. So I ate them. The last few had to be nearly forced down, I was stuffed so full, but they were still soooo good.

Ok, great. The pan is washed and put away, the crumbs are swept up, everything is fine. I stepped outside to get some fresh air and walked back in to discover that baking smell I mentioned before? That wonderful sweet scent? Yeah, the house reeked of it. I could smell it from the door, it was very obvious someone had just baked something wonderful.

At this point I started crying. I just knew that The Hubs would walk in and say "Oh, you made muffins. Oh, they're gone. You ate twelve muffins. You ate TWELVE muffins?????" So I did what any irrational and emotional woman would do. I made the second batch.

And then I ate one out of that batch, just to make it look believable. Because I knew he would be suspicious if there was a fresh batch of muffins and I hadn't tried one yet.

When The Hubs came home, he gave me a quick kiss and headed for the muffin plate. I held my breath wondering if he would notice the scent of cinnamon that didn't match the blueberry muffins, or see a smudge of apple residue on my face. He grabbed a muffin, muttered "Thanks." then went to take a shower.

That night I cried myself to sleep. Partly because I was upset with DH for not praising me more for my muffin efforts, partly because I knew I was being silly. And partly because I was stuffed so full of muffins I thought I would explode.

Ay-yi-yi!!!!!!

2008-06-13T19:19:00.004-06:00

Today I made our vegetarian meal of the week, and it was gooooooood!!!!

I made homemade Mexican pizzas, and it confirmed my decision to go vegetarian rather than vegan, as my pizzas were ooey gooey with cheese.

Cheese = Happy!

I made a version of these last year, but was not happy with them, so I just kind of winged (wung?) it with my own recipe. Very very delish!

Mexican Pizzas

8 Flour tortillas
2-3 TBSP oil (I use canola), divided
2 cans (or one large) fat free refried beans (I use Rosarita)
2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup salsa, any kind
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 head lettuce, shredded or chopped small
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)

Ok, so first add refried beans to a small saucepan, heat on low and stir occasionally. They just need to be warmed. Next, heat your oil on high in a frying pan. You really only need enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add your tortilla, fry on each side for 1-2 minutes. Stay close though, as these can burn easily. When tortilla is crispy and browned, remove from pan and put on cookie sheet, place in a 200 degree preheated oven. Fry additional tortillas (Add more oil if needed) and add to oven. This keeps them warm and prevents sogginess.

When tortillas are done, you can start building your pizza base. Pull the tortillas out of the oven and turn heat up to 350. Start with one tortilla on bottom, spread the warm refried beans on top, add a small handful of shredded cheese, then top with second tortilla. It's best to push them together so they are thin, but use a hot pad holder because they will be warm. Place the pizza base back on the cookie sheet (You can maybe fit three pizza bases on each sheet) and place back in oven. These take 5-10 minutes so while they are crisping up, prepare your toppings.

Chop the lettuce, tomato, onion, bell pepper, and grate your cheese. We skipped tomatoes because we weren't in the mood for salmonella, but next time tomatoes will add the perfect touch.

Ok, so once pizzas are out of the oven, spread the top with a spoonful of sour cream, then spoon salsa on top of that. Then add a small handful of onions, bell pepper, tomato, another small sprinkle of cheese, and lettuce on top. Feel free to mess around with the order, or omit/add anything you like. They are your pizzas, ya know?

Then I like to use a pizza cutter to split them, it makes the pizzas easier to eat. And ta da! Delicious, not all that bad for you, and sans meat...perfect meal. The only small criticism I have is that the pizzas got a little bit soggy while they were waiting for toppings, so I think next time I will fry them a little longer.

We served ours with fresh jicama. Now, I am not really a jicama person, in fact I have only had it once before, but The Hubs ate jicama as a child quite a bit. He peeled and sliced them, sprikled a little fresh lime juice over them, and added a small sprinkle of chili powder (not on the kids' plates, although both of them like spicy foods). Perfect combination of sweet, sour, and spicy.

My kids really enjoyed this, but I did omit salsa from theirs. I replaced it with ketchup, because both of them will eat anything they can dip. They both gobbled up their food and asked for more jicama, so I was happy.

Try this, and let me know what you think!!!!

Anger

2008-06-11T20:09:00.005-06:00

Last night Chloe was REALLY pushing it with bedtime. She needed a drink, then she wanted another story, then she got up to tell me that her bed had a crumb in it and it was hurting her. This girl can stall like nobody's business.

So after about half an hour of catering to her every whim (I joke!) I firmly told her "If you get up again, or ask for something, you are going to lose your cartoons tomorrow." That really got her and she rolled over with her eyes closed.

I retreated to the living room where I spread out my notebook, Biology notes, textbook, and notecards and started studying. After a few minutes of quiet, broken only by the rustle of my papers, I was startled by Chloe at my side. I opened my mouth to tell her how upset I was and she put her little hand on my shoulder and said "Mommy, don't be angry. I want to say I love you and goodnight!"

I had to laugh though, hearing "don't be angry" out of her mouth was just too cute, she has never said that before. Then I walked her back to her room, gave her a kiss and a cuddle and tuck her back into bed where she went right to sleep. I am 99% sure that when she came out to the living room she was intending on using another stalling tactic, but changed her mind when she saw how "angry" I was.

After she went to bed I still had a little grin on my face. She is so witty and sweet. But the grin faded after a bit when I realized just how significant that emotion is. Anger. The word itself sounds harsh and mean. In her three year old mind, anger means Mom is upset that she won't go to bed. Or she is angry at her sister for taking her toy. Or angry at the pedal on her trike that she can't get to rotate fully. I've always tried to acknowledge her feelings, while also teaching that she needs to control herself. It's okay to be angry, but it is not okay to push Baby. It is okay to be mad, but you cannot yell at us. Etc. Etc.

So in the past year that the topic of anger has come up, I think we've done a good job in helping her express and control her emotions. And even though she feels mad several times a day, how wonderful that her anger is still innocent.

She hasn't yet experienced real fury. And she probably will, sooner than I imagine. But when is anger truly justifiable, when is it real?

In grade school when a classmate humiliates you?

In middle school when your best friend blabs your biggest secret?

In high school when that same best friend steals your boyfriend?

I can think of only two instances in which I have felt true fury, felt so completely out-of-control and filled with rage. Both times the intense emotion was a mask. A cover up for the grief.

In high school I was very close friends with a boy named Garry. Our friends all hung out together, he was the funniest guy. We partied together, we talked in the hallways, my close friend was his girl friend. Everyone in school knew him, just an all around cool guy and class clown. On January 9th, we were all shocked to hear that someone in our town had killed himself. He was a sibling of one of our friends, and quite a bit older than us. The news shocked our small town. That night I spoke with a friend on the phone and said "Can you imagine that happening to one of our friends? I don't think I would be able to handle it."

Five days later, on January 14th, I left school and went to my boyfriend's house. We called Garry to come hang out and when his father picked up the phone he was sobbing. When my boyfriend became alarmed and said "What happened????" Garry's father revealed that he had just walked in on Garry, he had killed himself.

It happened so quick. I was laughing and talking and then my world shattered and then the next moment I was walking out of the house, almost in a trance, to where Garry's girlfriend worked. I walked into the resteraunt and grabbed her hand. I was crying and couldn't choke out the words I just sobbed "Garry....Garry". It was one of the worst moments of my life.

It didn't happen that night, or the next. It was the day after his funeral that the anger hit. I was furious. Furious at some stupid boy who thought his problem couldn't be solved. Furious at a God who would allow so much suffering. Furious at myself and furious at everyone else who didn't see it. A fit of rage that left me exhausted and ragged, and feeling well beyond my 16 years, because no one on Earth could possibly feel that much pain and hurt.

The fury slowly subsided, the pain ebbed away, and the memories started to fade. Long periods went by and sometimes I thought I had forgotten what his face looked like. But I still feel a little ache, a tiny pull at a once angry heart.

Last night, after Chloe was back to sleep, and I got up to get a kleenex, my thoughts turned to the second time I felt true rage, just over two years ago. Two close friends had gone partying, they were driving too fast on too dark roads and they were too intoxicated. Even now, if I close my eyes I can hear the tires squeal and hear the screams and then hear the sickening crunch, even though I was nowhere near the horrible scene, or the lifestyle.

I worked with Bree, I partied with her, we confided in each other, we even raced our cars against each other. We went skinny dipping, we walked through the county fair laughing and joking, and we spent many sleepovers together giggling and whispering. When I decided to move away, get married and start a family, she stayed behind and continued the party life. Sometimes I envied how carefree she was (especially when I was spending my nights changing diapers). We still saw each other occasionally, and laughed over our days as crazy girls. She was so beautiful.

I knew Shanel for many years. We went to school together, hung out with mutual friends and laughed together. I still have a videotape that we made in fourth grade, so young and innocent. When I watch that tape I search her face for some clue, some hint that she wouldn't live past 18.

The fit of anger was similar, but so different. I was older, I was a little more distanced, and too familiar with grief. But I couldn't help feeling furious with Bree. What a stupid decision to make that cost her everything. It took a very long time for the anger to fade. Now I wonder if I spent too much time feeling furious, and not enough time remembering and loving.

Last night, after the second round of Kleenex's, I had to smile again at Chloe's words "Don't be angry Mommy." Her little grip on my shoulder and her half toothless smile, her bedhead and her nighttime stalling, her middle-of-the-night wakings, and naptime antics......they remind me that too much time is wasted in anger. Is it all sunshine and butterflies and rainbows? Of course not. But I cherish this time when three year old 'anger' still means a dropped popsicle or a stubbed toe.

Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies

2008-06-07T15:02:00.002-06:00

I discovered this recipe several months ago, and it is hands down the best thing I have ever made from scratch. I can whip up homemade noodles, I can bake a good cookie, and my cakes are light and moist......

But never before have I been able to make a really. great. brownie. I've made them all, really. Dense, fudgey, eggless, cake-like, burned around the edges, raw in the middle, flat, huge, you name it. Some have turned out good (usually the ones that originate from the box) and some have set my smoke detector off. But I really wanted a knock-your-socks-off brownie, one that was chocolatey and rich and had just the right amount of crust on the top-one that didn't require complicated methods to create. So when I googled "Best brownie recipe" at the beginning of this year, I was not let down. I discovered this recipe from All Recipes (with glowing reviews), then found that I had all of the ingredients in my cupboards.

After the brownies came out of the oven, I had an attack of the Can't-Wait-Syndrome. You know the one where you have a smoking hot dish of something that is supposed to be 'cooling' but is really wafting it's delicious aroma all over the house? And you know you shouldn't get close to it as it is about 5746 degrees hot, but you really, really want to sink your teeth into it? Even though it is about to burn off most of your taste buds? Yeah, I had that.

But these bad bombshells are worth waiting for. So dense, so fudgey, so so chocolatey. The best part is that they get better as they sit, so when you sneak out of bed at 3 AM to have a tiny snack, you will not be dissapointed. Your kids might be though, when they wake up in the morning to find you sitting on the kitchen floor, licking the crumbs out of the empty dish.

Here is the link to the recipe, you can also read the hundreds of five star reviews, some from expert chefs vowing to never try another recipe. My suggestions will follow the recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

*Some of the reviewers have suggested substituting this insane amount of sugar with 1 1/2 cups brown, and 1 1/2 cups white sugar. Not sure what it does for the calorie factor, but it does cut the sweetness a tiny bit for those without a raging sweet tooth.

*Another suggestion is to add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Adds just the right amount of crunch.

*If you don't like big chunks of chocolate in your brownies, you can also sub the chocolate chips for mini (also try peanut butter chips...yum!) or use your knife to chop up your chips before adding.

*And lastly, a brownie or five, goes great with a super tall glass of ice cold milk. Or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you are feeling wild.

Ok, so there you have it. As I am writing this a batch of brownies is in my oven and I am just starting to smell that "Come eat me" scent.

One more thing, even though this recipe sounds incredibly fattening and heart-disease-causing, it only has about 250 calories per serving. Ok, that is a lot if you are dieting. But really, it is not *that* much. You probably shouldn't eat the entire pan, but it's okay to indulge a little. Brooke said so!

By the way, I totally picture Brooke as a beautiful, 105 pound woman who can eat whatever she wants. Or she could be a 460 pound man who parks his recliner in the kitchen next to the oven, I don't really know. All I know is you have to try these brownies. Really, you do.

Parade of Fools.

2008-06-05T18:39:00.001-06:00

Our annual 'Western Days' parade was last weekend. The parade is meant to celebrate our Western heritage, and each entry in the parade is supposed to be Western themed, so lots of covered wagons and horses and cowboys.

The past few years the parade has slowly become a little more, well, parade-like. As in, more marching bands, cloggers, local business floats, and candy being hurled at young children.

It wasn't really cold, but it wasn't warm either. Jackets were definitely needed.

We arrived at the parade a little too early, so both kids were restless. Chloe threw a huge temper tantrum because she wanted to sit in baby's stroller. You can see that I am very tough and never give in to her whining.

Meanwhile my mom held Alivia, who did pretty well until 2 minutes before the parade began. Major meltdown time.

Because I live in Idaho, The-Hicksville-State, we saw a group that had entered their mud covered trucks in the parade. For the sole reason of umm...showing off how dirty they were? The group does a lot of 'muddin' and I guess they wanted to show the city how classy and cool they are. Don't believe me?

And I am not even joking, there were about 10 trucks in a row that would rev their engines and fling mud as they paraded down Main Street. 80% of the drivers had a mullet and no shirt, and I am pretty sure I saw several cans of beer nestled in their laps.

It was sad. Just sad. Even worse was the group of pot-bellied rednecks lining the street that cheered "HELL YEAAAAAHHHH" as the trucks passed.

Chloe loved the horses, but was completely shocked that they were allowed to poop in the middle of the street. Every other minute she would check to make sure the poop was there, and loudly proclaim "Ewww, that's nasty. There's poop in the road. Look at that! Poop there. The horse pooped, look, look. Ewwww!" But she was secretly delighted.

After the parade we walked across the street to the city park to enjoy the food booths (hush puppies, mini donuts, elephant ears), then we all laid down and nearly died from the overload of sugar and grease. It was great!

The best part of a busy parade?

Coming home with exhausted kids.

Why My 1 1/2 Year Old DOESN'T Rock!

2008-06-03T21:05:00.001-06:00

First check out why Chloe rocks and doesn't rock the house.

And why Ali has some major rockage going on. Now here is why Miss CrazyGirl doesn't exactly rock my world.

-She has slept through the night four times in 16 months.

-She is on a MAJOR food strike.

-She hates milk.

-She tosses food all over the place.

-She throws blue-in-the-face, kicking-and-screaming tantrums several times a day.

-She jumps up in the middle of diaper changes and takes off running.

-She bites. HARD.

-She says "Baby..NO NO!" while she is doing something naughty (throwing her pacifier in the trash, pulling all the wipes out of the container, dumping out a basket of toys, etc).

Yeah, I should probably stop now, this could go on for a while.

But she is cute!

Baby.

