| Caramel Frappuccino |
 Creative and expressive, you tend to match your Frappuccino flavor to your mood. And a flavored syrup is always a must! |
Saturday, March 24, 2007
attn: breastfeeding moms
is dad feeling left out by your extra bonding with the baby? check out these funny t-shirt designs.
they made me laugh.
is dad feeling left out by your extra bonding with the baby? check out these funny t-shirt designs.
they made me laugh.
Friday, March 23, 2007
scrap-planning
i am determined to move past page 3 of baby bear's scrapbook. so, while hubby used this laptop tonight, i got on the "old" one... the one with the non-functional screen (thanks to the melodrama of a spider scurrying across the floor toward my baby girl a few months back). it's the one that is connected to an old-style monitor 2 feet above it on the top of my roll top desk. it's also the one that houses my treasured photographs. the last 2 years of our life are summarized on that computer. anyway, i grabbed a blank sheet of printer paper and made a list. will those of you who are experienced scrappers tell me if this looks like a reasonable start? For a refresher look, this is what I have already put together. (minus page 3: click HERE.)
The problem I'm running into is that our daughter is so beautiful and I took SO many pictures of her in the early months. And of course I'm biased, but SO many are good. And then there are a bunch of pictures from other family members, like Caslon and Camera Guy. Those could be a separate scrapbook by themselves! I'm thinking what I originally wanted to be her 1st year scrapbook will be her 1st 6 months scrapbook. I do need to dig out the baby book I bought and be intentional about not duplicating too much of what will go in there, KWIM?
Maybe if CRT and I start a contest, I'll get going on this and she'll finish Maddie's scrapbook.
Anyway, I narrowed down some pics to choose from, and now I just have to have them printed. my goal is to print enough to have pictures for at least 4 or 5 pages. i have some fun charms, brads, and pastel colored safety pins to add as embellishments.
i'm also re-thinking my color scheme and wanting to do some cutesy "traditional" baby pages... i have the feeling i'll end up just mixing and matching a lot. and stamping on the white pages.
anyway, here goes...
i am determined to move past page 3 of baby bear's scrapbook. so, while hubby used this laptop tonight, i got on the "old" one... the one with the non-functional screen (thanks to the melodrama of a spider scurrying across the floor toward my baby girl a few months back). it's the one that is connected to an old-style monitor 2 feet above it on the top of my roll top desk. it's also the one that houses my treasured photographs. the last 2 years of our life are summarized on that computer. anyway, i grabbed a blank sheet of printer paper and made a list. will those of you who are experienced scrappers tell me if this looks like a reasonable start? For a refresher look, this is what I have already put together. (minus page 3: click HERE.)
- 2 pages per month
- 4-8 pictures per month up to 6 months, plus Holidays, birth pages (2), 1st 2 weeks pages (2)- I know, this doesn't leave much space for journaling. I may have to crop creatively or something.
- pregnancy: belly shots, ultrasounds, me and bec at showers
The problem I'm running into is that our daughter is so beautiful and I took SO many pictures of her in the early months. And of course I'm biased, but SO many are good. And then there are a bunch of pictures from other family members, like Caslon and Camera Guy. Those could be a separate scrapbook by themselves! I'm thinking what I originally wanted to be her 1st year scrapbook will be her 1st 6 months scrapbook. I do need to dig out the baby book I bought and be intentional about not duplicating too much of what will go in there, KWIM?
Maybe if CRT and I start a contest, I'll get going on this and she'll finish Maddie's scrapbook.
Anyway, I narrowed down some pics to choose from, and now I just have to have them printed. my goal is to print enough to have pictures for at least 4 or 5 pages. i have some fun charms, brads, and pastel colored safety pins to add as embellishments.
i'm also re-thinking my color scheme and wanting to do some cutesy "traditional" baby pages... i have the feeling i'll end up just mixing and matching a lot. and stamping on the white pages.
anyway, here goes...
i should be cleaning
baby bear is napping, and i should be taking advantage of the opportunity to clean. I did get the bathrooms cleaned on Wednesday. laundry is going... straight to the bed in the guest room after it finishes drying.
i get to meet some of my online friends next week! on monday, some of the gals from women @ home will be coming to my house for lunch. i'm a little nervous. not about my house; i've forwarned them of my lack of martha-ness. i'll get it together enough. but i get that way about meeting people for the first time. i think part of it stems from the fact that hubby was 30 minutes late to our first official date. mostly, it's because i am more of an introvert by nature, in spite of what my blog may imply. anyway, it's going to be fun, and i felt it would be better to meet at my house than have the kids getting stir-crazy in a restaurant. we have pack-and-plays for naps, toys a plenty, and a play room.
