While hunting up some product my husband came across a listing for $3 plus shipping, the picture included a price tag of $1.50. No not vintage, he went to the store the next day and found the exact package for about the same price.

Why on earth would anyone list something for more than the visible purchase price?

Now we have listed things with the price showing for less, and I often wonder if we get bids just because it is a 'good deal' (we didn't pay that price or anything)

Seriously do ebayers think before buying/listing?

We had company last night and one fellow brought pizza, instead of chipping in any loot for the pizza my husband handed over some 'toys'. Technically they are miniatures for some game, but IMO they are toys. (dolls even, oh sorry action figures)

Sweet deal IMO, get rid of stuff he doesn't use, and score pizza in the bargan! (well actually I don't like pizza, but the kids and husband do, so they were happy)

Actually the fellow got more than a pizzas worth of toys so he paid us, earn money play games and eat pizza, it was a good night

Well for the past year I have had to constantly clear the temp files and find dups to delete before I load up a new game, sometimes my husband does it for me and I can load two new games.

But then I also have to constantly chase files downloaded from the net to move them to the 'F' drive. (F is my other hard drive, where I store all of 'my documents')

So I have been wondering when I should give in and get a new hard drive.

Now to non computer geeks you can compare the size of my drive to a junk drawer, and the size of those sold in computers today to a walk in closet! Ok not that bad more like a full dresser compared to one small drawer. Of course my first computer had enough space to store data as a coin purse does to store junk. So small is relative.

For computer geeks I have a 20gig, looking at spending less than a hundred on a new one. (depending on sales and where I get it the size could vary)

BTW I am NOT a computer geek, I just married one.

Anyway, I am struggling with when to get that hard drive. On the one hand I use a lot of drive space for scouts, and the kids use a decent amount for games, ok fine and so do I. But on the other hand, I could delete the games and have that space for the scouts stuff.

but...I don't want to, so I am rationalizing how I 'need' a hard drive. Proving that relativly frugal/financially smart folk still have trouble with need vs want.

When you look at a car on a website, from the dealer or manufacture, certain information is easy to find, other information is downright impossible for me to find (maybe it's just me?)

I figure if it is easy to find in most sites it is prolly a 'FAQ' type question. Most folk want to know. so based on my informal browsing of cars/vans/trucks.

Gas mileage is pretty important these days. straight after the name, and long before the 'base price' you can find the city/hwy mileage.

the availability's of CD changers, and ipod hookups, along with the number of ways to move each seat, is fairly important. one mouse over gives you these details.

But the one thing I need to know..how many does it seat. that is hidden, I often have to search wiki, or hope someone in some area listed a car and thought it important on craigslist or ebay to find out how many seats in a car!

Why do people not care? I mean don't you think it is important to know how many you can transport in a car before you worry what the mileage is? the greatest little prius or whatever the gas saver is, doesn't do me one lick of good, with 2 car seats, and 2 boosters, plus a husband and self, there is no way I would pay any amount for it!

This is not to diss little cars, it is to diss makers of big cars who hide the number of seat belts for their vehicle...like they can convince me that because they have the coolest TV/video game hookup I should just buy there car even though I can only fit half my family in it? grumph.

Most of the year the temperature is not comfy for humans..or at least not Americans who are spoiled.

So why do we expect to be comfy?

I once read an excellent fantasy book..can't recall the name, or author unfortunately...(or rather considering my addiction, fortunately!)

Anyway, one section really stood out in my mind, the hero was wondering afar, without food, and in the rain, with of course a mission to save the world. He reflected that the only thing stopping people from being able to survive such difficulty is the assumption we humans have of being well fed and comfortable. Animals have no such delusions. Life is hard, and often uncomfortable. Complaining about it, only reminds us of the trouble. (the hero of course was part wolf-no not Elfquest)

Which is why I am (and my children are) in the 80 degree house, not to bothered by a bit of sweat, while my husband (grew up with air conditioning) is ... cranky. He elected to go work in the garage...a place in his mind that is supposed to be hot and uncomfortable!

Dunno about you, but I would rather be a bit hot in the house, than roasting in the garage! But then again, the work does need done sometime.

SO there is this graph showing how MTV plays no music anymore...and of course the comments are all on how it sucks.

And yet MTV wouldn't have switched from music to b;ab if they weren't making money.

So if the general consensus is that the blabbing sucks, why are we still watching it? (not that I have access to MTV, not sure who is watching it)

I think there are a lot of products other than TV, that gain popularity, but are not any good. Advertising is powerful stuff.

Now tecnically it is free, no one asks for money. But there is a free will offering basket, and the cost of serving the food is mentioned.