2008-06-01T10:30:00.004-06:00

Nearly two years ago, The Hubs and I were talking about names. He's never been the type to devour name books, make lists, or agonize over decisions, so he is darn lucky he married someone who takes care of the obsessive side of name-choosing.

We came down to three names; Alexia, Olivia, and Allison. I wanted a child that we could call "Allie" so the first and third choices were mine. He was standing firm on wanting Olivia. I wouldn't say we fought about it, but there were a few slammed doors, screaming fits, and divorce threats......so nothing major really (I joke).

Finally on November 19th, 2006, we made our decision. I remember the day so clearly because we were at my nephew's 6th birthday party. We were sitting around with our extended family, enjoying cake (well I was 7 months pregnant so I was shoveling cake in my mouth without pause) and we announced "We've decided to name the baby Alivia. You know, like Olivia with an A?" Everyone kind of smiled halfheartedly and said "Oh that's great." Although my mother made a bit of a face and asked "Really, are you sure???" My dad, the horrible speller, thought that was how it was spelled anyway. Even though we had mixed reactions, I felt good about our decision.

The thing with her name is that most people pronounce Olivia like "Uh-liv-ee-uh" and not "OH-liv-ee-uh". That is exactly how we say our daughter's name, with a soft A, so most people don't even know her name is spelled differently.

So, after she was born I settled down in my hospital bed to finalize paperwork. I poised my pen over the official sheet of paper (with one hand grasping the open front of my hospital gown so my boob wouldn't flop out) I asked The Hubs "Are you sure?" Without hesitation he said "Do it."

So she became Alivia Mae. Her middle name is mine, and it is also my paternal grandmother's (more about that later). So as I wrote the name down carefully, I felt a bit of apprehension. I was worried about her first day in school as the teacher stumbles over her name or calls her "ALIVE ee uh" or "A ummm liv ummm err ah umm" or telling strangers her nickname is Ali (like Allie, not like Muhammed) which doesn't make sense if they think her name is Olivia. Sigh.

So after all of the agonizing, worry, stress and explanations, I feel like we chose the right name.

As for what we call her on a daily basis....that's a whole 'nother post!

Two All-Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles, Onion, on a Sesame Seed Bun!

2008-05-29T11:31:00.008-06:00

I'm going raw and I'm going vegatarian!!!!

Well, kind of.

There is no way I could live the raw or vegan lifestyle all the time. I was a vegetarian for several years and really felt healthy and wonderful, and lost a lot of weight, but I won't kid myself, it would be nearly impossible now.

But I am making a committment to eat one raw meal a month, and one vegetarian dinner a week. That's 56 meals sans meat, and 12 meals sans heat!

We very rarely have meat for breakfast, maybe one or two Saturdays a month we will have bacon or sausage links. And we eat a lot of organic PB&J's on whole wheat for lunch, since that is the only thing Chloe will eat lately. Sigh.

But the real challenge is dinnertime. The Hubs is a meat eater, and I am sure he will be until he is in the nursing home, using his dentures to chew his steak. I am not a huge red meat fan, but I like me some chicken.

This week our vegatarian meal was corn on the cob, baked sweet potatoes and a big green salad. Both of my kids gobbled it up, and The Hubs made a good effort. Although I am relatively sure he picked up a Big Mac on the way to his night shift at work.

I don't think the once a week herbivore diet will be that hard. It's the raw meal that I am having a hard time with. I can't see myself wrapping up tofu in seaweed and serving it with a chunk of fresh coral reef or something. There has to be a collection of raw recipes out there that are actually doable, affordable, and tasty. Anyone have a great raw recipe or idea to share???

Reading

2008-05-26T14:16:00.004-06:00

Finished Uncle Tom's Cabin on Friday. Loved every single page of it and cried. A lot.

Started The Glass Castle Sunday and finished it Monday. Seriously awesome, amazing book. Read it. Please?

I've got Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Unholy War:Terror in the Name of Islam next on my list. Anyone want to read a Mark Twain classic with me??

Day Two-Project GID!

2008-05-26T13:55:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I purged and cleaned two more areas for Project GID. You can find day 1 here. The first project was our hall towel closet. For some reason this closet piles up SO fast. The Hubs is also into the fine art of collecting massive amounts of useless crap. He has a hodge podge of computer bits, random wires, tools, etc. But he never wants to sort through anything or HEAVEN FORBID, throw something away. This closet is one where his junk starts to collect.

The before picture with my collection of candles, all kind of lotion, mismatched towels, and The Hubs' crap stowed behind it all.

Still a lot going on, but a little more organized. I threw all of The Hubs' junk in the green and blue buckets and I am now going to dream about the day that he will sort them.

Here is the top of my microwave. I have tried a large number of techniques to manage the amount of paper crap that accumulates around here. In baskets, daily sorting, shredders blah blah blah. It all works for about a week, then I lose the steam and the paper builds up again.

In all of it's glory.

Sorted, filed, shredded....

Throughout this week I will be doing the girls' closet, computer desk, a few more kitchen cabinets, and laundry area. Do you have any areas that you just need to GIT R DONE????

Project GID

2008-05-23T21:00:00.009-06:00

Project GID has now begun! GID, or rather Git Ir Done, is something I have been meaning to do for umm..ya know....about...umm....okay... carry the one, yeah 4 years. You see, The Hubs and I are both packrats (to the tenth degree). We have no concept of cleaning up after ourselves or putting things away. Every once in awhile I will go on a cleaning binge but I really am a terrible housekeeper. I am working on it though!!

I have a lot of areas in my home where things just pile up. Things that have no specific home get shoved into these little corners which start to take over the entire house. Flylady calls these things "hot spots". My specific hotspots are all over the house, and are in need of MAJOR decluttering and organizing. Since these things have been on my list so long I finally broke down and said "You know what? Just git r done!" So, here we go, here are my hot spots in all of their glory, followed by pictures of my new shiny drawers and cabinets (cold spots?). I would never share these pictures unless I had a nice clean shiny one to follow it with. :)

I have four drawers in my kitchen that hold utensils, spatulas, etc and they get SO cluttered. Both of my monkeys like to play in there, so they don't stay organized for long. But they are now!

Our bathroom cabinet. It was in bad need of a purge. In going through the vapo rub, old crusty toothpaste and dried out deodorant I discovered a few LONG past expiration dates. I guess this calls for a trip to Target to restock my cabinet. Dang. If I have to.

My shameful bathroom counter. Our bathroom is small, so it seems like the counter is cluttered when there are only two or three things out. When there are 73 things out, it looks terrible.

Gleaming.

Thanks for looking. This weekend I am also tackling my towel closet, laundry area, computer desk, and the girls' closet. Git R Done!

Why my 1 1/2 year old ROCKS!

2008-05-22T17:21:00.007-06:00

First I told you about why my 3 year old ROCKS and DOESN'T ROCK, now let me tell you about why my one and a half year old (almost) rocks my world!

-She is ridiculously hilarious, she does the silliest things.

-She is so smart, she talks up a storm, including two word phrases.

-Her face lights up when I walk in the room.

-She goes to bed without a peep.

-She loves to kiss and hug little dollies.

-She eats pretty much everything you give her.

-She is super strong and resilient. She jumps up after taking huge falls.

-She loves to sit on my lap and sing songs or read books.

- She gives The. Best. Hugs.

-She loves to cuddle at night.

Yeah, she rocks!

My List

2008-05-20T22:59:00.002-06:00

I recently created a list of some of the things I want to do before I die. It's a running list, I am adding to it often. A stranger reading this list might look at it and say "Whoa, none of this involves your family or children!" and that stranger would be right.

I've also got a list in my head of the things I want to do with my children, and if they want to tag along with me to all of the continents, that would be just fine. But it is about time I start focusing on ME, things I want to do, things that will better MY life. Because somewhere between changing diapers and exchanging vows and mopping the floor I lost me. Considering I got married and had children at a very young age, I don't think I ever had me in the first place. The list is incredibly ambitious and hard to reach, but they are all experiences that will help me grow and change (for better or worse). Because before I can be a teacher, mother, wife, sister, I have to be me. And if I have to jump off of a bridge to make that discovery, well then, pack up my parachute.

Here is my list, please, make one too. We all have to have something to look forward to right?

*Wave to each of my children as they drive off to college.
*Visit all of the continents.
*Visit all fifty states.
*Take my kids to Disney World.
*Sit in a French cafe and write (with some pastries and espresso).
*Run a 5K.
*Read 100 classic novels.
*Publish a book.
*Live without electricity for a month.
*Live by myself (briefly), because it's never happened before.
*Learn how to snowboard.
*Learn how to garden.
*Lay on a semi secluded beach all day. In a reclining beach chair, with a stack of paperbacks and a large fruity drink.
*Go to the Four Corners in the US.
*Go on a safari in Africa.
*Get Lasik.
*Get a tattoo.
*Fit into (and look good in) a pair of my jeans from high school.
*Finish a 1500 piece puzzle with no help.
*Find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.
*Eat vegan for a year.
*Deliver food and supplies to a village of hungry families.
*Conquer my fear of spiders.
*Buy a beautiful house with a huge backyard.
*Become a foster parent.
*Beat my dad at Monopoly.
*BASE jump off of the
*Appear on Wheel of Fortune with my mom (and win a ton of money).

The Saturday Morning Parent

2008-05-20T09:43:00.002-06:00

So, my husband works full time like the majority of other Baby Daddies in the country. He punches in via time clock, concentrates on his job for 8+ hours (minus a leisurely lunch break), then punches out. That's it, job over for the day.

We've been married for nearly four years and we are just now getting to the point where he is pitching in more with the housework and childcare. Granted, he has always "helped out" but that's all it is, lending a hand when things get rough, then retiring back to the couch/computer/video game/fishing pond/baseball field/you get the drift.

After a teeny tiny bit of nagging, he has come to the realization that I don't have a punch card. That I'm on duty 24/7, I don't get a lunch break, and my shift never ends. And even some days I'd rather work at the garbage dump, shoveling stinky filth while rats scamper over my feet and crows snap at my head. Really. It sounds like a wonderful change of scenery.

The past 8 months or so, the Hubs has really started pulling his weight. He has been picking up after himself, straightening things up, and even vaccuuming. Even more important is that he has been helping with the kids A LOT. He'll entertain them while I do housework, take them to visit his mom, and most importantly, let me sleep in on Saturday mornings.

Now that he has spent more time with the minions, he has started to gain a bit of apprecation for what I deal with on a daily basis (whining, crying, tantrums, scratching, and throwing, just to name the mild problems). While I snooze away the Saturday morning hours, he sees first hand how hard the Threes have hit us, and how much of a stinker Ali "cantmakemehappy" Mae is.

We've been arguing lately over parenting and discipline choices. I tend to ignore the tantrums and then talk about it with them once they have calmed down. This mostly applies to Ali since she throws a tantrum every few minutes (on a good day) and will scream herself blue. She climbs on the table, she tries to throw things in the toilet, she chucks toys, she throws herself on the ground, she kicks, and she scratches. She uses her cute little baby teeth to inflict pain on innocent bystanders, she steals toys, she generally wreaks as much havoc as possible. Yeah, she's a sweet one.

He is upset with me for letting the kids get away with the behavior, not being strict enough, etc. I am upset with him for trying to meddle with the way I do things, since I am the one doing it the other 164 hours each week. I wouldn't say we are fighting about it, just discussing and trying to figure out a solution. I know that we are both the parents, we both have the responsibility of raising our children, and we should figure it out now while they are still little.

So, what do you think? Anyone else experience frustration like this??

The Mommy Smash

2008-05-16T18:14:00.001-06:00

The Mommy Smash occurs when an unsuspecting mother bends over her child for a variety of reasons....tying a shoe, giving a good night kiss, pulling on clothes, etc.

When said mother bends over and the child just happens to jump upwards at the same time it creates a harmful collision called The Mommy Smash. This is blindingly painful because it is so unexpected. I would even venture to say this is more painful than childbirth. Really.

Often the child's rock hard head comes in contact with a mother's nose or lips or teeth. This can result in the shedding of tears and/or blood.

I was recently reacquainted with The Mommy Smash. I was standing behind Chloe and bending over to help her pull up her new My Little Pony undies. She didn't realize my face was so close and she jumped up excitedly. She giggled and rubbed the top of her head for a sec then ran off to play. I slumped over on the floor with little birds and stars swirling above my head and blood streaming down my face as my lip swelled to three times it's normal size. *

I need to start wearing a mouth guard and goalie mask anytime I am around my children.

*Slight dramatization

Yum!

2008-05-15T15:42:00.003-06:00

I could use a warm biscuit! Or something from Warm Biscuit Bedding Company. They have the C-U-T-E-S-T stuff ever, a really adorable store. I am absolutely in love with this wooden mixer set and this cookie set. How cute are those??? Oh man, I could spend hours on their site.

Megan is hosting a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate, so go over and sign up. Wouldn't that be a great thing to win????

The Outside Box

2008-05-13T12:15:00.002-06:00

We live in a fourplex, on the upstairs level. We have a sidewalk in front of us, and a small grassy area. Both girls like to draw on the sidewalk, blow bubbles, play in the grass, etc. We live next to a horse corral, so we always like to go visit the horsies, go on short walks, and visit the park a few blocks over.

One problem I have found is that Chloe always wants to bring a ton of toys downstairs to play with, a big bucket of sidewalk chalk, a large bottle of bubbles, assorted sizes of balls, a water bottle, etc etc etc. This means I am lugging stuff (and kids) up and down the stairs repeatedly. Then, the outside stuff doesn't really have a set place to go when we get inside.

I store the girls' outgrown clothes in containers like this one from Rubbermaid. I recently went through and emptied one of the boxes (most of the clothes will go to charity). So now the box is our Outside Box.

Right now it is has:
-A large bucket of super cool sidewalk chalk.
-Two jump ropes
-A small first aid kit
-2 bottles of bubbles
-A roll of paper towels for snot, blood, dirt, etc (they are kids, ya know?)
-A shovel and bucket
-An assortment of small toys
-2 bottles of water
-granola bars
-Tennis ball, bouncy ball, big bouncy ball, etc
-A magnifying glass so Chloe can check out bugs right before she stomps on them.
-Before we go outside I also throw in my cell phone and camera.

Now that the weather is FINALLY nice, we have started playing outside more. Which is great to help pass the time since my kids have started waking up at the buttcrackofdawn.

So, now I only have to carry one big thing and it stays by the door ready to go! Voila!

Why My Three Year Old DOESN'T Rock

2008-05-13T10:23:00.003-06:00

First, go see why my three year old does rock!

Now this is why she DOESN'T always rock.

-She hasn't eaten a real meal in six months.

-Although she sleeps through the night, she stalls for nearly an hour before she falls asleep.

-She will only eat off of oinge plates, and drink out of oinge cups.

-She begs and whines for a bath three. times. a. day.

-She knocks over her sister, right before helping her up and kissing her softly.

-She doesn't listen to a thing I say.

-She has started saying "I can't do it" and "I hate this"

-She screams hysterically when I have to wash her hair.

