Ah, living in California. We just had a 5.8 earthquake about 10 miles from my house. Scared the crap out of me… haven’t felt one in awhile. I grabbed baby out of the playpen then ran to get Katie from her room. She just kept saying ‘I’m sorry Mommy!’. LOL.
Just a few things fell, which has never happened to me that I know of. A few picture frames and several books. Only one casualty… a large picture frame from Walmart, so it can definitely be replaced.
Have you ever experienced an earthquake?
When you’re poor like me, you find any way to get some money. I’ve spent the better part of this morning filling out rebate forms that I never got around to. This should bring in a $30 for a tool the hubby bought a few months ago, a $10 gas card (for getting my oil changed at Jiffy Lube) and $68 in unclaimed property (from my old auto insurance). I had heard on the news last year about the unclaimed property thing and just forgot about it after the baby/move/etc. But it is MUCH needed now and glad I can tap into it!
Here is a link for the California site for unclaimed property. To look up a different state, do a search for your state’s controller and UCP or Unclaimed Property. Good luck!!
Also, if you have an unforgotten rebate, call the company. Ours was in Iowa, and even though the rebate period ended over a month ago, the rep was nice enough to resend me a form and give me an address & contact person to send it to.
I know you’re all wondering… what happened to Jennifer? She came back from her vacation, posted some lovely pictures and now she’s missing in action.
Well I’ll tell you where I’ve been. In the bathroom with my Immodium AD for FOUR DAYS!! Even baby has been sick, so I’ll be back in a few days, once we’ve both had a chance to recover, and after I’ve cleaned the house, because, let me just tell you, the dishes and laundry don’t do themselves.
Ps, if I’m going to be sick and not eat for four days, I better darn well lose more than just one pound.
Ever since Katie was about 6 months old, she has had this shrill scream. Well it has turned into a scream for attention for the most minute things, such as not being able to reach something, or not getting something she wants and happens SEVERAL.TIMES.DAILY. I have learned to tune it out, as I can’t come running everytime she can’t reach a darn crayon. I knew at some point, she would actually BE hurt or something would be wrong and it’s not the crayon. That day is today.
I was on the phone trying to do some business, and I heard her getting frustrated with the Swiffer. She had been trying to help me clean the floor, and so I was letting her go to town. The phone rang, and I was talking for about a minute when I heard her getting frustrated and yelling. The yell, surprise, surprise, turned into THE SCREAM. I let it go on as I was on the phone and just walked away, so I could actually hear the person on the other end. The scream progressed longer than usual, so when I went to check on her, I see that her finger is caught in the hole at the swivel base of the Swiffer. OOPS! I got off the phone real quick, and got that little finger out of the hole. Katie was now in hysterics. I ran her finger under cold water then carried her to the couch to hug on her while she was sobbing. Once the sobs dwindled down, I tried to explain the whole ‘crying wolf’ thing to her… that from now on, if she wants Mommy to come to her when she is hurt, she must save ‘the scream’ for those times only.
Who knows if she’ll actually understand.
After all the crap we went through last year, we moved back into the suburbs and my mom & stepdad were nice enough to rent us their mobile home. My husband decided last year that he wanted to build a little trailer for us to go camping in. When we knew we were moving to this place, he asked my stepdad if he would be able to build the trailer in the carport (since there is no garage). After getting the ok, he proceeded to buy the materials and last month started work on the trailer. He has worked on it probably 4 days total over the weekends. Well, our neighbors decided to ‘turn us in’. Apparently, the wife couldn’t take her nap on Saturdays because Andrew was making too much noise. Whaa?? We just got an official notice posted on our door.
I just don’t understand. This isn’t a retirement facility nor is it 55+ park. People make noise. If I let my daughter ride her bike in the carport, I guarantee the noise level would be MUCH louder. When my mom lived here, I remember driving up on Sundays when she was watching football and could hear her loud mouth (sorry Mom, you know you’re loud… that’s where I get it from) yelling throughout the game, while the windows were open. I think the entire county knew when her team was winning or losing.
