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:

1. Reschedule dental appointments.  Yuck.
2. Get this house back into shape.  After first being sick, then spending time scanning photos and making boards for the funeral, I really need to catch up!
3. Call my friend and wish her a happy birthday.  I almost forgot with all of the drama going on!
4. Post some more Stampin’ Up! rubber stamp sets on Ebay.  I am really cutting down my collection.  It’s so overwhelming when you have too many supplies, and limited time to make something!  I already got rid of 50 sets last summer, and I have about 30 more that are ready to go.
5. Start on the scrapbook for my friend’s wedding present.
6. Call Subway and report their bathroom door.  We stopped by to take Katie to the bathroom last night, and when I opened the door it slammed on her head and she has a giant goose egg on her temple!
7. Finish my book… I’ve been reading it forever!
8. Actually use my Grocery Game list.  I signed up and right after my grandpa passed away, and I have yet to go through my coupons and print a list to shop with.
9. Go to a new restaurant and use my buy 1 get 1 free meal… I just got my new Entertainment Guide and there are so many restaurants around here I didn’t know about!
10. Scrub the cradle crap off baby’s head.  I’ve done this a few times with baby oil and a tooth brush, but it keeps coming back.

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!

Momo’s Retro Fashions

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.