I am sure she is acting like a typical three year old, but since she was such a good two year old, it is really shocking. I think she just woke up one day, removed her halo, and replaced it with a set of pink horns and a matching pitchfork (which she will later use to poke me in the rear).

A Day in the Life.....

2008-05-11T20:49:00.003-06:00

I know my fellow stay at home moms can relate to how hard it is to be a homemaker. I know that my husband and some of my family members don't realize how much work it really is. A few times I have written out EVERYTHING for the Hubs so that he can see how much I really do.

Stumble out of bed.
Start coffee.
Change Ali's diaper.
Help Chloe wipe bum.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Prepare breakfast.
Dish up plates for both kids.
Pour out juice.
Set both kids up with breakfast plates.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my food.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Clean up Ali's face and hands.
Get Ali dressed.
Get Chloe dressed.
Help Chloe brush her teeth.
Unload yesterday's dishes.
Load breakfast dishes.
Wipe down kitchen counters.
Shower (every other day).
Get dressed and ready.

And this is all by 9 AM.

Fast forward to the afternoon.

Start preparing lunch.
Prepare lunch plate for Chloe.
Prepare lunch plate for Ali.
Pour milk cups.
Put Ali in high chair.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my lunch.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Wipe Ali's hands and face.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash her hands.
Load lunch dishes into dishwasher.
Wipe down kitchen counters.
Change Ali's diaper.
Find Ali's blanket and binky.
Sing song to Ali while rocking her.
Lay Ali down for a nap.

And this is all by 1 PM. Chloe and I do some type of project or preschool time, then she has "quiet time". Then Mommy reads, messes around on the computer, does some chores, etc.

Fast forward to predinner.

Set Chloe up with a project or coloring.
Give Ali something to do on the kitchen floor.
Make dinner.
Clear and set the table.
Prepare dinner plate for Ali.
Prepare dinner plate for Chloe.
Pour milk cups.
Put Ali in high chair.
Prepare my plate.
Eat my dinner.
Get Ali down from high chair.
Wipe Ali's hands and face.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Send kids to room to play.
Load dinner dishes into dishwasher.
Wipe down counters and stovetop.
Sweep the floor.
Empty the garbage.
Wipe down table.

And this is all by 7 PM.

Fast forward to pre bed time.

Start filling bathtub.
Strip down both kids.
Supervise bathtime.
Empty bathtub.
Dry off Ali.
Give a baby massage with lotion.
Put on new diaper.
Put on jammies.
Brush her hair.
Dry off Chloe.
Give a toddler massage with lotion.
Put on jammies.
Brush her hair.
Prepare a small bedtime snack.
Load bedtime snack dishes.
One final swipe of the kitchen.
Find Ali's blanket and binky.
Read one book.
Rock and sing to Ali.
Lay Ali down for bed.
Tell Chloe a story.
Sing a song to Chloe.
Read one or two more books to Chloe.
Help Chloe go potty.
Help Chloe wash hands.
Help Chloe brush teeth.
Get Chloe a drink of water.
Tuck Chloe into bed.
Sing one final song.
Collapse onto couch.

So, this is done every single day, even on bad/lazy days. If it's a good day you can also throw in two loads of laundry, washed, dried, folded and put away, vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing the bathroom, changing bedding, running errands, paying bills and balancing the checkbook, mopping, doing an art project and decluttering.

I'm not claiming to be supermom, not hardly. I think I try to justify to myself that I am actually doing something worthwhile.

Recently on a college application I had to report my employement status. My options were Working Full Time, Working Part Time, or Unemployed. I would definitely say I am employed, my house, children and husband are my employers and the pay is CRAP. And I would love to say that I get so warm and fuzzy knowing I am doing something worthwhile and important. The truth is that when I realize how many hours are spent doing trivial things like folding Chloe's underwear and sweeping under the stove, I long for a career and padded bank account and a sense of accomplishment. Because the dishes, yes they are done, but changing the world, no, that will have to wait until naptime is over.

Woohoo!

2008-05-11T19:50:00.003-06:00

So, what do you think of my new header??? Cute huh? Corey created it, she did such a fantastic job!

I'm still fiddling around with fonts and spacing and colors and all that jazz, so bear with me!!!

Thanks Corey!!!!!!

And Happy Mother's Day to all you fantastic women who are child-rearers. You do such a great job! Although, you may be doing a crappy job, but since it's Dia de la Madre, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.

Reading

2008-05-08T22:42:00.004-06:00

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I'm reading it here.

and

Touching Stars by Emilie Richards

Chocolate Cheesecake Pudding Cups

2008-05-08T19:16:00.005-06:00

Ok, so this is quite possibly my favorite dessert, and the kids love it too. Very simple, easy to make, full of calcium, and very filling.

You will need (for 4 pudding cups):

1 package cheesecake pudding mix
2 packages chocolate pudding mix (or one of the large boxes)
5 1/2-6 cups milk
4 graham crackers
whipped cream (optional)

First, prepare the chocolate pudding according to directions. Immediately distribute HALF of the pudding into four cups (you can use coffee cups, I use clear glasses since it looks so pretty when it is done!) and put into fridge. They only take 5 minutes to set. In a separate bowl, prepare the cheesecake pudding. Evenly pour all of the cheesecake pudding on top of the chocolate in the cups. Stick back into fridge for five minutes. Then add the rest of the chocolate pudding on top (this might have set up already, you can just use a spoon to scoop it on top!) So, you have three layers, chocolate, cheesecake, then chocolate. To make it easier you can just do two layers, or you can mix up the order of the layers if you like cheesecake more.

Set this back in the fridge for just a few minutes to get firm. For the graham crackers, you can crush each one on top of the pudding, break them into large chunks, or (my kids' fave) you can use the graham cracker as a spoon to dip in your pudding! Lastly, add a dollop of whipped cream to the top!

I always use skim or 1% milk, lite whipped cream, and reduced fat graham crackers, but you can mess with it however you like.

A couple of variations...you can also use strawberry or cherry jello in place of the chocolate pudding. We've tried that once and it really was DELISH. You can also use chocolate graham crackers, banana pudding, etc.

Chloe says it is YUM-O!

Ali would give her input, but she is busy right now.

Why my 3 year old ROCKS!

2008-05-08T15:43:00.005-06:00

-She sleeps through the night.

-She can wipe her own rear about 85% successfully.

-She tells me "I lub you!" multiple times each day.

-She kisses her sister and helps her up when she falls down.

-She would gladly sit and read books for several hours.

-She tells fantastic stories.

-She kisses my owies better.

-She reminds me every day to wash my hands after going to the bathroom.

-Her favorite color is "Oinge"

-She gets deliriously happy over simple things like a cookie, an extra cartoon, or a trip to the park.

-When she smiles with her half toothless grin (results of a trike accident a few years ago) my heart melts into a huge puddle of bliss.

Cautious and Adventurous!

2008-05-05T13:20:00.009-06:00

I really have a nervous Nelly on my hands! Chloe has always been really tentative about enjoying new things, she doesn't stray far from me, and she approaches all objects and people with extreme caution.

In fact, she just went down the slide by herself for the first time a few months ago. She would always climb up the ladder, try to talk herself into taking the plunge, then turn around and elbow her way past the impatient kids on the ladder. Back to safety and solid ground.

Today we played at the park for a few hours. Both kids really had a lot of fun, the differences between them are amazing!

Ali approaches everything with the very opposite of caution. She is wild, she will run and jump, climb to the very top of the jungle gym and dangle her leg over the edge while grinning.

She squeals while defying the laws of gravity, she speeds through tunnels and over the wobbly bridge, she flings herself down the slide with reckless abandon.

We had a really great time. Dad came too, and he enjoyed the slide!

3 down, 41 to go!

2008-05-03T22:15:00.006-06:00

I love reading, but my bookshelves are stocked with lots of great fluffy fiction. You know, stuff that doesn't have a lot of substance. I really enjoy fiction since it doesn't require a lot of thinking, you just sink yourself in the pages for a couple hours and emerge feeling a little dumber. Teehee! That's good reading!

But I also really like reading all kinds of stuff. I've always wanted to read the classics, so I'm challenging myself to read the following classic titles in the next year. I'm also planning on hiring a full time nanny so I can actually sit and enjoy these wonderful works. Ha, wouldn't that be nice? No, it will certainly take a huge investment of time, but I am so ready to put it in.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (I read this book in 8th grade and am very interested in reading it again to see how much more I get from it!)
by Mark Twain

All Quiet on the Western Front (Read this one in 11th grade honors, which caused quite an uproar among parents. It was a little mature and violent for school.)
by Erich Maria Remarque

Beloved
by Toni Morrison

The Best Short Stories
by O. Henry

Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley

The Call of the Wild
by Jack London

Catch-22
by Joseph Heller

The Catcher in the Rye (Read it in maybe 7th grade? Don't remember a thing about it!)
by J.D. Salinger

The Complete Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle

Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Cry, the Beloved Country
by Alan Paton

Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes

Ethan Frome (Read and studied an excerpt in 9th grade)
by Edith Wharton

Gone with the Wind (Studied in 10th grade, really loved this book!)
by Margaret Mitchell

The Good Earth
by Pearl S. Buck

The Grapes of Wrath
by John Steinbeck

The Great Gatsby (Really enjoyed too. This was 11th grade honors English also!)
by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Heart of Darkness
by Joseph Conrad

Invisible Man
by Ralph Ellison

Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte

Little Women
Louisa May Alcott

Lord of the Flies (8th grade and again in 12th grade)
by William Golding

Moby Dick (Read and studied excerpts in high school)
by Herman Melville

My Antonia
by Willa Cather

Native Son
by Richard Wright

Nineteen Eighty Four (Read in 10th grade, don't remember much about it!)
by George Orwell

Of Human Bondage
by W. Somerset Maugham

The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest Hemingway

Pride and Prejudice (Semi read in 8th grade)
by Jane Austen

The Red Badge of Courage
by Stephen Crane

Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel Defoe

The Scarlet Letter (Studied in 11th grade English)
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

A Separate Peace
by John Knowles

Silas Marner
by George Eliot

The Sound and the Fury
by William Faulkner

The Stranger
by Albert Camus

A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens

Tales
by Edgar Allan Poe

Tess of the D’Urbervilles
by Thomas Hardy

Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston

To Kill a Mockingbird (12th grade English)
by Harper Lee

Uncle Tom’s Cabin
by Harriet Beecher Stowe

War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy

Winesburg, Ohio
by Sherwood Anderson

Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte

A sure sign of our technological advances, you can read some of these classics online. A couple of good sites are Life Optimizer, Literature.org and Sparknotes. Not to mention the local library.

So (*rubbing my hands together in anticipation*) anyone want to join me? Want to have an online classic literature reading club? I know, try to quiet your enthusiastic squeals, it sounds wildly exciting right? *wink*

I'm A Baby Snuggler

2008-04-29T00:00:00.006-06:00

So my gorgeous friend Megan is writing a series of babywearing articles at Blissfully Domestic. Go on, go check it out, my blog isn't going anywhere!

Ok, so now that you have read the goodness that is Megan, I'd like to tell you a little bit about my babywearing experience. My carrier stash consists of a knock off Bjorn purchased at Target (I've linked to an Amazon listing for visual purposes, not to be confused with a recommendation *wink*). Also included in my carrier stash is a CassieBeanie ring sling, a Lucky baby pouch, and a Hotsling. These carriers were all made beautifully, work just fine, and are pleasant to look at.

But they all pale in comparison to the Best. Baby. Carrier. Ever. It's so versatile, totally comfortable, good for moms with bad backs or shoulders, and lightweight. Yes, I'm talking about the Mei Tai. Not to be confused with the sippable Mai Tai.

Yum.

No, the Mei Tai is an asian inspired baby carrier, it has a long body, and a set of straps attached to the top and bottom. Essentially, you tie your baby to you. My friends at Hideabug Sky Tai have some great instructions on how to put on your Mei Tai. Once you have your baby securely attached to you, you can very easily take walks, go shopping, pace around the house with a colicky baby, or do housework.

The reasons I love the Mei Tai are as follows:

-Totally versatile. You can wear your baby in the hip, back or front carry, facing towards you or away from you, as a wee baby, or as a tot.

-The wide straps cross over your shoulders and back so that your baby's weight is evenly distributed. As a mom with a bad back and shoulders, this is the most helpful of all. Hours of comfort and achy-free baby wearing!

-Compact (it folds down really small), can also be purchased with a cover, for protecting baby from the elements, and for discreet nursing.

-Stranger protection! Other people just have this insane urge to touch little babies. Intentions may be good, but you don't know if they've just been to the bathroom, or put out their cigarette or just kicked the flu. With your baby sandwiched in between you and the carrier, strangers are much less likely to reach their grimy hands in and pet your kid.

Ok, so now that I have raved long enough, let's talk about which Mai Tei is the best. Well, ready for a linkage overload? Check out some great ones here and here. Oh, yep, and here and here too. Wait, and here.

Of course, one wouldn't be let down by the amount of results when Googling "Mai Tei". On average, most MT's will cost you about 60-100 dollars. You may also find a clearance gem, or find instructions for making your own carrier. But these babies are worth every single penny!

Here is a picture taken last year of me wearing my 4 month old baby at the zoo.

This is the first picture I have shared of myself on this blog and it happens to be one where I am carrying extra baby weight, I have an odd expression on my face, I'm standing next to a drinking fountain, and my unwashed hair is hanging flatly. Pretty.

But really, even if you buy a Mei Tai and find it doesn't make you giddy with happiness, the good news is that they often hold quite a bit of value and you can swap or sell it.

So do it, try one, your baby will thank you!

Mommy

2008-04-27T15:14:00.009-06:00

Motherhood. The word simply means the state of being a mother.

I entered motherhood in January of 2005, and again in January of 2007. I definitely was in a state. A state of total shock, awe, terror, amazement, and joy. And still, 3 and a 1/2 years later, the feelings haven't faded away. As I ~~smother~~ shower my two little red headed joys with kisses, I can't help but feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

No matter how many pressing things are on my mind (the bills, the laundry, the errands) nothing can take away my worries like a whispered "I love you" and a tight squeeze from a small child.

Nothing can take away my fear like laughing as my toddler licks her sister's face and proclaims that she tastes "like a baby".

Absolutely nothing in this world can bring me more joy than watching my children play together, even if they are making a mess.

Because I'm not a mother, or even a mom. I'm a Mommy, and two little girls hold my heart in their grubby little hands.

This picture was taken one year ago, when my daughter was 6 months old. The photo was spontaneous, I was kissing her to make her smile for the camera. When I look at this picture, I see a few flaws (read: baby weight) but I also see sunshine, happiness, love, and total and complete peace. That is motherhood.

(This is an entry for the Mother's Day Photo Contest from 5 Minutes for Mom, courtesy of Egg Beaters.)

(Special thanks to Nora K. who helped make this picture beautiful. Thanks Nora!)

I did it.

2008-04-25T19:52:00.003-06:00

I just finished re-enrolling in college. I have two semesters to go until I graduate. Since I have the reputation as The Person Who Can't Finish Anything, I am really excited to be able to have a little piece of paper that says I saw a task through to the end.

