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Archive for May, 2006

I am an idiot!

May 31st, 2006 at 02:22 pm

I use that title alot!

This time I got an order form avon (sunscreen with bug stuff, it works and we love it) and I tottaly forgot I hadn't paid for it, so the poor girl was talking to me for 10 minutes and had to ask "did I leave the reciept in the bag?'

I look like a freeloader trying to get off wiothout paying! I wasn't honest, I just forgot!

Stress reduction.

May 30th, 2006 at 03:20 pm

I got one of those emails (does everyones inbox overflow with cute things people figured you just HAD to read?)

Anyway this one was about stress reduction, and I noticed how many of them had to do with finances, if your finances arn't botherinmg you, guess life is just less stressfull!

Not to mantion less 'stuff', here are just a few of the more finance/stuff related tips in the list:


6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

cool pool

May 28th, 2006 at 06:33 pm

We get pool use for our HOA fee, which is about all we get other than living here...

but anyway it opened, and I have to get off the computer to go right now.

Summer for us means lots of swimming, and lots of weird dinners....We like to eat poolside, but with timing and such, no grill options, fridge, microwave, or well anything. We have to pack and keep proper temperature of everything we eat.

tonight it is boring PB no J and carrot sticks and grapes, and lemon water...

On the grocery list for next week is some chicken patties (to heat at home wrap in foil and turn into sandwhiches) Plus some hotdog buns, not the heathiest meal, but not to terrible.

Now I just have to figure out something to eat the other 5 days, at the pool! (kidding, Friday we have company, so that will be at home Smile.)

A note about teachers

May 28th, 2006 at 06:23 pm

My previous post might have left some teachers feeling like I didn't appriciate them, well many kids need that love and support they can get in school, cause they may not be getting it at home. Public school teachers fill a much needed role, and if I ever have no kids at home to teach plus a huge stack of money I would prolly start an education center..both to teach children and to help adults. I just wanted to put out an appology to any teachers, cause it is a very important job.

Why PETA doesn't sell MceeDee coupons for a fundraiser.

May 26th, 2006 at 08:25 pm

The same reason why AA doesn't sell memberships to 'beer of the month club'.

The reason why Jeffery and Nate don't sell out to a payday loan company.

The same reason why I wont start a 'school in my home'.

It just wouldn't make sense!

Soemone recently asked why I don't offer to teach for pay, and it is a reasonable question, I love to teach, and a little extra money never hurt. I even thought about it for a long time, thought up ways to do it, times that would fit my schedule, ways to keep records and all that jazz.

But then I thought, I don't want people to send their kids away to learn! It goes agaisn't the whole theory behind my homeschooling! I know over 90% of you reading this ..(all 30 of you, thanks for being dedicated to wait for a new post!) ..are prolly sending your kids away, or did, or will, or would if you had 'em. It's ok, over 90% of America does too.

I don't

Becasue I spend my morning teaching, when I am working I am teaching, when we rest we learn, when we sleep we get to 'internalize it all', when we play we learn, when we travel we learn, when we wash we learn, when we make icecream, dinner, yogurt, bread, lunch, ....., when we make lists, shop, build something, or break it down, when we have company, stay alone, or decorate, when we worship, when we relax, it is all an opportunity to learn.

This doesn't mean I have some kids who never get free time, on the contrary, much of my reading about 'great famous people' includes the phrase 'time to kill'. That and respnsibility. So my kids have responsibilities, free time, and me....plus a wonderfully supportive father.

I am a bit backwards in many things, my kids are learning more about yeast breads and the bible than about famous Americans of a particular shade of skin. They are learning odd facts about narwals and Nanook before they learn about two mom options or blended families. We know more about reading and dictating than alternate religions, more anout cleaning, and anatomy than 'the n word'....

I don't think any of that is wrong, I just think it can wait..... (well I might pass on ever knowing what 'the n word' is, but it apparently is heavily used in todays schools/sports, so I doubt we can escape.)

No I don't want to start a school in my home, I just want to encourage and help other people decide to teach their own, or at least practice 'living to learn' instead of just 'learning what you need to pass'.

His jeans don't fit!!!

May 23rd, 2006 at 11:15 pm

That means I am getting smaller! Doubt if anyone remembers a few months ago when I posted they finally did fit, but now I am even thinner! Course I seem to still ahve 'Fat glasses', as DH calls them cause I still think I look just as wide, if it wern't for the holes and I might think someone was switching up the jeans at night just to make me think I am getting thinner! (only 1 inch to go for the proper waistline!)