on wednesday, baby bear and i get to meet grace and bee for the first time. i feel like i know them already, and can't wait! for some reason i am not as nervous about this meeting. pray for safety as they drive down; anyone who has read her blog knows how nervous interstate driving makes her because of the accident they were involved in.
ok... time to get off my bum and do something productive around here. when baby bear wakes up from her nap, i'm sure she'll want to go outside. oh, and there is dinner to think about.
baby bear is napping, and i should be taking advantage of the opportunity to clean. I did get the bathrooms cleaned on Wednesday. laundry is going... straight to the bed in the guest room after it finishes drying.
i get to meet some of my online friends next week! on monday, some of the gals from women @ home will be coming to my house for lunch. i'm a little nervous. not about my house; i've forwarned them of my lack of martha-ness. i'll get it together enough. but i get that way about meeting people for the first time. i think part of it stems from the fact that hubby was 30 minutes late to our first official date. mostly, it's because i am more of an introvert by nature, in spite of what my blog may imply. anyway, it's going to be fun, and i felt it would be better to meet at my house than have the kids getting stir-crazy in a restaurant. we have pack-and-plays for naps, toys a plenty, and a play room.
on wednesday, baby bear and i get to meet grace and bee for the first time. i feel like i know them already, and can't wait! for some reason i am not as nervous about this meeting. pray for safety as they drive down; anyone who has read her blog knows how nervous interstate driving makes her because of the accident they were involved in.
ok... time to get off my bum and do something productive around here. when baby bear wakes up from her nap, i'm sure she'll want to go outside. oh, and there is dinner to think about.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
baby fever strikes again
no, this isn't any grand announcement. we've just been in the presence of an adorable little four month old all afternoon. steph and caroline came over to our house this afternoon. they return home tomorrow, where army chaplain is sure to be waiting with open arms. (a motorcycle can only fill certain voids, you know.) i can't believe how quickly i forgot what it's like to hold a little one... and 13 lbs is not that tiny.
steph, wbt, baby bear, caroline and i walked to the grocery store and back. the 80 degree weather was perfect. both little ones seemed to think it was a grand adventure. 3 miles round trip is a decent little walk across the neighborhood and back. dinner was nostalgic. when we were roommates, and even before we shared an apartment, wbt, steph and i would make spaghetti dinners together. i'd make a salad, steph would chop the onion, someone would make garlic toast. so tonight, we made spaghetti. thankfully, i had the foresight to remove baby bear's clothing (except her diaper). she loved the spaghetti with meat sauce. and she even ate some of the salad. she also enjoyed munching on our sliced apples and white cheddar cheese "appetizer". (that reminded me of the old saying... "apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.") she grabbed an apple slice right out of steph's hand.
it's such a blessing to have friends that have been there through thick and thin. you know, the ones that know your faults and quirks and love you anyway. the ones that were around before your spouse... and in our case, the ones who witnessed the crazy "love at first sight" when we first met. baby bear and caroline were so curious about eachother. oh, baby bear was slightly possessive when i held the little one, but overall she played very nicely with her. she also kept trying to crawl into caroline's carseat. she would sign and say "baby", give her kisses, help her work the kick and play gym... yes, she could be a great big sister some day. it's a shame that hubby doesn't get to hold caroline for a couple of more days. if he were to hold her, maybe he would get baby fever, too.
no, this isn't any grand announcement. we've just been in the presence of an adorable little four month old all afternoon. steph and caroline came over to our house this afternoon. they return home tomorrow, where army chaplain is sure to be waiting with open arms. (a motorcycle can only fill certain voids, you know.) i can't believe how quickly i forgot what it's like to hold a little one... and 13 lbs is not that tiny.
steph, wbt, baby bear, caroline and i walked to the grocery store and back. the 80 degree weather was perfect. both little ones seemed to think it was a grand adventure. 3 miles round trip is a decent little walk across the neighborhood and back. dinner was nostalgic. when we were roommates, and even before we shared an apartment, wbt, steph and i would make spaghetti dinners together. i'd make a salad, steph would chop the onion, someone would make garlic toast. so tonight, we made spaghetti. thankfully, i had the foresight to remove baby bear's clothing (except her diaper). she loved the spaghetti with meat sauce. and she even ate some of the salad. she also enjoyed munching on our sliced apples and white cheddar cheese "appetizer". (that reminded me of the old saying... "apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.") she grabbed an apple slice right out of steph's hand.