So this summer I will be taking a Biology class and lab (scared) a Physical Geology class and lab (terrified) an independent study Cultural Geography course (holy crap) and a secondary education seminar (worried). I am a bit nervous about taking two lab classes at once. I had to have the Academic Dean sign a course overload waiver since it is a short semester with a lot of info crammed into it.

I found the course overload waiver very interesting. I'm a little upset that my nurse didn't offer to sign a Chaos Overload waiver when my second daughter was born! I should totally sue for mental health damages.

I am very excited about going back to school though. I took two years off, so it is about time I got my big booty back in the game! And I am ecstatic about dropping a G on tattered used textbooks. Sigh.

I'm tired.

2008-04-23T09:18:00.003-06:00

Nope, I'm not giving something away (this time anyway!), but I did spend the greater part of four hours entering several hundred giveaways! You enter by going to one of the 700+ blogs, and adding a comment to the post with your information. They randomly pick a number this weekend and send out your free giveaway! There are some really cool things to be won!

I know, FOUR HOURS. Luckily (?) my kids were sick and didn't want to do anything else but lay around with blankets and watch cartoons. Ali spent most of the time on my lap so I was reading and signing up for contests with one hand.

As I was going through the list, entering ones that sounded interesting, I noticed a few things.

1. I can't even count how many comments I saw that said "This sounds great! Count me in! -Anonymous" Haha, good luck there buddy, I hope you win big!

2. Every time I went to post an entry, I noticed a lady that would always post before me. She was on almost every single blog that I was, her comments just mere minutes before mine. I pictured the two of us racing through cyberspace, our fingers flying over the keyboard itching to enter as many as possible before the hubby walked through the door, or the dinner boiled over.

3. My favorite was a comment on a giveaway for a $5 Starbucks gift card. The comment said something like "Oh wow, this is wonderful. Things are so stressful financially, so this will help out a lot." Right, drinking an expensive calorie-laden frappucino ("Extra whipped cream please!") is really going to help you pay your bills. A more appropriate giveaway would be a box full of groceries, or a full gas can. Or even a box of condoms so that people like this nitwit stop spawning!

Last night I went to bed with a numb buttcheek, and fingers that were curled into the typing position. I looked like an eagle about ready to swoop down and grab up a cute little mouse. And even as I was sleeping, another eighty giveaways were added. I. Must. Resist.

The 5 S's

2008-04-16T19:21:00.004-06:00

Back in February I wrote a post about colic. As I now read that post I am shocked by the mental image that comes to me.

A wild eyed mother with hair sticking in all directions, banging her blog posts out on the keyboard so hard her fingers are blistered, a little baby screaming in the background, a poor toddler stuck in front of the TV. A huge pile of unwashed clothes, take out containers strewn about the house, a sinkful of dishes starting to smell. Windows and blinds shut tightly so the neighbors don't think she is torturing a small herd of goats.

It's no wonder we were all so miserable. Poor diet, lack of sunshine, messy house, and nonstop screaming. But I strongly believe that when you have a child with colic you HAVE to do what you can to survive. If it means not cooking dinner so that you can rest while the baby sleeps, then by all means do it! And don't be afraid to ask your sister or even your mother in law (*gasp*) to help out.

Alivia's colic went away around 4 months. We still have not figured out the cause of her colic but it may be related to the fact that she hated my guts and loved to make me miserable.

For those 119 days, 23 hours, and 48 minutes of colic I found only one thing (well, five actually) that prevented me from wrapping Ali in a soft blanket and placing her on my neighbor's doorstep with a "Please take her!" note and a jar of strawberry preserves.

It's called The Five S's. You can find more info on the Five S's in Dr. Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block.

Swaddling - Swaddling is not that hard once you get the concept. You basically wrap the baby tightly in a blanket which provides comfort to the child. Unless you have a McGyver baby who used a Q tip and a toothbrush to undo her swaddle and then flail her arms and legs about whilst shreiking as loudly as possible. So out of the Five S's, this one was the least effective for us, but still works wonders for loads of exhausted parents!

Side/stomach position - This helps babies who have gas or reflux issues. I spent many many hours laying next to her patting her bum and rubbing her back. I'm not going to go into the Back To Sleep campaign, but be aware that Dr. Karp recommends using the side/stomach position to get your baby to fall asleep, then rolling them to their back.

Shushing Sounds - I actually owe what is left of my sanity to the shush sound. This can be created with any kind of appliance or object that makes steady white noise (dryer, vacuum, fan, etc). You can also try a white noise CD which helps create the rhythmic sounds of the womb. I can't tell you how many nights were spent in the bathroom, the fan going, me swinging the baby (see below) while trying to ignore the filthy ring in the bathtub and dried toothpaste on the counter.

Swinging - This was big for us. I even had to resort to putting her in the bucket car seat and gently swinging her back and forth (buckled in of course). She also enjoyed her baby swing, and being strapped into a sling or carrier while I walked to hell and back.

Sucking - A nipple (real ones or fake ones) pacifier, thumb, etc. Ali was nursing still, but we had a rough time, I think she got sick of my BO. The pacifier helped us immensely though.

Now that I have had a year to reflect on our colicky existence, I have a new list.

Shots....if all else fails, a few healthy swigs of tequila will do wonders for your nerves. Probably not recommended for nursing moms.

Shower...we spent so much time inside during the cold winter months, so a shower wasn't exactly necessary every day (although it was needed). But with a two year old and a screaming newborn, it was incredibly hard to find time to jump in the shower. Lay your baby down in a safe place and take a quick hot shower (not a long leisurely bubble bath while you drink tequila and read a mag). When you get out the baby may still be screaming, but you will feel at least a tiny bit refreshed.

Stereo...This is for two reasons. 1. You can hold your baby and dance around the house which will give you exercise and distract him briefly. 2. Nothing drowns out a crying baby like Madonna's "Like a Virgin" (Don't you wish you still were? Sigh.)

Sunshine...I know, the last thing you want to do is get outdoors, but it really, really will help. It will force you to brush your hair and change out of those dirty sweatpants, and your baby will enjoy the change of scenery (usually.)

Scream...I know, there is already a lot of that going on in your household. But in this case, again lay your baby in a safe place, retreat to the bedroom, turn off the light and shut the door. Then put a pillow over your face and scream as loudly as you can. Scream until your throat is raw if you'd like. There, better? Now your frustration is gone and you won't need to do the pillow scream for several more ~~hours~~ minutes.

It gets better though! I am happy to say that Alivia is now a perfectly happy well rounded snuggle-pie who does no wrong (HA!).

Freshly Roasted Baby

2008-04-08T14:27:00.003-06:00

Today Alivia reached up on the counter and pulled on a piece of paper that was sitting there. The paper was a brightly colored advertisement for Pamper's diapers that I had placed there for no reason. Alivia caught a glimpse of the cute little boy baby wearing the Pamper's and thought she should pull it down to see if he was hotter close up.

The problem was that sitting on top of the Pamper's catalog was my new large carton of coffee grounds (not the tin kind, the plastic jug). As she pulled down the picture of the handsome baby the entire container of grounds fell on top of her. The plastic jug did not hit her but 26 oz of coffee sand rained down upon her. She had it in her hair, nose, down her shirt, sticking to her eyelashes, it was E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E!!!!!

We were running late for a playdate, so I stripped her down and did a quick wipe down. She was in a fresh diaper so I didn't worry about checking that. While at our playgroup I noticed the scent of fresh coffee beans following her around, and found a few stray grinds in her ear.

She was a bit fussy at the store, and upon getting home and stripping her down to change her diaper I got the shock of my life. Her diaper was full of tiny little coffee grounds. I felt so bad that the poor girl had to carry around a diaper full of Folger's for several hours. :( But after washing her down she was happy as can be so I think the coffee incident is behind us.

"The best part of wakin' up...is Folger's in your butt"

P.S. This has also reminded me that I can't leave ANYTHING on the edge of counters. I can't believe her arms have gotten so long!

Day Two

2008-04-06T15:52:00.002-06:00

The second day of spring ~~torture~~ cleaning is over! Last Saturday I began the daunting task of ridding my house of toys, dust, grime, clothing, junk, crap, and junk. Yesterday I spent some more time scrubbing.

My house was messy. Oh boy, it was messy. It looked a bit like my house had pushed all of the books and toys off of the shelves, pulled the clothes off of the hangars and out of the drawers, squirted ketchup and mustard all over everything, then stirred it around with a big stick. And then my house threw it all up. It was horrendous.

In my defense, I have two young children, and one much older male child. Both my husband and I missed that day in Kindergarten when the concept of clean up was taught. We both have the inability to pick up after ourselves, we're lazy housekeepers and we didn't own a mop for the first two years of our marriage. I am getting MUCH better about it, but my house is never company ready.

Every year in March and April I spend several weekends scouring the floor and walls, getting rid of stuff, and deep cleaning closets. Last year I had a three month old baby who NEVER SLEPT and so my spring cleaning agenda got shoved under the bed with the rest of the dust bunnies and old socks.

But this year I knew I really needed to spend some bonding time with some dust rags and a bottle of 409. So I wrote out my list of tasks and got ready to work. Last Satuday was spent mostly cleaning up the general chaos. It's hard to deep clean when you have dishes and toys and laundry and junk everywhere. So after spending several hours of straightening up I began on Chloe's room. I threw out several bags of broken toys, donated several bags of unused toys, and put a few boxes of toys in storage. Scrubbed down windows and doors and walls and shelves, got rid of unread books and unloved stuffed animals.

Yesterday I began the kitchen. I scrubbed down small appliances, cleaned out the fridge and sorted through cupboards. As I was getting down and ~~dirty~~ clean I was struck by the sheer filthiness of my walls!

The wall behind Alivia's high chair might just win some awards for being the Dirtiest Wall Ever. You see, she's a Flinger. When she is done with food she doesn't politely put down her fork and daintility wipe her mouth with a napkin. Oh no, she chucks everything on her high chair tray as far as she can. I think it is a game to her "Five points if I can hit the wall with this noodle!" "Ten points if this peach sticks to the fridge door!" "Twenty points if I can hit my sister with this sippy cup!" I usually clean up major spills right away, but the wall needed a good wipe down. I spent a good hour scrubbing off bits of stuck on food and dried juice.

Next Saturday I will continue to freshen up my grimy cave!

Toddler Conversations Part Two

2008-03-25T14:09:00.003-06:00

Me: "You have so many toys!"
C: "Yeah I know, I a packrat."

C: "Want to play?"
Me: (pretending not to hear)
C: "HELLLLOOOOOO I said do you want to play?"
Me: "That's not nice to yell at me."
C: "(whispering) hellooo, want to play?"

C: "I'm sick."
Me: "What's the matter, does your throat hurt."
C: "No."
Me: "What's the matter?"
C: "What's the matter?"
Me: "Chloe, tell Mommy what is wrong, are you sick?"
C: "No." Walks off.

No, not the bunny, please!!!!!

2008-03-23T21:37:00.002-06:00

So, the Easter Bunny didn't stop by our house this year.

*Gasp*

I know, it's terrible isn't it! My girls did get Easter baskets, but with the very bare minimum. Not for good reasons like consumerism, or losing the religious reason for the season, we're are just cheap. A few sugar free jelly beans, some eggs, and a small doll for each. But the baskets were from Mom and Dad.

The baskets were from us because both girls do not like the Easter Bunny. If the baby sees the gigantic, fluffy bunny she clings on to us, a panicked look on her face and her fingernails digging in to our skin. Chloe is becoming less frightened, but she is still very tentative about walking up to the large rabbit.

To be honest, I am a little bit wary as well. Full grown men dressed in large costumes, spending their free time in the mall so kids can take turns sitting on their laps? A scary perma-grin plastered on their masked face? Large unblinking eyes and big furry paws?

Now, I'm not accusing the Easter Bunny of being a pedophile, or even a man at all. I just hate that we have no idea who is underneath that costume.

The idea of telling my children that the fur covered monstrosity will come to our quiet home in the middle of the night, walk through the door, and wander through the dark house hiding baskets and eggs and Peeps? The thought alone gives me the goosebumps. Nuh-uh no siree, not for us! For now the EB will stay at the mall where he belongs, and we'll give him a half hearted wave as we pass, then shuffle along quickly.

Maybe next year. :)

Toddler conversations.

2008-03-19T00:44:00.002-06:00

Aren't they the best? I am really loving age 3. She's potty trained, she can put on her own shoes, she will massage my feet. As soon as she learns to make her own grilled cheese sandwiches, I'll be set!!

But for now I am happy to just sit back and laugh at (I mean..with) her. These are a few of the conversations we've had lately.

C: "Holy crap, baby just fell down!"
Me: "What did you say?"
C: "Baby fell down?"
Me: "Before that?"
C: "I don't know."

C: "Mom!! Come look at my poop! It's really big!"

Me: "Hey hon, you ready to go through the car wash?"
C: "But I'm not dirty!"

Me: "Please shut the door, I'll be out of the bathroom in a minute."
C: "Ok!" slooooooowly shutting door.
C: "WAIT! Don't forget to wipe, Mom!"

Seven things about ME ME ME!

2008-03-18T17:25:00.004-06:00

My sweet friend Laura done tagged me. She tagged me a few weeks ago, but I have been so busy I haven't kept up with my friend's blogs as much as I should. *blush*

Okay, here are the rules...

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.

2. Post rules on your blog.

3. Write 6 (or 7) non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

4. Name 6 (or 7) of your favorite blogs.

5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

I've completed a meme in the past about how odd I am, so I will have to think of some new interesting things.

1. I have peed my pants 7 times as an adult. Once during a laughing fit in the middle of Kmart when I was 9 months pregnant.

2. I know it doesn't seem anatomically possible, but a few years ago I shot a grape out of my nose. I was putting the grape in my mouth and I started laughing. I snorted the grape and it got caught in my nose. I had to use the 'plug and blow' technique to shoot the fruit missile out of my nostril. That made me laugh/cry so hard I had a bit of an accident. Refer to post #1.

3. I was a member or leader of more than 20 clubs and organizations when I was in high school. I was also cofounder and president (and name thinker-upper) of T.R.A.S.H.-Teens Rallying Against Smoking Habits, an anti tobacco and cessation program for high schoolers. And the Chemistry Club. And the Debate Club.

4. I now publicly and formally proclaim my non-love for Johnny Depp. I just don't get all the hype. He's not even that much to look at. K, shoot me now.

5. My idea of a perfect day...an empty house, a big blanket and pillow, a plethora of snacks (salty, sweet, chocolatey, calorie free of course) and the remote. I could very easily just sit and zone out on reality TV for hours. Mix in a few great chick flicks (Dirty Dancing, How to Lose a Guy in 10 days, The Sweetest Thing, etc) and I would be content to sit and stare at the boob tube for days.

6. My favorite number is eleven. I was born on 11/11. I always seem to look at the clock at 11:11. That's it, no other significance, except that I was 11 once. The specific number has never really brought me any luck, so I should think about moving on to a different one.