Anyway, I’m venting. This isn’t the first time people here have given us a hard time. First we had too many boxes in the carport. (Hello, we were MOVING IN that weekend!) Then the carport was too messy. (Again, we had just moved in. At the time the complaint came in, I looked outside and there was nothing out there. And, did they not check out my other neighbor’s carport? They have so much crap in theirs, it isn’t even funny.) Then we were driving too fast.
I’ve seen people blow through stop signs here. I see people store crap in their carports. The same neighbors who complain about us let their landscape grow into our area, and instead of bitching about it, hubby just trims it when he is doing ours.
I’ll tell you, I’ve lived in apartments for the last 14 years and I’ve never had anyone report me for anything. (Same goes for hubby) I don’t need Big Brother Grandpa watching my every move and bitching about it just because I’m under 60. We just want a break, you know?
PS, no mobile home/trailer trash jokes please. We lost our house this year and are blessed to have a place closer to our family & friends.
Well, the funeral is over. It was a very nice service and I got to see many loved ones. Back to normal life, I guess! Here is my current to do list:
So there you go. Nothing too exciting, but life goes on as usual.
I am sick AGAIN! I’ve had to cancel my dds appt and Grant’s 4mo checkup. So that is why I haven’t posted and/or commented. Thank goodness the hubby took Katie to Home Depot with him tonight, so it’s just me and the baby (who is sleeping in his crib already.) Also, the house is a wreck with 4 days worth of dishes in the sink and spreading out to the stove. Nice.
Time to curl up on the couch and moan.
I’ve been wanting to buy an apron for my uniform as a homemaker, but haven’t had the money to get a really cute one. Then I remembered I had some cash in my paypal account. Yippy!! I found one I loved on Etsy.com and just got it in the mail. It is so beautiful, I have to post the link in case any of my readers wants to get one!
And here is a picture of the lovely apron. (That’s not me modeling… it was the photo from the etsy page.)
I think for Katie’s birthday, I will get her one too, so she can help me in the kitchen.
This second picture has been added for morethananelectrician’s benefit. She must have gotten back into the house just in time to save the apple crisp!
They are turning off the electricity in our area from 8-4 today. I’ve got the fridge part taken care of so the food won’t spoil, but it will be interesting trying to entertain my daughter with no PBS today. (and no computer for mommy!) That also means I can’t do much work… no lights, dishwasher, oven, stove, crockpot or washing machine/dryer!
It wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t feeling a little stuffy-headed, because then I’d just go out for the day and play.
I don’t usually do much for V-day, but with a 2 year old, this year will be filled with celebrating fun holidays together. (St. Patty’s Day is next… whoo hoo!)
We’re having my father-in-law over for dinner, so we’ll have someone to share all of our love (and food) with. I just made some cupcakes with her – spice cake with vanilla frosting and red sprinkles. Yum! Also on tonight’s menu: Salad, Lasagna and Garlic Cheese Bread.
My friend Jenn made me this cake last V-day.
Katie started getting sick on Friday, and it has carried over into this week. What started as a stomach flu has turned into congestion/stuffy nose/cough. And the worst part is the baby has it now too! 
I’m not quite sure how to deal with a sick baby… Katie never got sick until she was almost 2. We only did well check appointments with her. I feel like crap when I have to use the aspirator on him and he screams and gives me a look like ‘why are you doing this to me?’… but I know it’s for the greater good.
So, I called the pediatrician yesterday, and we are loaded up on nasal spray, Triaminic strips and Pedialyte pops.
And Mommy has it too.
Grant will be 2 months tomorrow! I’ll be dropping the girl off at grandpa’s house and taking the boy to his doctor appointment. He is such a sweetheart… smiling all of the time! He has discovered his hands and is either waving them around or clasping them on his chest. Also, he can see me at farther distances, and I can see his eyes watching me as I walk through the house.