it's such a blessing to have friends that have been there through thick and thin. you know, the ones that know your faults and quirks and love you anyway. the ones that were around before your spouse... and in our case, the ones who witnessed the crazy "love at first sight" when we first met. baby bear and caroline were so curious about eachother. oh, baby bear was slightly possessive when i held the little one, but overall she played very nicely with her. she also kept trying to crawl into caroline's carseat. she would sign and say "baby", give her kisses, help her work the kick and play gym... yes, she could be a great big sister some day. it's a shame that hubby doesn't get to hold caroline for a couple of more days. if he were to hold her, maybe he would get baby fever, too.
ramblings of an insomniac
i've been awake for over an hour. it's senseless, really. i should be sleeping soundly, but not, i've been tossing and turning. so i decided to grab the laptop and spare hubby the earthquake that is my restlessness. he had a long, busy day yesterday. he had to dress up for a meeting at work, and then we went to a wedding last night. so he spent almost 12 hours dressed up. no, wait, almost 14 hours. i didn't complain when he took off his tie and sport coat for the reception. nope, not one bit. he looks great without being all formal.
we decided to see how baby bear would handle a wedding. considering she did not have an afternoon nap (she awoke late yesterday morning, which resulted in a later morning nap, which ultimately resulted in no afternoon nap), she behaved fabulously. however, hubby ended up spending all but the opening prayer and closing prayer of the ceremony with her outide in front of the church. she loved climbing up and down the concrete steps. the bride gave her a tulip from her bouquet which disappeared at some point.
my friend's mom is married. she is one of those women you can't help but admire. she is full of life and joy. her life has not always been easy, but she has 4 grown children who love her and now she has someone with whom to share the rest of her life. her groom is younger than he looks at first glance. as he breathed a deep sigh of relief when the ceremony finally started (traffic held up several of the guests, and the bride chose to wait for their arrival), we could not help but laugh. the small church was nearly packed with friends and family, including several babies and toddlers. for some reason, i did not take many photos. my parents were there, and my dad took a few, so perhaps i will get them and post them.
observations from the reception: when asked to get something for baby bear to munch on, daddy brings back a couple of crackers, a bit of cheese, and one piece of pineapple. mommy goes to the appetizer table and sees canteloupe, honeydew melon, grapes, etc... guess what baby bear wanted to eat- crackers. main course? baby bear literally scoffed at the cold ham sandwich after being given bits of steak from the steak kabobs. as soon as the ham touched her mouth, she set it back down and reached for steak. hubby as well as another hubby took their daughters for diaper changes. i dare say that this is a good sign of parenting skills.
hubby humored me and about halfway through unchained melody, we joined others on the dance floor. i can't say we danced well, we sort of move to the music somewhat together. that's what happens when you get two people who were raised in environments that practically forbade dancing or lacked opportunity. my mom couldn't get my dad to dance with her, so she grabbed baby bear for the fox trot. i vow for us to take dance lessons someday. hubby says he stepped on my shoes, but he missed my toes. i loved watching the bride and groom enjoy dancing together. she in her gold suit with long flowing skirt, he in his ivory tux. they looked spectacular.
as a friend fed her daughter, which led to the standard, "how long did you breastfeed?" exchange, i felt proud of the attempts i made with baby bear. this friend made it 6 weeks, then she had to return to work and had no desire to pump. i don't blame her. our other friend retreated to the bathroom to nurse. i don't blame her either. her dress wasn't very nursing friendly. but i think after all baby bear and i went through in the nursing fiasco, if baby bear 2 and i do succeed, i will be all for nursing wherever we are, with a covering of course. i will feel entitled to the freedom to feed my child however, wherever, whenever needed. i will probably get a sling, too.
after we returned home and changed baby bear into her pj's, i rocked her back to sleep in the rocking chair that tech mom and dad brought over. it was wonderful.
oh, baby bear tried to eat dirt yesterday. it resulted in her getting a 2nd bath. i was pulling weeds out of our big earth pots, in hopes of attempting to plant something yet again in the near future. cherry tomatoes seem to do ok, as does okra. peppers... not so much. which is a shame, because i love them. anyway, she thought it was grand fun and proceeded to try to empty the dirty out of the pots one fist at a time.
there's a fine line between what goes on her blog and what goes on mine. this is my place to ramble, i try to be a little more concise on her blog. and i post more pictures there.
i got to hold another 4 month old little girl. it's scary how foreign a feeling it is to hold such a fragile newborn. baby bear is definitely a toddler. oh, she's not crawling out of her crib like her younger cousin did yesterday, but she loves doing somersaults (with assistance), climbing and flipping on whoever is holding her, playing chase. it's amazing how fast 17 months have disappeared. she can eat more than her father and i combined at a meal (you think i'm kidding), and the next she will eat barely a fistful of food.