7. I was life flighted to the hospital during an 8th grade field trip. We were rock climbing. Fell and hit my noggin. Dind't mes me up to awful.

Ok, that's it about me!

So now here's the part where I am supposed to tag 6-7 other people, but ya know, I feel like these Memes get passed around to the same people and it can get a bit repetitive repetitive.

So I am going to make up a new one! Because I am so cool like that. The new meme is to post 5 interesting things we might not know about your spouse/significant other.

Corey
Laura
Megan
Lori

and.....

Suzy

Thanks for playin!

Fascinating, Fun, and Frustrating.

2008-03-13T13:41:00.005-06:00

Life with a three year old is fun. They are such funny mini people. They can be silly and happy one moment, and angry and tantrum-y the next. But, they are so nice to have around just for the entertainment factor.

Life with a one year old is frustrating. Ali will be happily playing and the next second she is on the floor screaming and kicking because she wants another cracker. And then the next second she is sitting on my lap hugging me and giggling. And then the next second she is in time out because she gouged my eye out with her fingernails that won't. stop. growing.

Life with a husband is fascinating. One moment he is helping me do the dishes and in a flash of a second he is out fishing. I've never understood the appeal of fishing. I mean, holding a stick with a string and a sharp object on the end? Not my idea of fun.

No, my idea of fun is scrapbooking. Taping some pictures to a piece of paper, that sounds WAY more exciting right????!!!!

2008-02-26T22:59:00.002-07:00

*Yawns and stretches*

*Rubs sleep from eyes*

*Confusedly looks around*

Oh hey, hello there! I'm emerging from a nice restful break from blogdom. I just could not find the time/energy to sit down and write out a coherent post. I kept up with some of my bluddies (blogging buddies) but was lacking in leaving the comment love, so my apologies to you all.

Last night as I sat in bed banging my skull against the headboard as my 1 year old screamed like a banshee, I thought of a really great topic to blog about. As my little one and I tossed and turned and punched and kicked (it was her mostly, I swear) I lost track of what I was going to post.

Then this morning as I rolled out of bed feeling like I had been run over by a truck (felt a bit like a Chevy) I couldn't even spell the word ~~bolg~~ ~~bgol~~ blog.

Then as the day wore on I sort of remembered my great idea for blogging, but then my head exploded due to the sheer amount of ENDLESS NONSTOP SCREAMING.

I really did forget what it was, I'm sure I will remember tonight as I am climbing into my bed and about to drift off to sleep. Right after snuggling into my sheets, but right before being whacked in the face by my one year old monster.

*Yawn*

The Journal

2007-12-26T01:25:00.000-07:00

The day after I found out I was pregnant with Chloe, I went to the store and bought a journal. My first entry was a little unsure and hesitant, as my emotions were so raw and new. I wrote as if I was writing to a teenaged Chloe, and I planned on giving it to her on her 12th birthday. I put my thoughts, advice, dreams, and fears down on the pages of the journal, and I wrote it in faithfully every night. Towards the end of my pregnancy as things got busier, I wrote in it once a week. Then after she was born it tapered down to once a month, then once every few months. When cleaning out our bedroom on Sunday, I found the journal; the last entry I wrote was December 24th, 2005, two years ago. I couldn't believe I let so much time go by without writing to her. That night I wrote several pages in her journal, writing about the changes in our lives, and a few funny stories about her.

I also started a journal for Alivia. I wish I had started it when I was pregnant, but time just flew by too quickly. Her new journal is already filled with several pages, words of wisdom from her mom, advice, chit chat, stories and jokes. I can just picture her as a pre teen or teen, reading the journal and thinking about what her mom must have been like so many years ago. It's also a great place to write down all the cute mannerisms of the girls. I hope it is something they will treasure forever.

If I look back at my childhood, I think ages 12-14 were the toughest for me. So many changes occur, physical and emotional, the boy crazies set in, parents are annoying, friends cause drama, it's such a rough time for a girl! I know how much I would treasure something like that from my mother, and I truly hope my girls will feel the same about my words to them.

Fags and Powers.

2007-12-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

This was my conversation with Chloe today as we were driving.

"Mama! Mama! I see fags and powers!"
"What do you see?"
"Fags and powers!"
"Fags and powers?"
"YES MOM FAGS AND POWERS."

I glanced out the window to see that we were passing a cemetary. Row after row of American flags and hundreds of flower arrangements.

Ah, right. Fags and powers.

Annnnd......she's off!

2007-12-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

We have runnage!!! Alivia took off like a jet plane. She is now running from room to room, pushing her dolly in a stroller all the way across the house, and climbing all over the place. She is powerful, busy, and incredibly strong-minded. And only 10 and a 1/2 months old.

I am also pretty convinced that she was a dog in her past life. She likes to watch us with eager eyes as we eat, hoping we will drop a crumb for her to gobble up. She enjoys splashing in the toilet, and the other day she licked my face.

When I'm not chasing after the little monster, or entertaining a toddler, I'm thinking about the holiday season. I've been brainstorming affordable gifts for my little spawn. I've decided on a box full of paints and paintbrushes for Chloe. She absolutely lives for painting. She will often bring me a fresh piece of paper and state very matter-of-factly "I paint dis." It is not uncommon for her to also tap her sister on the head and declare "I paint dis too." Whenever I pull the art box out, she starts to jump up and down and shake and sputter and get really giddy, and I start to think I should call 911 or something. Paint is her toddler drug. She has to get her fix every day.

Our local craft store had bottles of paint for a buck apiece, so I grabbed a slew of colors, a handful of brushes, and a few packs of construction paper. Threw it in a shoebox, tied on a ribbon, and voila....crack-in-a-box!

SuperBaby.

2007-11-30T12:34:00.001-07:00

What did I get myself into?

I apologize for the fuzzy image. This would be my ten month old sitting on top of her sister's table, clapping and smiling because she is so proud of herself. She has been climbing for several weeks now, the couch, the chairs, the bed, her exersaucer, everywhere. I can't take my eyes off of her for a second. As a result, I haven't been to the bathroom in four days, but hey, peeing is overrated anyway.

She can walk from one end of the house to the other. Even though our apartment is tiny, it is still a huge feat for such little feet. She can walk halfway across the room, stop and pick up an item, straighten back up and continue on her merry way. She has a fascination with Forbidden Objects. Batteries are her favorite (she can even pop them out of the remote), second only to pennies, and sharp objects.

Good thing she is so stinkin' adorable.

Long, Long Break.

2007-11-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Well, that was the break to end all breaks! I had major blogger's block and couldn't think of a single thing to write that wouldn't make everyone slump forward onto their keyboards, drooling all over the spacebar.

You know, life has been pretty busy and boring. Busy with day to day stuff, you know, two kids under 3, another kid under 25, keeping up with the household, errands, bill paying, yada, yada, yada. But boring because nothing exciting has happened lately. Well, exciting things happen all the time, like Ali figuring out how to wave, or Chloe pooping in the potty. Fun stuff.

So...umm....I can feel you start to nod off, so here is a super quick update on my little monkeys, then I'll let you get back to your drooling.

Chloe
-Talking up a storm.
-Funny, funny girl. (She likes when I lightly blow on her chest and face, it cracks her up. So the other day she ran up to me and said "Hey mom! Blow me!")
-Crazy imagination (yesterday her french fries were giants going through the ketchup swamp, and they got in a fight with each other so she punished them by biting off their heads.)
-Loves to read.
-Currently on a vegetable strike. Should end around January of 2018.
-Enjoys long walks on the beach.
-Likes when her sister copies her. Encourages her sister to follow her into the bathroom, shows her how to unroll the toilet paper, then runs to me and says "Mama, baby did a bad in da bashroom!"

Ali
-Up to 8 steps in a row.
-This girl is small but she packs a powerful punch. Don't mess with her if she is tired. Or hungry. Or grumpy. Pretty much, don't mess with her.
-She is small but we have nicknamed her "The Pit" She eats a massive amount of food, more than the rest of us.
-Her hair has grown, and is now about 1 1/2 inches long! Still orangey-red.
-7 teeth and counting! She has four on top and three on bottom, and several more on the way.
-Almost 10 months old.
-Still in Mommy's bed, but about to be evicted.
-Enjoys pulling the wipes out of the container, unrolling the TP, dumping out boxes of toys, throwing her food, and pooping at inconvenient times.

Things are good! Although Ali is currently fighting a nasty bout of bronchitis.

Hope all my blends (that would be blogger friends) are doing well!

J-E-L-L-O

2007-08-18T19:47:00.000-06:00

Today we went to a Chinese buffet. It seems like every Chinese buffet (at least in the greater Idaho area) has a plentiful stock of jello, cottage cheese, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Didn't you know those are the staples of a Chinese diet?

So I got a plate with one jiggly square of bright red jello, a small serving of mashed potatoes with thick gravy, and a tiny scoop of cottage cheese. All of this with the expectation that Ali would reject it with a tight lipped shake of her stubborn head.

But she opened wide for the spoon with a miniscule amount of melt-in-your-mouth jello. And then swallowed it! Sweet success!

She also gobbled up the cottage cheese, but spit out the mashed potatoes.

7 squares of jello, and two large scoops of cottage cheese later, she was finally satisfied. I know jello is not the most nutritionally sound food to feed to my seven month old, but at this point if she would eat a Krispy Kreme, I'd gladly oblige. (As long as she got her own, I don't share Krispy's, even with cute babies). She is getting skinnier by the day because she is so darn busy. She is beginning to cruise along the furniture, although she is still unsteady. She is also quite the food snob. Even her baby food has to be the exact right temperature and texture or else she chucks it at me. At most she will eat about an 1/8 of a 1/4 of a jar. So her jello and cottage cheese binge is perfectly timed.

Life.

2007-08-14T14:57:00.000-06:00

Life has been crazy. Hectic, insane, wild, nuts, busy.

I was horribly sick for about a week, and it is just barely starting to taper off. You know how it is when your actual cold is gone, but your nose still drips and your head lightly throbs for ages afterward? Yep, that's me. Both girls got sick too, so our house was pretty miserable for quite awhile.

In other news, I've started pulling my hairs out one by one. I'm down to a few patches of hair, and those are going later today. My little monster has been driving me to my breaking point. She is at this absolutely adorable stage where she screams bloody murder when I walk out of the room. Actually, she does it when I walk more than two feet away. Or when I set her down. Or when I stop talking to her. Or when I look at someone else. Or when I devote a fraction of a percentage of my attention on someone other than her. It is getting positively ridiculous.

Chloe has also started a lovely stage in which she can't ask for anything in a normal voice. Every single request must be issued in the highest, whiniest voice you can possibly imagine. And the word 'no' triggers the need to stomp her feet, throw herself on the ground and wail. That usually sets Ali off and she starts shreiking too, complete with crocodile tears. This is usually the point where I start yanking hairs out.

But things haven't been all bad. I started a scrapbook! I spent 20+ hours in the past few days working on my book. I have been meaning to do this for three years, and just barely started. I wouldn't earn a blue ribbon by any means, but at least I'm starting.

Although now the scrapbooking bug has bit me big time, and I want to go drop a G at the scrapbooking store.

So, screaming babies, whiny toddlers, sick Mamas, and not enough time/money for my new hobby. That's my life!

Thank You Mom in Law

2007-07-27T21:15:00.000-06:00

I decided to participate in the group writing contest hosted by Jordan at MamaBlogga. Here is my entry (just in the nick of time!), entitled Thank You Mom in Law.

Mom-in-law, I want to thank you for raising such a wonderful son. I also want to thank you for giving him to me on our wedding day, although you did hold on tight until the very last second. In fact, I nearly broke a well manicured nail trying to wrench him out of your eagle-like grasp. But you handed him over, and for that, I thank you.

I would also like to thank you for the many, many hours you spent taking care of your family. Your son is proud that he had a stay at home mother at his beck and call, ready to serve the family diligently. You set the bar so very, very high for your son's wife, and for that, I thank you.

You spent so many hours taking care of your children when they were ill. This helped your son learn that someone would always be there to rub his back, fetch his blankets, and wipe his nose. You spent many hours slaving over a hot stove, dishing up everyone's plates, jumping up to grab forgotten condiments, clearing the table, and washing the dishes, never once expecting (or receiving) a thank you. You were delighted to follow your children around with a dust buster, snatching up each crumb before it hit the floor. Your children came home from school to see a freshly made bed, neatly vaccuumed bedroom, and a nice homemade snack waiting for them. You spent every waking moment doing something for someone in your family, and for that, I thank you.

You gladly took your husband's coat when he came inside, lined his boots up neatly in the proper place, and smiled when he threw his dirty socks next to the laundry hamper, instead of in. You spent hours ironing clothes- you could make the perfect crease in a pair of boxer shorts! You spent hours perfecting your cookie recipe- you could have made money off of those chocolate chip beauties! You spent hours scrubbing the toilet- anyone would have been glad to rest their hiney upon the gleaming throne! You were always armed with a bottle of homemade cleaning solution, a dustrag, and a giant smile on your face, and for that, I thank you.

Although you felt that no one would ever be good enough for your son, you still welcomed me into the family with half open arms. You never failed to impart your wisdom on to me. I was blessed with your advice in many areas of my life, including: my marriage, my parenting skills, my finances, and even my weight. You were always willing to share tips and ideas for improving my life, and for that, I thank you.

When it comes to your son's children, you really shine. You love your granddaughters with such a passion, like a grandma lioness protecting her cubs. Of course, you shower them with too many sweets, inappropriate cartoons, and uber late bedtimes, but you also shower them with love. Lots and lots of pure, unconditional love. And for that, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Throughout your son's childhood, you were there to clean up after him, feed him, make his bed, and keep him happy. You were always there to fulfill every need he could have. You might have been there too much, but you were always there. And for that, I thank you.

You raised your son with the expectation that his wife should do as much as his mom did. The pressure and responsibility can be a bit much, and to say our household is different than yours used to be, is an understatement. But please know, that you are appreciated. Appreciated for your undying love for your family, your constant need to please, even your unsolicited advice. You are appreciated for all of your hard work, your sense of humor, and especially for your mouthwatering chocolate chip cookies and your gleaming toilets.

You gave me your son, my children's father, and my best friend. And for that, I thank you.

Vacuums and Vodkas

2007-07-19T22:34:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Julie. And I am a binge cleaner.

Just like a binge drinker, but with a broom instead of a beer. Like a college co-ed, I abstain for most of the week. Then the weekend hits, and I find myself spending hours cleaning as much as I can.

After a weekend of heavy drinking and partying, the binge drinker usually needs a day or two to recover. She rests in a dimly lit room, pops Advil, and runs to the bathroom. She vows to the toilet bowl "I will never drink that much again!"

Likewise, the binge cleaner needs to recover after a weekend of heavy scrubbing. She collapses on the couch, the lingering scent of cleaning fumes still thick in the air and vows "I will never clean that much again!"

But alas, the weekend comes, and with it the promises of mops for one, and martinis for the other. One throwing trash out, the other throwing tequila up. Both will probably spend time on their knees, one scrubbing the floor, and the other..er...