On other news, I am baking up a storm, we ran out of chocolate, and BOA has to be crazy to think I want to open up a savings account for a whopping .5% interest! I would be losing money if I took it from ING even with the $25 bonus!

Tupperware

May 19th, 2006 at 03:45 pm

K I must be crazy, I went to a friends tupperware party last night, mainly cause they are fun (with the right tuppergal) and because I do love the reusability/my kids can't break it...I took an order from my mom and bought some bowls for the kids (no not a need a want, we have two non breakable, if breakfast is cereal, dinner of chilli, I have to do dishes in the middle of the day-terrible problem Smile.) Oh and yes it was fun Smile

While there I saw a thing I REALLY Really want (really) It is a rollie cooler, perfect for taking to the pool when I am loaded with towels and three kids (one of whom can't walk) and of course dinner and drinks and snack so we can spend the whole evening.

Text is Her website and Link is http://my2.tupperware.com/tup-html/C/corinnebrown-welcome.html
Her website

Only problem, of course you have to have a 400$ party and two bookings to get it...I hate that part!

Oh well I am going to buy myself some of the other things I want in the catalog, and we are doing a 'fondu' party (which I love, and do not own a fondu pot..so...we have to do it the tupperware way, I buy the ingredients, she brings the pot and recipie Smile

It should be fun at any rate.

Ionizer will 'pay for itself'

May 16th, 2006 at 10:47 pm

So we have surrendered, i am allergic to the state, and those ionizer filter thingies say they will help. We are willing to try.

DH got one that has a cleanable filter, which is great, but it cost $40 more than the other brand. The filters are $20 each, so apparently the upgrade will 'pay for itself' and supposing the thing does its job, keeping me healthy, it will definatly pay for itself in less 'scripts and more work around here done.

Garden finally in

May 15th, 2006 at 04:10 pm

I hope better late than never applies to gardens, cause I just today put it in!

We put in zuccinni, peppers, carrots, and basil. I hope some of it grows at least.

I am rather proud of myself, I might be late, but I did it..... I think this months challenge to rewrite the inner voice, is really making ithe most effect of all of them. I am getting more done and finding the 'bright side' of life much easier.

I can now breath!

May 12th, 2006 at 10:16 pm

Apparently I have allergies, and broncitus, and if you ignore those long enough you get to wheezing, and coughing that doesn't stop...which is a bad thing.

I went from no medications (other than vitamins) to 6!

Well I have to say I am a terrible patient, I am taking 4 of them...I got two cough meds, I only take one and it is fine...I skipped the horse pills.

I also got a script for anti asthma meds, I don't have asthma! So I am skipping it for now....

I got some sort of nose spray and that works.

I am taking the antibiotics and the singulair for allergies, and one of the cough meds. It seems to be helping, it no longer hurts to breath...I am just SUPER tired, I mean If I stop moving I wil be asleep in seconds! (I tested it several times today,a nd I am serious!)

Free translation

May 10th, 2006 at 10:48 pm

So while eating green beans I asked what green bean in french was..I only know Vert is green, I forgot bean, so I looked up free translation. came up with

Text is this site and Link is http://translation2.paralink.com/
this site

haricots verts

Instant free translation, what more could you ask for Smile

Best sleep in ages!

May 10th, 2006 at 02:31 pm

UE decided to sleep till 4am last night! I was in bed around 10:30, and no troubles or eeps till 4. (when my 4 year old woke me on the way to the potty). DH took care of him, and UE woke to nurse, but then it was back to sleep till JC got up for the day (630ish? but I didn't really get up till 7)

The best things in life are free, I still can't breath without pain, but at least I got rest before I tackle the day!

Course you know 5 years ago I couldn't imagine being happy about 'sleeping in' till 4am!

Are you a brat?

May 9th, 2006 at 07:20 pm

I found an interesting website (thru flylady) called

Text is The Brat Factor" and Link is http://www.thebratfactor.com/
The Brat Factor"

And it hit me, I wouldn't allow my kids to act the way I do sometimes!

The site tells us to name our brat and apparently play games to get her to behave (or him for the guys). I dunno that I want to do that, but I peeked at an
Text is 'actual progress report' and Link is http://www.thebratfactor.com/images/progressreport_sample.pdf
'actual progress report' And I realized how many of those phrases I have said.