We usually pay a bit into the free will, and I find the week of not cooking wonderful. since the food is bought in bulk the per person is about the same as at home, even if it is a bit more convenience like.

And I don't have to wash dishes! The only bad part is no leftovers. But then this year my husband happens to be working from home for several days, so no need really for him to take leftovers.

Now if only I could figure out how to take a nap!

I received as a gift a composter. An actual device for composting stuff. I know compost is a natural process and shouldn't need help from anything, but. Around here with the wild animals, no food product is left alone to compost. On the one hand that is fine, food still goes to good use..sorta. It certainly isn't helping my pathetic 'garden' of lillys.

So in comes this modern contraption that will turn food scraps into compost in just one week, so long as you plug it in and add baking soda and wood shavings. (according to that green website it uses very little electricity)

I dunno, part of me is excited about having real compost, part of me thinks I might be counter productive.

Least I am not wrapping the food up in plastic I guess.

I am not the only one who thinks recession may not be all bad.

recession vs opportunity


I have been thinking for years that America is a mite bit spoiled to be complaining of not being able to afford fancy vacations, or new cars every year.

Compared to most of the world, knowing about exotic locals to take a vacation is a luxury! The access we have to the internet or books (via library if needed) is amazingly cheap compared to the cost of water in most countries.

Not to mention seeing a car is rare for many people, while Americans use one for silly trips. (I live in a community where folk 4 blocks away drive to the pool.)

I honestly think a bit of a recession would be good for America. Well it would be good if we let folk start getting used to not being able to afford things. It isn't all bad to want IMO.

So having a homebirth does remove some of the convenience of the hospital registering the birth.

No one called the day she was born to get the spelling of her name, and all the mothers maiden name and etc.

So I had to call, turns out the needs are simple, a valid ID, proof of pregnancy, and vital stats. (date time, etc)

Only trouble, Husbands license expired! two days ago, it was on the todo list. Then there is the letter it has to be notarized, so back to calling the church, except the pastor is on retreat, so call back and see if the minister of music can do it.

So now one little trip to the office of records is three trips all around town.

Only good thing, I don't have to join him .

I am an anti stuff person, I do have clutter but in general it is clutter related to paperwork, or 'stuff to go goodwill', or to be given to a friend, or 'stuff for Cub os Saturday, VBS Sunday, etc. (now my husband on the other hand is a pack rat!)

So a challenge to reduce stuff should come easy to me. And yet, it doesn't. I can't fit my belongings into the trunk of a car, I cannot reduce the number to 100. I am not sure I even want to be reduced to such a number, though it aught to make cleaning easier!

I find myself right now with more desire than energy to clean or declutter....And for the 4th time in my life, I find I am not as lazy as a new mom aught to be!

He really lost it, on the way to clean the bathroom this morning my husband thought GMC had a major chocolate mess (yes Daddy gave them each a chocolate straw after a healthy breakfast), big old black spot on his face, but it was actually a missing tooth!

Only trouble, GMC really really lost it! We have no idea where it is, though I can guess having just finished breakfast he ate it (eww...)

My baby, so recently he was snuggled in the same blanket as EL and now..a missing tooth!

It was a bottom tooth that actually he banged up on his cousin, so it prolly fell out a bit earlier than he typically would have.

I have a live in tutor for my youngest...my oldest.

Yesterday morning GMC sat down while playing with duplos and asked UE to count them. He was rather patient and they counted 'square blocks' 'rectangular blocks'. the pile over there, and the pile over here. I had plans of cleaning (or having them clean) but I thought watching them count together was way cooler!

GMC was willing to teach JC way back when too, but he taught her in French! She could honestly count in French to about six, before she could count in English! Unfortunately both GMC and JC lost interest in French.

OF course being at home, I never get paid to work, but Truthfully I have plenty of work that aught to get done..well aside from sitting with my feet up I am off work..mostly.

I still have kids to feed, and take care of, but I vow to rest..regardless of how I feel. Because I was doing great when I rested last week, then I had things I just couldn't avoid (plus some laundry, dishes, ect) so I picked up the pace, and used up all the energy I had gathered from the couple days rest.

And I guess, I need to gather that energy again, so I can survive delivery!

So heres to doing nothing...again.

Oh the cub crossover went rather well, a ton of awards went out, and a cute crossing was made. and my feet were three sizes too big by the end!

Before my son joined the scouts all i knew about BSA could fit on the head of a pin...namely they wore uniforms and raced wooden cars. I can now tell you way more, more than I really need to know!