As much as I loathe cleaning, I much prefer it over raging hangovers and cheap beer.

Please?

2007-07-13T00:51:00.001-06:00

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

With sprinkles?

And nuts?

And a generous dose of whipped cream?

And big warm globs of ooey gooey hot fudge?

Please, oh please, just let me SLEEP!!!???

I'm not quite sure who I am begging. Maybe it is the Exhaustion Elf? Dream Fairy? Pillow Princess? I'm not sure who grants sleep wishes, but I desperately need some help in the Zzzz department. I haven't had a good night's sleep in three and a half years. I've been rolling out of bed and waddling my big pregnant self into the bathroom to pee every ten minutes, or attaching a baby to a boob, rocking an infant to sleep, entertaining toddler bedtime stalling tactics, or catching up on hours of TIVO goodness.

However, I really have no excuse now. Ali is sleeping through the majority of the night, Chloe snoozes like an angel, my bed is nice and cozy, and the cup of warm milk runneth over. So, why can't I sleep?

The only benefit of being a raging insomniac is getting so much 'me time'. In three nights I have read four Harry Potter books, spent a few hours in long hot baths, and organized a few kitchen drawers.

It is a miracle though, I am feeling a bit sleepy tonight. Maybe I'll go stare at the ceiling and silently plead with the Fairy SnoozeMother for a few hours. Insomnia bites.

Eek! Big decisions!

2007-07-11T10:40:00.001-06:00

I am on the brink of a major decision in my life. I have decided to go back to school. This is very scary for me, but I am also excited.

However, it is not that easy. I have been having a lot of conversations and arguments inside my head as to what I want to do when I "grow up". I have three different careers that I would really love to pursue. They are very different, all three have many pros and cons, and they all vary in salary.

The three careers I have narrowed it down to are sanitation worker, forklift operator, and receptionist.

Just kidding, I really had you there didn't I? Anyhoo, my three choices of professions are.....drumroll please........

Teacher
Nurse
Writer

I know, very random choices. Ever since I was a wee one, I dreamed about being a teacher. I loved school, even high school. I had some fantastic teachers that really made a difference in my life. I started school three years ago, with every intent of pursuing my teaching dreams. But a certain red haired pixie came along and forced all school related thoughts right out of my exhausted brain. I planned on going back, and I did for one semester, but it was much harder than I expected.

But the past year I have been so fascinated by the health care industry. I can totally picture myself as a nurse, specifically an OB or pediatric nurse. The health care industry is ever growing and is one profession that will always be around. I have always been fascinated with the human body and biology. Our local college has an amazing RN program. It is very competitive, but a really fantastic program.

And the writing thing...something I have always, always wanted to do. I have a story that I wrote when I was only four years old about Santa Claus coming into a house through the fireplace and tripping over the striped cat that was stretched out. I had a notebook that I was constantly writing short stories in. I have hundreds of ideas floating around in my head about what I want to write. Magazine articles, a collection of short stories, a novel, a young adults series, I want to do it all!

It's so scary to think of finding something I want to do forever. I won't lie, money is somewhat important to me, but I really want something I can be passionate about. Because if you don't love your job, you're screwed. I want something that is family friendly and allows me to spend a lot of time with my kids. I want to make a difference! I am going back to school this fall and taking a few more of my core classes. That will give me a little more time to decide what I want to do. You know what though? I love school! I really enjoy classes, homework, essays, even tests!!

Some major decisions to make, a lot of responsibility and pressure to worry about. Scary stuff!

Ali's Rules

2007-07-07T00:32:00.000-06:00

Alivia's Rules

1) I rule this roost. Mommy may think she is in charge but she is just in major denial. The world revolves around ME.

2) If you think a schedule would work wonders for me, please refer to rule number 1.

3) If I am crying, you may only pick me up to console me IF, and I repeat, IF, you are my Mommy. If you are my Daddy, or Grandma, or some other person, don't even attempt it.

4) I will only sleep curled up next to Mommy. I have to be holding her pinky finger, I must be rotated exactly 170 degrees to the East, and I have to be wrapped in the same blanket.

5) Mommy, if you attempt to move away from me once I am sound asleep, I will know. I will wake. I will cry.

6) Don't even think about feeding me those nasty solids. If you try I will clench my lips and thrust my tongue out at you. If you try a second time, I will bat at the spoon and fling goop everywhere. If you try a third time I will blow sweet potato rasberries all over you. If you try a fourth time, I start to think you aren't all that bright Mom.

7) I love my sister. If she cries, I cry harder. If she laughs, I laugh too. If she falls down, I laugh again.

8) Sometimes when I am happy, I will entertain myself. I will play on the floor, I will work on my motor skills. I will laugh, and giggle and smile. Enjoy these times.

9) Naps are for wussies. We don't speak of that four letter word in my household.

10) If you have any questions or concerns about any of my mannerisms, please feel free to read rule number 1.

50th Post!

2007-07-02T23:42:00.000-06:00

Yay for fifty posts!!

Life has been crazy, crazy, crazy. I had a super busy weekend. Hubby went on a three day bachelor party. Sheesh! A big group of the guys went camping and fishing, they really had a blast. So I invited my cousin to stay the weekend with me. She is 14, and both of the girls really love her. I had a lot of fun staying up late, giggling and chatting. But man, I am really appalled at how 'grown up' teenagers are. Doing drugs, having sex, sneaking out. My cousin isn't doing those things (yet anyway) but all of her friends are. It's scary. We went swimming on Saturday for my younger cousins' birthday party. It was a lot of fun, and I really slathered a ton of sunscreen on both girls. I must have missed a spot on Ali's arm though because the poor thing got burnt. I completely forgot about putting sun screen on me, and I am super crispy and red. Then on Sunday my mom and I went to visit my friend and her new little baby. Such a sweet little thing! She is still teeny, only 5 lbs 3 oz, and still in the NICU, but she is beautiful! Then we did a whirlwind of power shopping, and lots of driving back home.

All this week I'll be catching up on housecleaning! Should be fun times.

I've been reading all about the huge 4th of July giveaway at 5 Minutes For Mom for quite a while. In true procastinator fashion I waited until now to enter though! Just in the nick of time! You have to check them out, they have some amazing things to give away!

Really Fantastic Contests!

2007-06-27T13:46:00.001-06:00

Is it cheating to put them all in one post? I hope not!!! I have stumbled upon some wonderful giveaways!

First is a wonderful sling giveaway from Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing. The sling is a KimzKreations. She is giving away a Solarveil ring sling! I've never used a solarveil RS before, but it would really come in handy. Especially since I have such a pale baby with sensitive skin! I really love the pink and the turquoise slings Kim has. Fun giveaway!

And holy Bling baby! Check out the amazing giveaway at Pinks and Blues. This one is super easy to enter too. Love love love it!

I also love Sheena's giveaway. It's for a $50 gift certificate to Kangaroodle. They have the cutest, cutest, cutest stuff there! I love this frog pod bath toy storage, since we have a billion bath toys that are constantly cluttering the bottom of the shower. This watermelon blanket is to die for as well! I love the bright colors. I really love all of their stuff!

I love me some giveaways!

Yum!

2007-06-25T18:15:00.000-06:00

Alivia has really been acting like she is ready for solids. She freaks out and starts panting like a dog when she sees food. And she starts frantically grabbing at my spoon when I am eating. So I mixed up a delicious concoction of bland rice cereal and warm formula. Yum-o!

At first she got really excited, but she pushed it all back out with her tongue. We tried several times, but she didn't really get any. The best part though was when big sister saw me feeding baby and wanted to try.

She said "Want oh-mill!" I guess it looked like oatmeal to her. I told her that it was baby's food and I didn't think she'd like it. I guess I said the magic words because she really put up a big fuss over not getting "oh-mill". So I put some on a spoon and let her try it. She said "Yum!" and opened wide. The texture hit her first and she gagged. Then the taste of the formula hit her and she shook her head and ran to the garbage can yelling "No! No!" I felt bad laughing because it must have really been gross. But she learned her lesson!

Then I went to feed baby more and she came running over yelling "No baby! No eat it!" Hahah! I'm such a mean mommy!

Hug Your Babies

2007-06-22T23:36:00.000-06:00

My nephew's friend died yesterday. She was just six. :( She had some medical problems at birth, but she outgrew them, and lived a normal healthy life for six more years. She had flu like symptoms for a few days, then died in the middle of the night. I never met this little girl, but my sister is good friends with her mom. I can't even imagine (and don't want to) the anguish and heartache of losing a child.

It makes my heart hurt to think about this little girl's family. It makes me so grateful for my family and everything I have. Even if it seems like things suck sometimes.

Tonight I went and sat on Chloe's bed after she had been asleep for a few hours. I stroked her soft face, and brushed the hair out of her eyes. Her chest rose and fell slowly and her breath was soft and even. I cried silently, the tears falling from my face on to her pillow. I cried for a little girl who won't get to see second grade. I cried for a mom who is feeling so empty right now. I cried for my girls who are going to feel so much pain and hurt in their lives. But most of all, I cried because I am so overwhelmed with thankfulness. My world will stop if something happened to them. But I know I just need to kiss them, hug them, hold them close and pray that I get to keep them forever.

So hug your babies tonight. Every night.

Menu planning FRIDAY!

2007-06-21T23:02:00.000-06:00

I like to plan my meals the week before instead of at the beginning of the week. I do a big grocery shopping trip every two weeks on Saturday or Sunday night. I do the shopping late at night, once the kids are in bed. My girls are good shoppers, but it is nice to get a mini break. Plus at that hour it is nice and UNcrowded at our grocery store.

I do a few in between trips for fresh produce, milk, or a specific ingredient. But I try to plan my meals for two weeks and get all that I can at once. I make a tentative plan, but I have been known to switch days around depending on what sounds good and how much cooking I want to do that day! So my plan is...

Week 1
Monday:
Chicken and Rice Bake
Steamed Veggies

Tuesday:
Tacos/Burritos

Wednesday:
Chicken Stir Fry
Brown Rice

Thursday:
Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza (with BBQ sauce, onions, bacon, cooked chicken)

Friday:
Hamburgers
Home fries

Week 2
Monday:
Beef Macaroni Casserole
Steamed veggies

Tuesday:
Chicken Skillet Dinner

Wednesday:
French Dip sandwiches

Thursday:
Baked Potatoes

Friday:
Breakfast for dinner (Pancakes or French Toast, Scrambled eggs, Hash browns)

Ok, so we aren't the healthiest people around! But hey, at least I'm cooking dinner every night. I used to be the queen of heating up a can of soup and calling it dinner.

I also serve a green salad with almost every dinner. And when I grocery shop I buy low fat or fat free, organic, and fresh as much as possible. We're getting a little healthier, slowly but surely.

The beef macaroni casserole is one I tried out recently and liked. I just sauteed ground beef (93% lean), garlic and onion, then added a jar of traditional spaghetti sauce (I was going to make my own but was out of tomato sauce). I simmered that for awhile. Then I boiled large elbow macaroni until it was al dente, drained it, then mixed it all together and poured it into a casserole dish. I shredded some cheddar and monterey jack cheese and mixed it with some bread crumbs, then sprinkled that on top. I baked it at 375 for about 15 minutes until the cheese melted. Chloe kept asking for more, she really liked it.

Waaaah!

2007-06-19T22:58:00.000-06:00

Can I have a poor me moment?

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! I am going crazy. It just feels like I am surrounded in chaos, messy house, crying baby, whiny toddler, burning dinner, it just never ends. And it's not the peaceful kind either. It feels like I get one part of my life under control (marriage is going much better) and then something else goes down the potty.

Alivia got up no less than thirty times last night. It goes like this.

Rock baby for anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes.
Lay baby down.
Mommy lays down and fights insomnia for a few hours.
Baby rolls over to tummy.
Baby wakes up.
Mommy wakes up.
Mommy rolls baby back over.
Baby goes back to sleep for half an hour.
Mommy fights insomnia, then drifts back to sleep.
Baby rolls back to tummy.
Baby wakes up.

Etc, etc, etc. All night long. I've tried putting pillows next to her (down by her legs, not her face) but that doesn't stop her. We have a sleep positioner but it is too small for her. I can't figure out how to keep her on her back or side!

And then a family member has the freakin audacity to suggest moving her to a crib. WTF is that going to do? Then I will just have to physically get out of bed thirty plus times a night. And please tell me where a crib is going to fit in this cardboard box of an apartment? Squeezed in our bedroom so we won't be able to get out of bed? Squeezed next to Chloe's bed so they can wake each other up all night? In the kitchen? On the porch?

Sigh. I just feel like I am in a sea of stress and frustration, and my head is barely above water.

Not to mention my newly mobile baby. I was hoping I would have a few more months, but my luck isn't that great methinks. She is crawling (slowly still), army crawling (lightening fast), sitting (a bit wobbly), and rolling (all over). She just wants to get up and go like big sissy.

This brings me to my next and biggest source of frustration. This eensy teensy weensy little apartment. It's tiny. It's beyond tiny. It's miniscule. Yet we have managed to shove a tremendous amount of junk and useless crap into every single corner. Hubs has no less than 6 broken printers laying around that he is going to fix "sometime soon." Well, honey, they have been there for three years, your timer just ran out. I just want to grab a giant garbage bag and throw every thing away. I just filled four boxes with toys, and we still have an astounding amount of playthings laying around. I clean the house spotless, put everything in it's own place, and two days later it looks like a tornado has come through. Husband and I are both pack rats and hate to throw things away and we are terrible about picking up after ourselves, but this is getting ridiculous. We either need to get rid of 1/3 of our accumulated crap, or get a bigger place. Well, we need a bigger place anyway, two mini bedrooms and a bathroom that you can't even turn around in aren't really cutting it. But hey, it's cheap. Don't even get me started on money.

GAAAAAAAHHHHH! It's just too damn much for one person to handle. Granted, the majority of it is stuff I can fix (like my weight, the messy house) but instead I think I will just wallow in my self pity and whine to my online buddies.

2007-06-18T18:33:00.001-06:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet baby!

2007-06-15T23:59:00.000-06:00

Have you ever wanted to eat your child? Not in a cannibalistic way, but in a munchable, juicy, delicious way?

I just want to munch on her big round cheeks. I want to nibble on her roly poly thighs, and bite each teeny perfect toe.

Sometimes I have to grit my teeth really hard to avoid munching on her! She is so yummy!!!

Toddlers.

2007-06-13T22:46:00.000-06:00

"Chloe, do you want juice or milk?"
"Ummm....milkjuice."
"You may have milk, or juice."
"Ummm.....juicemilk."
"Ok, you get milk."
"Okay!"
(Pouring milk in cup)
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! JUICE!"

Sorta Crunchy!

2007-06-11T17:11:00.000-06:00

My good friend Megan has inspired me to write out my parenting practices and philosophies. She labels herself as 'Sorta crunchy' as in, she practices Natural Family Parenting and Attachment Parenting, but is not 100% "crunchy". She explains it much better, click on her linky to hear all about it! :)

I am similar to Megan in several of our parenting ideas. Here are some of my thoughts...