as hubby and i "danced", it was nice to know baby bear was in safe hands. her grandaddy walked her around the reception area, up to view some artwork, peer in store windows, etc. (the reception was inside a factory that has been converted to a shopping mall/muli-function building. it's so cool. it even has a pet adoption place in it. and a church meets there.) it was nearly 9 p.m. by that point, well past her bedtime. and she rose to the occasion and cuddled with whomever happened to hold her at the moment. (mommy and daddy were first choice, grandparents a close 2nd.)
yes, it was a good night. a good day, too. we went from sleeping in to playing in the dirt to dressing up... i in my black dress that i found for $10 and couldn't fit in at the time, baby bear in her pink satin and white lacey dress. i think it may be her easter dress, it's so pretty... she looks like a doll in it.
maybe i can fall asleep, 2 hours after waking up. and if i'm lucky, maybe baby bear will not wake up for at least another 3 hours.
i've been awake for over an hour. it's senseless, really. i should be sleeping soundly, but not, i've been tossing and turning. so i decided to grab the laptop and spare hubby the earthquake that is my restlessness. he had a long, busy day yesterday. he had to dress up for a meeting at work, and then we went to a wedding last night. so he spent almost 12 hours dressed up. no, wait, almost 14 hours. i didn't complain when he took off his tie and sport coat for the reception. nope, not one bit. he looks great without being all formal.
we decided to see how baby bear would handle a wedding. considering she did not have an afternoon nap (she awoke late yesterday morning, which resulted in a later morning nap, which ultimately resulted in no afternoon nap), she behaved fabulously. however, hubby ended up spending all but the opening prayer and closing prayer of the ceremony with her outide in front of the church. she loved climbing up and down the concrete steps. the bride gave her a tulip from her bouquet which disappeared at some point.
my friend's mom is married. she is one of those women you can't help but admire. she is full of life and joy. her life has not always been easy, but she has 4 grown children who love her and now she has someone with whom to share the rest of her life. her groom is younger than he looks at first glance. as he breathed a deep sigh of relief when the ceremony finally started (traffic held up several of the guests, and the bride chose to wait for their arrival), we could not help but laugh. the small church was nearly packed with friends and family, including several babies and toddlers. for some reason, i did not take many photos. my parents were there, and my dad took a few, so perhaps i will get them and post them.
observations from the reception: when asked to get something for baby bear to munch on, daddy brings back a couple of crackers, a bit of cheese, and one piece of pineapple. mommy goes to the appetizer table and sees canteloupe, honeydew melon, grapes, etc... guess what baby bear wanted to eat- crackers. main course? baby bear literally scoffed at the cold ham sandwich after being given bits of steak from the steak kabobs. as soon as the ham touched her mouth, she set it back down and reached for steak. hubby as well as another hubby took their daughters for diaper changes. i dare say that this is a good sign of parenting skills.
hubby humored me and about halfway through unchained melody, we joined others on the dance floor. i can't say we danced well, we sort of move to the music somewhat together. that's what happens when you get two people who were raised in environments that practically forbade dancing or lacked opportunity. my mom couldn't get my dad to dance with her, so she grabbed baby bear for the fox trot. i vow for us to take dance lessons someday. hubby says he stepped on my shoes, but he missed my toes. i loved watching the bride and groom enjoy dancing together. she in her gold suit with long flowing skirt, he in his ivory tux. they looked spectacular.
as a friend fed her daughter, which led to the standard, "how long did you breastfeed?" exchange, i felt proud of the attempts i made with baby bear. this friend made it 6 weeks, then she had to return to work and had no desire to pump. i don't blame her. our other friend retreated to the bathroom to nurse. i don't blame her either. her dress wasn't very nursing friendly. but i think after all baby bear and i went through in the nursing fiasco, if baby bear 2 and i do succeed, i will be all for nursing wherever we are, with a covering of course. i will feel entitled to the freedom to feed my child however, wherever, whenever needed. i will probably get a sling, too.
after we returned home and changed baby bear into her pj's, i rocked her back to sleep in the rocking chair that tech mom and dad brought over. it was wonderful.
oh, baby bear tried to eat dirt yesterday. it resulted in her getting a 2nd bath. i was pulling weeds out of our big earth pots, in hopes of attempting to plant something yet again in the near future. cherry tomatoes seem to do ok, as does okra. peppers... not so much. which is a shame, because i love them. anyway, she thought it was grand fun and proceeded to try to empty the dirty out of the pots one fist at a time.
there's a fine line between what goes on her blog and what goes on mine. this is my place to ramble, i try to be a little more concise on her blog. and i post more pictures there.