For one thing, the 'cubs' and 'boys' are very distinctly different. Cubs are organized into age based 'dens'. Which are then grouped into packs, usually tied to an organization (or sponsor). The Den is run my a leader, the pack by a committee (which is headed by a chairperson)

For our pack that Committee chair is me...meaning I do a LOT of work. I oversee the leaders of the dens, I oversee pack events, work with the treasurer and newsletter editor, field trip coordinator, advancement chair, as well as filling the new Cubmaster in on everything he needs to be a proper PR guy. Among other details that I often let slip (cause one gal can only do so much...)

SO when I agreed to lead the Daisys for my daughter I did not want all that responsibility... I just wanted to be a leader of the Daisys...plan meetings, report to the 'boss', occasional input for big events...

Little did I know GSUSA is totally different, each age based group is like its own pack...so again I am in charge of everything..treasury secretary, field trips, and so on.

So much for the easy job!

And yes I am still pregnant 39 weeks tomorrow.

I am now more anemic, and have real swelling. Not the barely there, hardly noticeable kind-more like 'WOW your feet are HUGE!", and yes I had my BP checked, still in the 120s...

So I am under orders to 'rest'...not exactly sure how, but I am trying. after spending most of my adult life trying not to succumb to the lazy do nothing instinct, I am now trying to go back to it..and finding it is harder than I thought.

Yesterday I spent most of the day after church napping or laying on the couch, and today I woke up with almost normal feet! yeah! Of course today my husband had to go to work, so doing nothing is a bit harder...not to mention not fun on my back.

oh well, if it helps it is worth it. now to get off the computer, this kind of sitting isn't good for my feet.

Apparently those wisdom teeth he wanted out 3 years ago are getting worse. But out of pocket cleanings and routine care is one thing, out of pocket extraction in Charlotte is another.

The main problem is that no one wants to do a simple numb and pull. You have to have 'painless' dental care here. some sort of spa treatment to go with the extraction which of course isn't cheap.

Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy pain, but I really see no reason why pulling a tooth can't be a simple numb and yank. sure it hurts, but so does delivering a baby. Once done a short recovery and problem solved. (and at this point I am MORE than ready to go into labor..except I am busy. Relatives coming from out of town and all)

I woke up at 3 am wondered out and discovered not only did my husband do laundry, he also folded it. And there was a strange feel to the towel in the basket, it sat too high and felt too soft.

Turns out my husband bought and washed up new towels, because the 8th anniversary is 'linens'. I think it is soo cute he looks these things up!

I also find the towels a much more practical gift than typical anniversary presents!

Now I can't wait to take a shower tonight (though I still am not sure the towel will cover this huge belly!)

I was watching a show at 4am this morning about pregnancy (unfortunatly I just couldn't sleep) and they mentioned they typical 'medical leave' time for pregnant women. between 36 and 39 weeks many women get medical leave to take off work.

So when do I get to take off work? mostly kidding, I get to put myself on 'light duty' anytime I want.

But it did bring up a question..don't those women get bored waiting for their first kid? Not that there is nothing to do, just that the weeks before birth the last thing I want is time to wish the kid would hurry up..it wont in all likely hood, and mom is left answering all sorts of 'yes I ams till pregnant' questions. Amazingly enough family who hasn't called in months suddenly has to call at week 40, just in case you forgot to tell them you had the kid.

If you have an older kid at least they distract you from the wonder. And now that I have three, plus more commitments, I really don't have time to wish the kid would hurry up..except at 4am when I can't sleep .

Looking at my upcoming delivery, I realized a few things will be different. More than just the relaxed atmosphere and not having to wake my older kids up.

This is not a medical discussion, just all the non medical points. Medically I live very close to a hospital, and I will be attended by a midwife with medical experience.

1. No 'free' diapers. All three kids came with several packs of the newborn diapers, plus wipes and diaper rash cream. (also no free feminine supplies.)

2. No 'free' diaper bag. Formula companies around here always give diaper bags (with of course ice packs for storing breast milk) and lots of advertisement for formula (beside the scientific info on breast milk)

3. No 'free' clothing or blankets or hats. We will have to supply even the first blanket.

4. No packing..I don't have to pack a bag with toys for older kids, clothes for me, clothes for baby (with a backup in case it is a different gender than expected) No packing a car seat blankets, food for Dad (or mom) and kids...

5. No hospital food (and consequently no cost of running to a nearby restaurant to find decent food)

6. No noisy beds! My last two births I had a room with a noisy bed..honestly I thought it was possessed, soon as you start to drift off the bed would 'puff'. Supposed to be some sort of automatic adjustment to make it more comfortable, I would have preferred less comfort more silence!