Breastfeeding:
I love Megan's description of 'child led weaning' instead of 'extended bf'ing'. I am one of those women who did every possible thing that I could, I spent hours researching, I took herbs and ate everything I should, I drank gallons of water, nursed as often as baby would let me, and yet my body did not produce enough milk. I believe breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do for your sweet little babe and applaud every woman who has at least tried! Hopefully the third time's the charm for us! (don't worry, not anytime soon!)

Organic/Natural food:
I was a vegan for many years. I loved how great I felt, and the slimmer hips weren't too bad either! I started eating junky food when I was pregnant with Chloe, and I guess I just never stopped. I've slowly been getting better, and I just recently did a huge grocery trip, and I'm up to my ears in fresh fruits and veggies (most organic). I hope Chloe will have a taste for healthy foods, I know it is important to expose her to a wide variety of nutritious foods NOW, so she'll eat well for the rest of her life. I want her to learn that not everything has to be smothered in cheese, or fried, or rolled in sugar, or processed, or passed to her through a drive thru window!

Cosleeping:
This is a passion of mine. Much to the shock of my in laws and family, I absolutely love having a baby in my bed. I've taken extra measures to make my bed a safe sleeping space for both of us. I know Alivia feels so safe in our bed, right next to Mommy. Plus it made night feedings a breeze!

Gentle Discipline/AP parenting:
I am firmly planted on the "no spanking" side of the fence. I also don't yell or get angry when she gets in trouble. The punishment matches the offense, so if she writes on the wall, she needs to sit down and scrub it off. If she dumps out a box of toys, she must put them all back. Like the majority of Moms, I've lost my temper before, but that was usually when one or both of us was sick, or when I was pregnant. I strongly believe that children learn by example. So if I show her to be calm, fair, gentle but firm, and consistent, she will follow my lead. She is SO well behaved in public, she can shop for hours, and loves to go to resteraunts to eat. I also praise the heck out of her when she is behaving well or doing something nice for someone else. I always stop and ask myself "How would I have wanted MY mom to react if I was 2?"

Babywearing:
I think I love babywearing the most because it is just so dang convenient! For example, grocery shopping. If I put Chloe in the front seat area, and the big bucket carseat in the back, where do the groceries go? Or taking a walk...we don't have a giant expensive double stroller, so Chloe goes in the singleton, or walks, and Ali goes in a carrier. It is just so easy and simple, and so comforting for a fussy baby.

Natural Child birth:
Women have been having babies for thousands of years. Way before doctors and hospitals and epidurals ever existed. Child birth should be a beautiful, calm, gentle passage into life, rather than a forced, monitored, hectic thrust into the bright noisy world. That being said...I was induced with my first, and had my water broken with my second. I also had IV drugs both times around. Don't get me wrong, I am SO grateful that we have modern medicine around. Since I live in a small town, and I have difficult pregnancies, homebirth or even a midwife assisted birth are not options available to me. I love to hear about natural births, and live vicariously through women who can have their babies at home. But I think all women who have given birth are SuperMoms!

No circumcision:
Since the hubby is stingy with those Y chromosomes, I haven't had to worry about circumcision yet! But if we are blessed with a son in the future, he will remain intact. I won't pierce my girls' ears (until they ask) for the same reason...Their body, their choice!

Now my uncrunchy things..

No cloth diapering. (I am horrible at laundry anyway!)
No delayed vax. (Although we did opt out of the chicky pox vax.)
No homeschooling. (I can't even sing the ABC's properly)
Not very earth/eco friendly. (I still don't recycle *blush* and use too many natural resources, although I have switched to cloth grocery bags)

I also feel compelled to add....I totally respect other points of view and parenting practices (within reason...circ'ing yes, smoking in a car with kids, no). I am amazed at how much my parenting has evolved over the past two years. I'm proud of all of the advice I didn't take, and instincts I followed. And major kudos (organic kudos of course) to Megan. I really have learned a lot from her! Thanks Megan!

Fun stuff!

2007-06-11T15:12:00.001-06:00

What a fantastical giveaway! Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing is hosting a great giveaway from MamaKanga. I just browsed through their site, I love all of their stuff! I have really enjoyed babywearing this time around. I have used ring slings, pouches, and Mei Tais. I use a MT the most, especially for shopping and walks with the toddler. With my bad back, it is absolutely amazing how it distributes the weight just right so I'm not hurting even after several hours of baby wearage.

If I won, I am torn between a beautiful Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Wrap and this mouth watering CatBird Baby Mei Tai. Gorgeous stuff!

Thanks Megan for directing me there! :)

Take a breather!

2007-06-04T00:43:00.000-06:00

I have such a busy summer coming up. This weekend was a super busy one, and I am glad it is over! I had such a blast though. I co-hosted a friend's baby shower, which was a lot of fun. I can't wait for that baby to get here!! I also went to a cousin's graduation party which was fun too. I think I might have had too much cake though. *blush*

I remember the summers when I was younger. I kept so busy that the summers just flew by. Summer camps, swimming, camping, sleepovers. I wanted to keep busy, but I also wanted to savor every moment of freedom before school started all over again. Those days went by so quickly.

Summer camp was one of my favorite places in the world. My second year of church camp, I was best friends with everyone from our church who went. The ride to camp in our big yellow bus (the 'banana van') was a blast. We sang, and joked, and laughed the whole way there. There were only a few girls, and a group of boys, one of whom was my boyfriend. We had so much fun together, but rules regarding PDA were very strict. We used to sneak into the forest behind the lodge and kiss. Not any heavy petting, just innocent smooches. One time we snuck back there with another set of friends who were dating. Everyone else was in the lodge hanging out before lights out. A counselor walked by and shined the flashlight towards us and asked if we had a chaperone. My boyfriend was very tall and had a deep voice for only being fifteen. So he said "Yes, I am a counselor, I was just checking on these guys." The other counselor said "Ok, see ya back at the lodge!" And continued on his merry way. I still get a good laugh over that night!

I had so much fun in church. Although I do feel bad about a few things I've done while in the House of God. And in the Van of God. Many a truth or dare was played in the backseat of the van. And right before youth group, a few of us went behind the church and smoked a cigarette. We would also drive over to the next town and go roller skating. Our van driver was older and somewhat deaf, so we got away with a lot. I'm not sure why we thought this was a good idea, but we busted open those glow necklaces rubbed the flourescent gel on our teeth, then freaked out passing cars as we flashed our eerily bright grins! Ok, and this one is really disgusting. We had this one spot in the back of the van, on the ceiling. We would stick our chewed gum up there and squish it in, there was probably thirty pieces of old old old dried gum up there. To be in our 'cool club' you had to lick the chewed gum. Haha! It was funny then, but makes me cringe now. Or we would sit in the backseat, facing the car behind us, and write funny signs and hold them up. We got a lot of glares and a few middle fingers. On one retreat, I snuck off with the same boyfriend and we made out in a church closet. Oh and we played Spin the Bottle in the church basement. Oh, and I learned a bit about God too! LOL!

Anyway, boy I miss those summer camp years. When my kids grow up a bit and are interested in camp, I would supremely enjoy being a counselor. I remember having some great heart to hearts with my camp counselors. What a great opportunity to be a good role model to a group of girls. Plus I think it would be fun to get a bit giggly and paint each other's toenails and laugh about boys. I think I just want to be a kid again! I also can't wait until my girls are old enough to enjoy camping. I would love to go for a weekend to our favorite lake, and have each of them bring a friend. I used to love when my parents let me bring friends along on camping trips. We would go off and explore and swim and hike during the day, then play board and card games with my parents at night. I remember my dad teaching my friend to fish (she was raised by a single mom), that memory makes me a little teary eyed still.

I want to be one of those cool moms. And I was telling my mom yesterday that it is really weird, but I can't wait to be a grandma! I just can't wait to spoil my sweet little grand kids, and keep them for the weekend. And by then I will be a mother in law. I swear, I will be the best mother in law in the world! I have just learned from other people's experiences with their mother in laws, and my own, and I just know I will be so great! I hope I have a son though, so I can have a daughter in law. We'll do lunches out, shopping trips, heartfelt chit chats. Although who am I kidding? No one will ever be good enough for my children!

Long rambling post to say that I like summer and I can't wait to be an old grandma! Haha!

A blast from the past!

2007-05-31T23:10:00.001-06:00

The Grocery Store
Then: Giggling and blushing over the hot guy who winked at me by the tampon aisle.

Now: Tears of joy and excitement over a sale on organic produce.

The Stop Light
Then: Throwing my blond tresses over my shoulder, cruising Main Street with a car full of giggling teenagers, jamming to the blasting music.

Now: Retrieving lost binkies, brushing my greasy, unwashed hair back into a ponytail, turning up the radio to drown out the screaming from the backseat.

The Library
Then: Looking through the dictionary to see what "sex" meant, then giggling hysterically with my grade school friends.

Now: Paying fifteen dollars in late fines for children's books. Partly because I kept forgetting to take them back, and partly because my toddler loved them so much I didn't want to take them away.

The Park
Then: Scratching "JB + RS = LUV" into a picnic table with a pen.

Now: Frowning at the graffiti on the picnic tables.

The Public Bathroom
Then: Going to the restroom with a group of giggling teenage girlfriends to reapply makeup, fluff hair, and gossip.

Now: Trying not to pee on myself while holding a baby, trying to keep a toddler in the stall, and using every muscle in my body to hover a few inches above the germ infested seat.

The Bedroom
Then: Trying out kinky new moves, staying up all night talking and laughing.

Now: Collapsing into bed exhausted, staying up all night feeding and rocking, forgetting to brush my teeth.

The Night Out
Then: Spending hours perfecting my makeup and hair. Getting dressed in a hot outfit, going dancing, having a few drinks, stumbling in late.

Now: Having the husband watch the kids so I can run to the store in my sweatpants to buy diapers.

My how things change!

How did I get so lucky?

2007-05-28T10:16:00.001-06:00

So last night was pretty eventful. I ended up opening up the door to get some fresh air, and catching two men breaking into cars in our parking lot. It ended up being a chase, with my hubby right on the guy's heels, lots of cops, a car chase, jumping fences, tackling, etc. It was pretty intense! The dumbasses got away though. :(

Anyway, I didn't get to bed until 3 AM. And got up at 6 AM with the baby. Then Tony comes into the bedroom and asks me to get the girls ready. His dad wanted to go fishing, so he was taking the girls to the in laws' house so my mother in law and sister in law could watch the girls while the guys fished.

This was so needed, as yesterday I had a major meltdown. I just had SO much anxiety and stress and I was upset with my husband and felt like I was going to pull all of my hair out, strand by strand. I am glad he recognized that I need a break desperately! They are going to be gone all day, so I am settling in for a day of NOTHING. No cleaning or anything, just relaxing, vegging out, taking a long nap and loooong hot bath. Aren't you jealous? :) If you want a break too, all you have to do is go crazy and stare at him with that desperate, bugged out, whacked, psycho look. It's easy!

How AWESOME is this?

2007-05-28T10:12:00.000-06:00

What a sweet contest! Pinks and Blues hosts the most amazing giveaways! Right now they have an adorable Dooney and Burke handbag, and a bottle of yummy VS perfume that they are giving away. You can check out their website here. The deadline is next Friday, so run over and enter everyone!

I also signed up for their daily emails, called the Lucky Loop. Very cool stuff!

Thank GOD!

2007-05-27T00:38:00.000-06:00

I am so unbelievably glad this week is OVER. What a miserable one!

With the flu, Chloe's fall down the stairs, Ali and I teething (her first ones, my wisdoms), horrible insomnia, it's just been a nightmare.

But hopefully this long weekend will be nice and relaxing, and next week will be much better!

Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend and super-dee-duper week!

My Friendly Friday!

2007-05-26T00:21:00.000-06:00

So I had a bit of a rough day. I started out so ambitious and thought of all kinds of good things I could do today, but I slacked! So I ended up writing out a few cards to some online Mommy friends and mailing them off.

My Chloe has been cracking me up all day. That girl is helpful in a not so helpful way! Alivia often rolls over onto her tummy, then after a few seconds gets mad, so we have to roll her back over. Now, the second she rolls over, Chloe comes running to flip her over to her back. Sometimes it is in a gentle way, sometimes not.

Then today, we had just walked in the door from running errands, and Ali was halfway asleep in her carseat. So I set her down and left her for a minute to see if she would put herself to sleep. Chloe said "Baby seep!" and I said "Is baby tired?" She walks up to her, sticks her face right next to the almost asleep Ali, and yells "Are tired baby?" Or if Ali cries and I am busy, I'll ask Chloe to bring a toy to the baby. So she'll run up and chuck a stuffed animal at her. :o The rest of the time though, she really loves her sissy and is really gentle with her.

I have a busy few weeks coming up. I am co hosting a baby shower for a close friend, then I have a bachelorette party, then a wedding, then the birth of above friend's baby! I am so so so excited, and crossing my fingers that I'll be able to make it for the birth (she's about two hours away) but since it is her first, it will probably be awhile. I almost miss that feeling of anticipation when I was pregnant with Chloe. Not knowing what was coming, being scared, but also feeling so anxious. Wanting the last few weeks of my pregnancy to speed along, but wanting to stay pregnant forever at the same time! I miss the freedom of pre baby life too. Taking a nap whenever I felt like it, eating ice cream without having to share, wearing clothes not covered in spit up, long showers, throwing a few things in a bag and just going on a trip on a whim, peeing in peace and quiet. I better stop now or else I'll be tempted to sell my kids. I'd probably get a decent price out of 'em though, with the unique hair. Hmm...that's tempting!

Friendly Friday!!!

2007-05-25T01:51:00.001-06:00

I am doing something new on Fridays, just for a change of pace and something to write about!

I am going to do at least one good deed every Friday. Something little, or something big, for a stranger, myself, my family, etc. Maybe it will set the tone for the weekend and I'll be a super citizen through the next week. Here are a few ideas I brainstormed...

For the hubs:
-Give him a back/foot rub just to be nice.
-Make him a fabulous dinner, complete with candelight and fancy plates.
-Do that one thing in bed that you never want to do, but would make him SO happy! ;)

For your friends/family
-Send out a card to someone thanking them for being so great
-Send a friend some flowers at work
-Bake something yummy for a neighbor/friend
-cut your neighbor's grass
-If the weather is nice, go out and wash your car, your neighbor's car, your friend's car, etc just for fun
-Offer to babysit a friend's kids for free while she gets a few hours of Mommy time

For your community:
-Donate something to a local Salvation Army/charity
-Volunteer your time
-Take a garbage bag and some gloves and go pick up trash at the park
-Put extra money in the needy jar on the counter at the gas station

For a stranger:
-Give a homeless person an extra buck
-Help an elderly person out to the car with their groceries
-Be an extra polite driver and let people cut in front of you
-Take your kids with you to go visit an elderly home. They love visitors!