"I am sick and I need (fill in the blank)"
"It's not fair (fill in blank) gets to do (fill in other blank)"

Good grief I am a brat! I can just see that flying with one of my kids:

Kid: "Mommy, I gotta booboo, I need chocolate"

Me: "No but you can have a kiss, too much chocolate is not good for you"

Kid: "But I want chocolate!"

Me: " I know I like chocoalte too, but it isn't going to help your booboo."

See at no point would I even dream of giving my kid chocolate (or anything else) just cause they were sick! Myself on the other hand I gladly hand over chocolate (pirate MnMs!) along with dinner out, and numerous other wasted money/bad for the health things.

I think my inner brats name might be Lazy!

I can't believe he ate the whole thing!

May 9th, 2006 at 03:13 pm

UE just finished a whole banana, a normal sized banana..well there was one small bit left, not even a whole bite for me.

I feed my kids till they are full, and man does that take a lot of food!

Last apointment GMC actually lost a bit of weight (2lb), there is no way I can be worried about it though, he eats as much as I do! It was prolly a scale differernce. Or because last time he was in he was sick, not moving as much, still eating.

JC is rather a 'nromal' eater..we tend to think of it as small, but it is actually more than the average..(she eats slightly less than a kids meal, GMC eats slightly more) Apparently UE is folowing in his big brothers footsteps, meaning I can envision the grocery bill in 13 years...It will be higher than my mortgage!!!

Sick or allergies?

May 9th, 2006 at 01:31 pm

I have been feeling like I was wearing a corset on my lungs for a week or two, and now I have a horrid hack to go with it.

We took UE to the Doc for the hack, and got albuteral for him, Doc said he was allergic to this spring, prolly not for life, but definatly this year.

So If I just have allergies, I can tough it out, but if I am sick, I am putting my kids at risk of getting it by not getting meds...

I hate that delema.

I don't want DH to have to take a day off work for me to see a doc to hear 'yep allergic to spring'...but I also am having a bit of trouble walking and such when I can't breath right...

Educate on a dime - older

May 8th, 2006 at 07:40 pm

Just Ask! - Geography

Ever wonder the capital of Canada?
Or just where Iraq is anyway?
Or what the 'ring of fire' is?
Or why Hawaii gets a cut out on an American map?

These are all questions my son has asked in the past year or so.

Todays question came from a neighbor, sporting a 'Catalina Island' shirt she asked where Catalina was. Since I never heard of it, I said we would look it up.

After well a billion kid things (lunch, nap, food on the floor, a baby in need of a nap) I finally remembered to look it up, well it wasn't there...It was just a kids atlas.

In the process of looking it up we found some states she had been to, checked out where Turkey was, looked at a couple neat flags, like Venezuala, and Zimbobwe.

Hopefully they got more of the spelling than I did!

Then we headed online, I can almost always find the answer online! Unfortunatly I hardly ever learn anything but what I asked when I do a netsearch, Yahoo is pretty good at comming up with exactly what I need, oh wait I did learn that when a native species changes one it is called

Text is 'endemic' and Link is http://www.ocean-institute.org/edu_programs/materials/P/PDF/PDF_FG/E_Catmap.pdf#search='catalina%20island%20map'
'endemic' but thats it.

Text is Catalina is and Link is http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/catalina/a/catalina.htm
Catalina is BTW an island off the coast of California Smile.

Text is clickable of DivaJens link and Link is http://www.sbnature.org/research/anthro/chumash/lowom.htm
clickable of DivaJens link

Kids are like sponges, they soak up information whether you want it or not, we can only chose what information is available.

Monday Musings

May 8th, 2006 at 02:56 pm

I wonder if I spelled that right?

I wonder if there is some inner monster requiring me to self inflic torture Monday morning! Why would I schedule cjanging sheets on the day I always have the most laundry (catch up from not doing it Saturday or Sunday)

I wonder what possessed me to rearange my kids bedrooms on a Saturday night! I know why I did it, but the when is escaping me, and the leftover 'find room for me' piles are here, Monday morning! Just what I ddin't need!

I wonder if Sunday and a break is really that important? I seem to lose my momentum over the weekend,a nd have trouble getting it back. I think next Saturday I am going ot do my normal work, instead of taking a break with DH. (well not that you can take a break form the parenting stuff, just the housekeeping)

Laundry!