7. Instant computer access! I can send my own announcement email! Not to mention I can have a computer to occupy myself should I get bored..which I doubt since I will not have to send my family away.

All in all I am looking forward to this home birth..mainly for the decent food and internet I will have availible

I read the headline 10 year old in college

and wondered if that would be the future of my oldest. This morning he finished his math in record time and I passed the sheet to daddy to check...because I didn't know the answers right off the bat, and would rather work with my youngest (I know all his answers!)

First off the fact that daddy was still home meant record time of completion. Second..the question ran something like this:

"There are 36 pupils in a class. 2/3 are girls. Of the girls 1/4 wear glasses. How many girls wear glasses?"

The total writing on the page? One lousy number. (the correct answer)

Course he did have trouble because he confused area with perimeter for the next problem. but we got that straightened out. By saying "perimeter...dude, what is perimeter again?" to which he said "oh..the side is 16M"..not needing to redo any math, just knew it.

The problem was along the lines of telling you the sides of a rectangle, and saying the square had the same perimeter. wanting you to figure out the length of a side. I don't recall the numbers though.

He regularly gives the answer while I am still working out the process. In some ways this is good, in others it means if he doesn't "crunch the numbers" automatically he can't find the answer. Most of the time it means mommy has to sit there and work out the problem myself where he can't see just in case he is wrong, which he rarely is). And I am considered good at math!

But after reading the full article I would say my kid prolly wont be in college anytime soon. He is a math brain, but the rest of him is pretty normal. (well normal for a homeschooler)

What a switch, I just signed my daughter up for girl scouting, she doesn't start till fall but they wanted her to preregister.

And the training is free! I signed up to be her leader (that is the deal, DH does the boy scouts, I do the girl scouts....so how come I am doing both boy and girl?)

Anyway. Free training is a refreshing change!

Oddly enough, even though I was still too sick to go to church (partly because I just didn't want to share the germs) I had a wonderful mothers day.

My husband took all three kids to church. And recieved several compliments from folk who didn't know us on how wonderful a father he was. I take certain pride in knowing I have such an amazing husband .

They made me cards to bring home, and the day before at the store my husband bought me ice cream.

Plus he offered to go pick up dinner, a huge bonus while I am still recovering.

And I was healthy enough to sleep! I sleep while they were at church, I slept after they got home, I slept in the evening and every time I woke up I was able to go back to sleep!

I actually woke up this morning for no other reason than the sun was shining and I wasn't tired enough to sleep...Though I do plan on a nap now .

For the scouts GMC has to make a poster to earn his communications belt loop. and one to earn the 'leave no trace' award. and one to earn the citizen belt loop...

I don't like making posters, or didn't. I helped GMC and JC make one each the other day, and it wasn't so bad..mostly because they are cute, and they don't have to put quite so much information down, so long as something is learned, I am happy.

GMC did one on Dinosaurs, but really it turned into T-Rex. He drew a T-rex, and traced an actual size T-rex tooth. Plus he wrote what era they are from (cretaceous). I was thinking he needed more, but then I hit on the idea of cutting the poster board in half. That way he could fill the space with his pictures and all.

I did the same thing for JC..she did hers on princesses. She drew an adorable princess, plus wrote out what makes a legal princess. and made a 'princess fan'. Not bad for a little girl.

So I felt a bit frugal about the whole poster experience..now I might try to do the next poster on the back of the first. is that cheap or frugal?

While I don't agree the package was a good idea, I am certainly not one to turn away money.

So I received it, and sent some off to the midwife, used some to replenish depleted stores from the Dr visit and all..and the rest? Just sitting there. Might even be a full 2 months EF now!

I have some, I apparently have a URI, so now I have antibiotics. I really want them to work fast, this whole waiting for them to take effect is not cool. You know normally...non pregnant, you go to the dr and get a script for some 'feel good medicine' in addition to the antibiotics, or at least a recommendation for OTC feel good stuff. But apparently pregnant folk don't get that .

Oh well at least I know in a few days I aught to be better from the meds.

PS: BP is 110 over 70, fairly normal for me, and the infection is NOT in the lungs, it is higher than that.

When my husband got home last night he found nothing done, and me coughing up a storm and complaining that I had a headache..and the only meds in the house were not approved for pregnant folk.

So he practically spun on his heels and headed for the door. brought back two different kinds of medicine (one pill one liquid, I don't swallow pills well) plus some cough drops, plus dinner.

Yeah the months wasted spending due to this sickness is up to 100, well over planned, but...only one more month (ish) to go. 36 weeks on Sunday. I have got to get rid of this coughing before the baby comes, there is no way I can go thru labor like this.