For your planet:
-Plant a tree
-Go buy some cloth grocery bags
-Go through your house and recycle as much as possible
-Ride your bike somewhere instead of drive
-Switch to organic produce

That's just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many things you can do to be a good citizen, helpful friend, or loving family member. So do something good for someone today! And post about it on your blog if you want. I bet you will feel all warm and fuzzy like inside! I'll post later today about my good deed. It still feels like Thursday, so I probably need to go to bed first!

My poor icky sissy!

2007-05-24T21:30:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, my third post today! I just have a lot to say I guess!

I used to call my sister my "icky sissy" when I was little. She's 5 1/2 years older than me. As kids we weren't all *that* close, but mostly because there was such an age gap. As adults though, we are tighter than lug nuts.

So, to say she is accident prone is quite the understatement. She is constantly stubbing her pinky toe on her right foot. As a family, we tend to be over-exaggeraters, so she is always calling me telling me she broke her toe, when in fact it is more like a small, albeit painful, stub.

So tonight I get a frantic phone call from her, she is practically hysterical and yells into the phone to meet her at the ER to pick up the kids. I throw on some clothes (I wasn't nakey, but I didn't want to be seen in public sporting spit up covered sweat pants), and race to the hospital. It's only a few blocks away luckily. I get to the waiting room to find my sister checking in. She is sitting in a wheelchair, in horrible pain, and one look at her toe makes me retch. Her pinky toe was completely horizontal, perpendicular to her other toes. *gag* I take her kids (3 and 6) and take them back home to hang out.

When she came to pick them up, she was nice and happy from all the mind numbing drugs. They had to stick a needle and do all kinds of unmentionable things to her toe to get it to go straight, so they had to really drug her up. I'm sure she'll be feeling it in the morning though, poor girl. :( She's in a walking cast now, which is not so good for her waitressing job.

As a kid, I was the one who was so accident prone. I ran into a tree on our fifth grade skiing field trip and had to be ambulanced to the hospital. On my 8th grade field trip, we went rock climbing. It was a hot afternoon, and after climbing all day we were exhausted. I plopped down on the ground to listen to the park ranger give a lecture and sat right in the middle of a cactus. I had to have my friend pull cactus needles out of my rear, then we ran off to climb up a tall rock. I got to the top of the rock and stood up, got really dizzy headed and passed out. I fell a few feet and hit my head. I had to be lifeflighted off of the summit. Shortly after that, I was voted Most Likely To Wreck the Driver's Ed Car. Which I did a few months later.

But since then I've only had a few minor bumps. I must have passed it on to my sister, the poor girl!

Betty and Duncan

2007-05-24T12:53:00.000-06:00

I just had this conversation with my two year old.

C: (picking at bandaid on her banged up knee) Mom, hepp (help)!
M: Do you want Mom to take off your bandaid?
C: Yeah, hepp.
M: (reaching towards her knee)
C: NOOOOOO! No hepp!
M: Ok, you do it.
C: Hepp Mom!

And she's also learning that Mama's version of sharing is a bit different than hers. I made homemade cinnamon swirl cupcakes, with a white chocolate almond frosting yesterday. It was so much work, but they turned out delicious. Of course, when I say homemade, I mean I made them at home out of a box and a can, but it's nearly the same thing, right?

So after breakfast C-Lo was already asking for a "cuppy cike". So I complied and said that we could share one. I tore off a miniscule chunk for her, and was about to pop the other 3/4 of the sweet yumminess in my mouth when Chloe pointed to mine and yelled "NO! Dats mine!" I showed her the piece I had torn off for her and explained that it was hers and she was sharing with Mommy. The little smarty pants refused to give up until I gave her my bigger piece. So I ate the small piece and gave her the big one. Of course, when she turned her back, I ripped the paper off of another one and shoved it in my mouth quickly. By the time she turned around to see what the paper crinkling was all about, the cuppy cike was gone. I tried to chew quickly and not spew crumbs at her as she stared at me suspiciously. In my haste, I didn't get all of the paper cup off of the cupcake, so I got an extra dose of fiber today. I couldn't pull it out of my mouth, I knew she'd bust me!

A fun contest!

2007-05-24T10:42:00.000-06:00

Check out this fun contest from Adventures in Babywearing. And thanks to Megan for directing me there! I've just spent way too much time perusing the Mason & Matisse website. I can't believe all the amazing stuff they have! Of course I always love me some Babylegs and this positively adorable froggie bath pod and these Dado cubes would be great for the monster!

The contest looks so fun, you can win a ton of shibby things! I will be so excited if I win, I never win anything! Wait, strike that. I won a two year supply of poopy diapers recently. What a find!

I did it!

2007-05-23T02:42:00.000-06:00

One tiny tiptoe for me, one giant leap for the planet!!!

I bought cloth grocery bags today! I always reuse my plastic grocery bags, but they have been accumulating for years and the space underneath my sink is overflowing with Earth-destroying plastic. My new bags are nice and sturdy with long handles, they were crazy cheap and I am giddy with excitement!!! They will come in handy when I am leaving the library as well. Juggling a giant stack of books and two children is no easy feat!

In other news, it is nearly 3 AM and I am wiiiiiide awake. I've tried EVERYTHING for my insomnia in the past month, but I just can't kick it. I've tried sitting in a dark room doing absolutely nothing. I've tried laying down. I've tried a long relaxing bath. I've tried exercise to tire myself out. Reading a boring book, the list goes on and on.

I just got done going through my finances and paying bills. The stack of mail is sitting by the door ready to go. Writing out checks makes me feel so grown up! And poor. :(

It's gonna be a long day!

2007-05-22T12:54:00.001-06:00

Chloe woke up this morning saying "Yip, hurt! Oww" Her poor lip looks awful.

And we had Ali's four month check up this morning. She is doing fantastic, but she had three shots. So I have a cranky baby, hurt toddler, and I still have this bug. My wisdom teeth are getting worse too, the pain is radiating up through my face, and my ears and cheeks hurt now. Not to mention the raging headache, nausea, dizziness, and achy tummy.

Sigh. Who takes care of the Mama when she is sick?

In happier news, my daughter has been cracking me up lately. Today I asked her if she wanted a PB&J and she said "G-G-and G? OK!" Or she grabs unopened cans and boxes of food from a low cupboard, puts them in her little purse and says "Go store? Need juice? K, be back" Then she'll go the bedroom and walk back out and hand me a can of corn and say "Here juice. Say takes (thanks)!" She also clops around in her play high heels (she walks better in heels than I do!) thirty necklaces, sparkly purses, and clip on earrings. She likes to wear her tutu as well, and say "I princess!" Although princess sounds like "Pcheshesh" Her speech is still coming along, and every day she'll repeat something new, or string more words together. She still doesn't talk as much as other two year olds though.

Ali is asleep now, Chloe is eating her GG&G, and I am getting ready to collapse on the couch. Not to fall asleep, but just to wallow in my misery. I'm sure it's going to be one of those days where Chloe watches too many cartoons, but I don't feel that guilty.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very MISERABLE Day!

2007-05-21T23:52:00.000-06:00

Yeah, today goes down in history as being the worst day, like, EVER!

First off, I have an ingrown toenail. Normally I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing that disgusting detail with my thousands of readers, but I feel it's necessary. Yeah, that mofo is painful. And I am still nursing my stubbed toe from yesterday. My stumps are throbbing.

And my wisdom teeth are making their presence known. I haven't had a problem with them for four years, and all of a sudden I am in major pain. Oh..and FYI...Baby Orajel doesn't do much for wisdom teeth pain.

So I didn't even attempt to lay down until 4 AM last night because I knew I'd toss and turn all evening. I got about 4 hours of sleep.

And then I wake up this morning with a horrible flu bug. I've spent the entire day stumbling between the couch and the bathroom. Hubby let me squeeze in a nap earlier, but I still felt like I'd been run over by a Mack truck.

Then hubby had to go to sleep before he had to leave for work. I had to run to the store as we ahem...ran out of toilet paper. And I felt the need to chug some Pepto. So I bundled the girls up because Idaho is confused and thinks it is WINTER and it is freezing cold out. I was holding Alivia's carseat, diaper bag, and my purse. Chloe was walking down our ten wooden steps right in front of me. All of a sudden she trips and falls head first down the flight of stairs, head over heels, bumping into each hard stair, then slamming into the concrete at the bottom. My heart literally stopped. I set Ali down and ran down the stairs, scared to death because she was laying there at the bottom of the stairs not moving and I don't even want to type what ran through my head at that moment.

I picked her up, she had the wind knocked out of her, but then she caught her breath and started screaming. Her face had blood all over it. :(

So I run Chloe inside, set her on a kitchen chair then run back out to bring Alivia in. I wet down a washcloth and started wiping off blood, as I wasn't sure where it was coming from. Her nose was bleeding a little, but her mouth was bleeding a LOT. Once I was able to clean her up and calm her down a bit, I pulled her lip down. She must have bitten down hard, she had teeth marks and the inside of her lip is terribly cut up. She has a few other bumps and bruises. Her eyes are such a dark shade of brown, that I couldn't tell if her pupils were dilated at all.

I would have taken her to the ER, but once I got her cleaned up and calmed down, she was acting fine. So I settled her on the couch with her blankies and a popsicle and Happy Feet. I watched her closely the rest of the evening, and she seemed completely normal. I had called our nurse's emergency line and she said if Chloe threw up, acted dizzy, or was lethargic, we should go in.

I feel so sorry for the poor girl. Her lip is SO swollen and huge, I told Tony that she looks like Bubba off of Forrest Gump. I have my alarm set for every hour so I can check on her. I am still sick to my stomach with this stupid flu though. I just took a long hot bath and I am sitting here in my towel because I feel too weak to even get dressed!

So, now that you guys all know WAY too many gross details about my horrid day, I'll leave you with this piece of golden advice.

Stock up on toilet paper. You can never have too much.

Watch your mouth!

2007-05-21T00:39:00.000-06:00

Chloe took a long bubble bath tonight. After draining the water and helping her climb out, I started to grab a towel to dry her off, but she took off running. She started running through the house yelling "I nakey! I nakey!" I finally caught up to her and laughed because she had bubbles all over her hiney. I swiped at her with the towel and told her she had bubbles on her butt.

So of course all evening I kept hearing "Mama, you a bubble butt!" Giggle, giggle.

Sigh. Yes, I know dear. My bubbles aren't quite as cute as yours though sweetie!

So, that was the cute thing she repeated. The not so cute thing...that was my fault again.

The four of us were laying on the bed. Chloe was blowing raspberries on Alivia's tummy and they were laughing. I got up to go get a burp cloth and stubbed my toe HARD on the dresser. I couldn't help it, I yelled out "Son of a monkey's ass!" while hopping up and down holding my poor toe.

I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing now when Chloe hops around and says "Uh oh mokey's ass!" *blush* I really need to watch it!

A chish!

2007-05-20T22:44:00.000-06:00

Chloe caught her first fish today. We went to a stream that is in walking distance to our house. I strapped Alivia into our beautiful Mei Tei, and Tony and Chloe walked along in front of me. She was hurrying along in excitement, holding on to his hand, and he had his pole slung over his shoulder. Put that image in black and white, and you have a Hallmark card for sure! Seeing those two together made me so happy my heart physically hurt.

Down by the stream, Tony knelt down, and Chloe stood in front of him. They held the pole together, with his large, callused hand over her tiny, smooth one. She was yelling at the stream "Come on chish! Where are you???" I stood back and rubbed the little red peach fuzz on the top of Ali's head and watched them fish. Within minutes Tony yelled out and I heard Chloe yelling in excitement. Tony guided her hand in reeling in the line. Then a small squirming fish popped out of the water on the end of the line. It's very appropriate that it was a teeny baby fish. Tony held it, pulled the hook out of it's mouth and let Chloe touch it. She laughed and said "Ewww iss goss!" Then we all said bye to the fish and Chloe helped throw it back in the water. She was a little sad that she didn't get to keep her new little friend. We talked about the fish needing to go back to it's mommy and play in the water.

Back at home that evening, Chloe couldn't stop talking about her 'chish'. She was so proud! I asked her where the chish was and she said "Chish went home! Chish need mommy and daddy!"

It was so very sweet. I know sometimes Tony feels sad that he doesn't have his little boy to teach. But being able to play wrestle with Chloe, and help her reel in a fish, or teach her to swing a bat, that makes it all okay. It's the moments when he is laughing and high fiving a two year old over her catch of the day that make both of their eyes shine. I've always thought the most influential person in a girl's life is her Daddy. She will learn so many valuable lessons from him, way more important than her ABCs, manners, or following directions. Or going to bed on time, or eating her veggies, or using her inside voice. Or not poking her sister in the eyes, or dumping the bath water on the floor, or writing on the walls. Way more important than that!

Mosquitoes, Lawn Mowers, and Whip-Its, Oh My!

2007-05-12T23:50:00.000-06:00

Tonight we went to my parent's house to celebrate Mother's Day. I really love my parents, and I especially love that they have been married for 27 years. It seems like that is almost hard to find these days. Of course, they are constantly criticizing each other or snapping each other's heads off (Not THAT serving dish, jeez! Do you REALLY have to cook the chicken first????? Etc, etc, etc). It gets annoying, but two minutes later they are laughing and have forgotten all about it.

It was a perfect evening, warm enough that we could hang out outdoors, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. My dad worked the grill, my nephew rode his miniature four wheeler all over the yard and orchard, and my 3 year old niece and Chloe rode around in their pink power wheels jeep. My mom, sister, brother in law, Tony, and I relaxed in the lounge chairs, drinking Coronas with lime, and snacking on fresh pineapple. The kids took turns cruising on the riding lawn mower with grandma.

While everyone was occupied outside, my sister and I snuck inside to prepare strawberry shortcake desserts for everyone. But not before doing a few Whip Its with the can of whip cream. If you aren't familiar with whip its, it is basically sucking the aerosol out of the can, sending it straight to your brain and giving you a nice fuzzy feeling. The glorious high lasts for 2.3 seconds, and probably depletes a hundred brain cells each time. Who needs those silly brain cells anyway!
We felt so naughty and put the whip cream back in the fridge and quietly snuck back outside giggling to ourselves. Ahhh...to be 13 again!

The sun started to set and the mosquitoes came calling. After a major West Nile scare last year (Idaho had the highest number of West Nile deaths in the US), we weren't taking any chances, and we headed inside. But not before the nasty buggers had their feast. I am currently scratching at about 8 skeeto bites. :(

We stayed quite a while, playing an entertaining geography game (How many states in the US? What, 52? WRONG! Chug, chug, chug!) I was the designated globe holder and my mom, sister and brother in law had fun yelling out incorrect answers and making each other drink. It was the most G rated drinking game I've ever played!!!! I must also mention my mom rarely imbibes. And if she does it is the occasional glass of vino. So it was fun to see her kick back and get a teensy bit snockered.

But now we are back home and I am ACHING. My back is positively killing me. I did have to drive almost two hours, and sitting in the same position like that just makes me miserable. I am about to run off to bed and cuddle up to my beautiful snuggle bunny. Speaking of bed...Chloe is now in a big girl bed, and doing wonderfully!!! She goes straight to sleep as soon as she gets tucked in. It's glorious!