May 7th, 2006 at 09:48 pm

So I am now in my 4th outfit for the day!!!!

I started with church clothes..I just can't do kids and a skirt all day.

So then I had normal clothes..Till my youngest peed on me!

Then I went with PJs, giving up on the day....till my youngest puked on me!

Now I am in DHs PJs! wonder how long it will least?

I also wonder if in 'cost of having a kid' they include cost of extra laundry, extra wear and tear on the clothes, and extra carpet cleaner!

old survey post, please ignore

May 7th, 2006 at 07:53 pm

Edit to note: Several comments about the survey being closed now, thanks for letting us know

......

We saw a survey at our pediatricians last visit for 5 bucks, there was a website to visit. Well procrastination did us in, I just finally got the paper out to go to the website and it says it is for people who visited the Doc in the last 3 days!

I certainly didn't!

but if any of you have (or if you want to book mark it for when you do go)

Text is survey site and Link is http://healthysurvey.com/cgi-bin/qwebcorporate.cgi?GJWJGB
survey site

There was another one, but I lost it Frown

in case it wants you to start at the begining the actual address on the brochore is:

www.healthysurvey.com/hac947

And no where on it does it say anything about not telling others, so I don't think I am breaking any fine print by sharing....

Lost it all!

May 6th, 2006 at 01:06 pm

The poker chips, I lost all my chips playing last night, and then got more, and more, and more! Finnally when there were no more chips to be taken from the case, I called it quits!

DH on the other hand came up the winner! We never play cash cause all my losing would ruin his winnings! (at home, he plays money online, and wins....but no money from me)

I am an idiot!

May 5th, 2006 at 12:58 pm

Oops, I mean I have a wonderful dinner and snacks planned for tonight, they just happen to have nothing to do with Cinqo De Mayo!

I don't have a clue how to spanish up roast and potatos....

Nor how you are supposed to decorate for it should you want to?....

Paying to move garage sale stuff

May 5th, 2006 at 12:40 pm

DH helped some people unpack a bit last night, and he mentioned some boxes labeled 'yard sale' I was thinking "You paid to move that!" but then I thought about how much stuff I have sent to the good will (I don't do yard sales) and I realized my poor FIL and mother paid to move all that stuff!

I can't remember exactly that old physics law, things in motion tend to stay in motion? well things in your house tend to just stay, no particular reason sometimes, they just do! And if we move, we then pay to move said stuff when we pack up the whole 'kit and kaboodle'.

I don't think a move is in our future anytime soon, but if it is, I hope to NOT pay to move any 'stuff' that we wouldn't miss.

Muffin success! and missing papers..

May 4th, 2006 at 07:51 pm

I used the recipie from strtessless and lrjohnson (thanks again!) to make blueberry muffins and it worked rather well. (still sticks to the paper a bit though..)

I also tried it with cinnamon and apple. I think applesauce would be better than apple..

Now my only problem is I am am out of muffin papers! That and I want to find mini loaf paper, I think it will make the whole christmas giving of bread soo much easier if I have papers (pull out one batch, put in new paper, pour next batch, repeat as needed).

An online search came up with 12 for 5 bucks, a bit much for me, and the muffin ones was $5 for 100, I think we can get those locally for less, we just have to be at the right store.

Being merry in the merry month of May

May 4th, 2006 at 02:12 pm

I know I am a bit late, but I decided for the month of May my goal is to rewire my brain..bit odd I think, but important.

I read one of Flyladys missions, it suggested we write down those mean thoughts in the head (I'm not good enough, I am terrible at X, Y and Z. I can't do anything right...)

I think what she meant was to rewrite them. And just like my giving up on being Suisie Homemaker I am going to stop yelling at myself for other things I don't do so well, and take pride in small accomplishments that I do well (or big ones!)

So for the month of May whenever I hear a voice telling me I screwed up (which I do plenty!) I am going to look at what I did right, and try to be a better teacher of myself. (Some people call it optimism, hence merry..)

What's a Mom worth?

May 3rd, 2006 at 09:23 pm

So we see the link saying the median salary of a mom would be 134,121 if anyone paid us..which they don't.