I am old school when it comes to food, I follow the old 4 food groups (in my defense it is what I was taught first before the fancy pyramids)

So every meal has to have a fruit or a veggie, a grain and a protien (with some milk somewhere, but you really don't need that much milk, you need calcium)

This means dinner generally has a bag of veggies each. (5 servings in the bag, though there is nearly always some left for husbands lunch).

I tend to load the plates with equal parts whole grain and veggie and a lesser portion of protien.

I have heard that a kids meal is an adult portion of food, but a kids meal would only keep my girl happy. (My 6 yo son eats more) size wise a kids meal is about what the kids eat husband and I eat more. both boys generally want seconds. (of course if I put more on the plate in the first place they wouldn't finish!)

All three kids are very healthy, we have had 4 sick visits in the 6 years, two ear infections, one kid with allergies, and one recent case of strep throat (which EVERYONE we knew had). They grow right, learn right, and look great. Slightly pron to 'the snots' but then they all seem to have allergies, snots are seasonal, and related to my level of breathing (if I can't breath they have 'the snots'-the little one no longer has trouble breathing, he just has 'the snots')

Broken down by kid:
GMC - 1 ear infection, one strep
JC - 2 ear infections one strep
UE - allergies reaction two years ago.
DH = bronchitis twice

If they are so healthy, why am I so sick? In reality I enjoyed a long time of similar level of health, a yearly cold and the allergy issue along with my son two years ago.

Until this year. This year I seem to be run down or sick 90% of the time. True I am pregnant, but it's not like I haven't been pregnant before. I wasn't sick a day during my oldest pregnancy (I had some pregnancy symptoms, but nothing major) The worst I had during my younger two pregnancies was a cold.

This time around, I had 'real morning sickness' not just all the nausea, but plenty of puking. I have all the old symptoms (excema on the hands, general fatigue, pain, etc, normal simple issues), and I am having real burning cravings (sent my husband out at 11pm for cashews, never did that before). Plus my current allergy induced issue, plus I am anemic for the first time ever. Plus adding iron like crazy to fix it seems to have messed up my intestines. Plus the 'slight congestion' of earlier pregnancies is MAJOR congestion. (and has been even before allergy season) Plus the 'slight shortness of breath' from previous pregnancies is more like 'can't walk across room without being out of breath'. (I seriously have answered the phone multiple times and had people ask 'whats wrong?' All because I had to cross the room to get the phone)

So what am I doing wrong? Why am I so sick? How come they are the picture of health, while I am a tired, sore cranky, moody, breathless, swollen, coughing, tired, non-sleeping, sicko?

I thought Strep came with a fever...but I have two sick kids, one of whom has an aweful looking mouth..really it looks like someone sent his back cheek/throat through a meat grinder added some pus and put it back..boy I hope no one was eating when they read that. He had been complaining of a sore throat about once or twice a day for 4 days.

My daughter just has a few white spots, and in general an occasional complaint, night coughing, but not bad, an ear ache the other day, but only for one day. and when we told her big bro to avoid the little one because he was sick she was adamant that she was sick as well...turns out she was right!

Apparently today you can either get a shot or take meds for 10 days. We opted for the shot..and spent several minutes explaining to the kids how great it would be. one shot, and you are supposed to feel better by evening, and are not contagious after 24 hours. Bad news today is Scout night, good news tomorrow is music. (though I still will be insisting on washing hands frequently and keeping him from extended play with others)

As the doc recoils from my sons horrific looking mouth (really her face was comical when she saw how bad it looks!), he is playing happily..goofing off, barely any less energy than when he isn't sick. The daughter is just the same...my kids don't get sick often (ok they do have plenty of snots) but when they do it is usually bad and yucky...on the inside, on the outside you can barely tell! It is easy to convince a tired sicko worn down to stay home, but a bouncy happy one? Not so easy!

My son was wonderful for the shot, only crying quietly while it went in, and quickly recovered. My daughter on the other hand, she was a bit of a complainer...we are working on her. My youngest was rather upset at the idea he would have to have a shot. (the last 3 or 4 visits have all been shot visits)

But wait theres more! Daddy has spots...not a lot, just a few. So we are banning him from scouts as well, and quarantining the three of them to see if Daddy progresses and needs meds to...in the meantime fluids and gargling salt water will be his plan of attack.

Terrible, I put all kinds of stuff on my google calendar, and now it is down, doesn't google know I need that info?

How could it be down!

I do have a paper version I printed to take with me somewhere..but the whole point of an online calendar is that I always know where it is!