Katie is ALWAYS talking, singing, dancing or a combination of the three. She loves to take a bath and will make sure she is nice and sticky at dinnertime to ensure that she gets that bath! She’s still mimicking me…and everyone else. I heard her calling the baby ‘Little Few-wa’ the other day. Also, she demands to wear dresses every day. It’s been raining here, so on the days we don’t go out I let her wear them.Andrew’s job is going well. Our new and improved insurance just kicked in and we are paying only $80 instead of the $1200 we were paying on COBRA. Hallelujah! He is such a great father… on his way home the other day, he stopped by a Salvation Army and picked up some dresses for Katie. Can you say Daddy’s Girl?
My shoulder is feeling better. I’ve been taking 800mg of Motrin 3x a day and trying to exercise it a bit. I still don’t have the range of motion I once had, but at least I can lift the baby again.
I’m going to be looking into churches in the area. I really would like to be involved in one, and want Katie in Sunday School now that she is starting to grasp things better. If she can learn about Santa, then she can certainly learn about God. I think it will bring us closer as a family and create an even stronger base for our marriage.
POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop
JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required. (more…)
I have two words to sum up my last 12 hours:
Montezuma’s Revenge
Try taking care of two kids with a bum arm while your head is in a trash can and you’re sitting on the toilet. Fun.
Oh, did I mention I’m potty training as well?
Yesterday I couldn’t move my right shoulder. Apparently when my brother and I fought as children and he dislocated my shoulder, it has had a lasting effect. Since then it has dislocated 2 more times (once while washing my hair and once when I was asleep. YOWZA!) and has messed up my rotator cuff.
Friday morning I woke up with some discomfort and by yesterday, I couldn’t even pick up the baby. Hubby took me to the doctor, and I had to get some xrays. There is some calcium build up, and if worse comes to worse, I will have to have it shaved down. OUCH! I’m feeling better today after taking the medication, but I thought I was going to die yesterday! And I was so happy to hold my little baby today!
ps… I’d be pissed at my brother, but I’d say we’re even, since I broke his nose as a kid and he has had problems wiht it ever since.
I’ve been married five years, and a mom for almost three of those years. Before I was a mom, I worked full time, and since becoming one, I’ve worked part time. I stopped working October of last year, and with the move and the new baby, we’ve had a LOT of changes going on. It’s always been important to me to be able to stay home with my kids, and our finances changed drastically when I went from FT to PT and now to NO TIME.
I am officially a Full Time Homemaker/Mother/Wife. And juggling these new roles is not easy! I can be a slacker and spend lots of time on the internet, talking on the phone and/or reading books, but quite frankly, that is not what I signed up for. Staying at home is no easy task, and making the transition is going to take some time and effort.
I’m going to attempt to use the Flylady as a guideline for keeping house. I’m re-reading my New Bride Guide book given to me by a friend before I got married. And I just ordered a few books from Amazon to help me with my budgeting, living on one income and spirituality.
At some point this year, I will pick up some side work to bring in some extra money. In the meantime, I’m going to focus on my new Full Time job and give it all I’ve got.
Stolen from Life in One Day
The other night, Katie snuck into bed with me (Andrew fell asleep on the couch). So early in the morning, I woke up to the baby crying, and I figured I’d lie there and wait a minute before running to get him in case he went back to sleep. This is what I hear from the little voice next to me…
Katie: Mom… the baby is crying.
Me: I know, honey.
Katie: Well get up and take care of him!
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. (more…)
Stolen from Trail Mix Up.
Copy it to your own blog and leave a comment.
Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
I never wear aprons, but I’ve found some boutique shops online that sell them and I may just order one up. Cute!
Baking – Favorite thing to bake
I’m not big on baking, but I do love to make pumpkin bread every once in awhile.
Clothesline – Y/N?
My very own washer and dryer… finally!
Donuts – Have you ever made them?
In high school Home Ec. (more…)