I thought I would see what I am saving us, which is a bit more accurate of my worth (no offense to the salory folk, it is cool to see too)

So what would DH pay if I were not here, or not good at what I do. I certainly am not saving a cooks salory, cause Dh wouldn't hire a cook if I wern't here, he would just eat convenience foods. But I can take a stab at the cost difference of me working (trust me I would NOT cook!). (amounts are per month)

Child care:a quick search online comes up with 1000 for JC and GMC together, another 1000 for UE (top quality care is expensive - and I am btw top quality care Smile, and ever so modest of course!) so 2000 total.

Convenience foods:Well I used to spend 200 a month on some convenience, instead of saving that 200 I would prolly double it if I worked, so make it 400 (plus my regular food bill)

clothing: if I was working I wouldn't do laundry as often so we would need more socks, towels, ect.. just guessing 20 ('cause not spent every month, but 240 a year sounds like a conservative guess)

There is prolly more but I am content thinking I am worth $2420 a month. It is still more than I got paid at my last paid job...

Lessons worth passing on.

May 3rd, 2006 at 02:57 pm

The recent "what did healthy things did you learn from your mom post' got me thinking of what I am passing along to my kids.

Alot of what I teach is not going to be remembered as such...and that is the goal....to make it such a habit that they don't have to think about it (washing hands after using a potty, brushing teeth, picking up after themselves, close mouth when chewing..ect)

Some of the lessons though I teach now for little things but I hope to leave my kids with reminders for when they have big decisions.

I wish I was prosaic enough to make every lesson a nice neat little phrase (or proverb) or like Q when he says "I've always tried to teach you two things. First- never let them see you bleed." {'And the second?'} "Always have an escape plan!"

Text is (fun site with many more bond quotes) and Link is http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz72144844e88.html
(fun site with many more bond quotes)


But only a few seem to work out that way:

"You don't need it you want it."
"Work first then play."
"Never stop learning"

The others are a bit odder...like finances...so much to learn.

There was fat on her heart!

May 2nd, 2006 at 03:53 pm

You know when you get a hunk of beef to make a roast one side has the huge line of fat? That is what this lady on Orahs heart looked like! I mean seriously it was covered in fat! and they had to cut thru the fat to get to the heart to do the bipass! (oh and her lungs really did have black tar on them from smoking!)

I also learned that we love the one brand of peanut butter that has partially hydrogenated stuff, which apparently takes all the good out of peanut butter? And the butter spread I let DH train me to use is bad for you (for the same fat)

So now what? I was thinking I aught start cooking with more margarine and less butter and now I find I should dump the margarine!

Oh well, 20 some years of habits, I can take a few more to get healthier..first step use up the beanut butter, and margarine spread we have, second, try other brands/go back to butter sticks...

Todo

May 2nd, 2006 at 02:57 pm

So I saw Pfadvice had his todo list, and I thought how tecnical and fancy! Mine is mostly in my head, when I do write it down it is on a scrap paper..plus it is revolving, so I generally lose it long before all 10-0 billion things get done!

But on the few times when I do focus on just the basics, or high priority tings, they seem to get done and I seem to have time, like mornings, I only have three (sortof) things on my list.

1. Get ready (with threee kids that is more than one thing! showers, hair medicines, breakfast, diapers, make beds.....oh and at some point I do try to comb my hair!)

2. Dishes (update dishwasher, fill empty handwash, whatever)

3. Laundry (hang it, fold it, wash it wahtever)

Now all that is done in about 2 hours, give or take, and I can relax knowing something got done today.. 'course since I am sitting beside my todo list with only 21 things written on it (trust me theres more I didn't write)....well that is why I am sitting here typing not working, I am not sure where to begin! silly ain't it.

Only a child...

May 1st, 2006 at 05:10 pm

Would call a weed a flower and delight in picking them daily to bring in for the vase!

We have a plethora of dandilions out back, plus some clover, some 'white daisies' and some thistle. Those are all weeds (especially the thistle!) And yet my children love to pick a flower or two every chance they get and bring them in for my vase (a rotating collection of weeds and the occasional rose from DH is often in it)

I love watching the kids delight, but I sigh in the thoughts that the neighbors really do want me to get rid of my weeds...

Missing thermometer trials

May 1st, 2006 at 04:26 pm

Well I broke the thermometer we had for yogurt, which kindof sucks, I am pretty good at telling when the yogurt is hot enough, but then you have to cool it, and I am guessing in the dark here, if I succeed we will have yogurt for the week, if not...

Wish me luck!


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