i got to hold another 4 month old little girl. it's scary how foreign a feeling it is to hold such a fragile newborn. baby bear is definitely a toddler. oh, she's not crawling out of her crib like her younger cousin did yesterday, but she loves doing somersaults (with assistance), climbing and flipping on whoever is holding her, playing chase. it's amazing how fast 17 months have disappeared. she can eat more than her father and i combined at a meal (you think i'm kidding), and the next she will eat barely a fistful of food.
as hubby and i "danced", it was nice to know baby bear was in safe hands. her grandaddy walked her around the reception area, up to view some artwork, peer in store windows, etc. (the reception was inside a factory that has been converted to a shopping mall/muli-function building. it's so cool. it even has a pet adoption place in it. and a church meets there.) it was nearly 9 p.m. by that point, well past her bedtime. and she rose to the occasion and cuddled with whomever happened to hold her at the moment. (mommy and daddy were first choice, grandparents a close 2nd.)
yes, it was a good night. a good day, too. we went from sleeping in to playing in the dirt to dressing up... i in my black dress that i found for $10 and couldn't fit in at the time, baby bear in her pink satin and white lacey dress. i think it may be her easter dress, it's so pretty... she looks like a doll in it.
maybe i can fall asleep, 2 hours after waking up. and if i'm lucky, maybe baby bear will not wake up for at least another 3 hours.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Have you read John 17 lately?
This passage reveals the prayer that Jesus prayed just before Judas betrayed him. In the past, I have been drawn to his prayer for unity of those who believe in Him. He refers to the disciples as gifts from the Father to Himself, and prays for those who will believe on Him through their word.
Does that mean He considers us gifts from the Father, too?
All my life I have been taught that Jesus was God's gift to us. (John 3:16 makes that perfectly clear.) Until yesterday, I have never thought that perhaps Jesus considered those who believe in Him to be gifts, too. Wow.
This passage reveals the prayer that Jesus prayed just before Judas betrayed him. In the past, I have been drawn to his prayer for unity of those who believe in Him. He refers to the disciples as gifts from the Father to Himself, and prays for those who will believe on Him through their word.
Does that mean He considers us gifts from the Father, too?
All my life I have been taught that Jesus was God's gift to us. (John 3:16 makes that perfectly clear.) Until yesterday, I have never thought that perhaps Jesus considered those who believe in Him to be gifts, too. Wow.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
What happened to Spring? Brr.. it's cool out again. It rained a little yesterday, but was partly cloudy all day today. We drove up to Aldi to see if it was worth the drive for the savings. We decided it's not. It's not that far, but the savings didn't seem as good as they used to be. I was very disappointed because they didn't have any of the cream soda flavors that they used to have.
On the way home, we stopped by a playground. Baby bear loved the slides, but honestly, she had just as much fun picking up rocks.
Homemade chicken pot-pie is in the oven for supper, hubby mowed the lawn for the first time this year, then he went for his run. Baby bear is down for a nap, soon to awaken to the heavenly scent wafting from the oven.
I've kept laundry going today, but otherwise taken it very easy. I slept SO soundly last night. I should try working hard more often, because it sure seemed to help me sleep better.
Not much new. No deep thoughts or ponderings wandering through my mind, just plain old me dropping in to say hi to whoever is there. I hope your weekend is as restful as mine.
Oh, I forgot to mention... a couple of days ago a lady at the park said I look 18 or 19, not my age. You know you are growing up when you consider being told you look young a compliment.
On the way home, we stopped by a playground. Baby bear loved the slides, but honestly, she had just as much fun picking up rocks.
Homemade chicken pot-pie is in the oven for supper, hubby mowed the lawn for the first time this year, then he went for his run. Baby bear is down for a nap, soon to awaken to the heavenly scent wafting from the oven.
I've kept laundry going today, but otherwise taken it very easy. I slept SO soundly last night. I should try working hard more often, because it sure seemed to help me sleep better.
Not much new. No deep thoughts or ponderings wandering through my mind, just plain old me dropping in to say hi to whoever is there. I hope your weekend is as restful as mine.
Oh, I forgot to mention... a couple of days ago a lady at the park said I look 18 or 19, not my age. You know you are growing up when you consider being told you look young a compliment.
Friday, March 16, 2007
If you haven't heard Janice's good news, be sure to stop by her blog and check it out! Keep her and her little one in your prayers as the baby develops.
hubby takes a turn being SAHD
Yup, it was hubby's turn to be a Stay-at-home-Dad. He works long days so he can have every-other Friday off work. We love it. Well, about 6 months ago, tech mom suggested I look into cleaning houses. At the time I think I laughed in her face, or called crt and asked her if she wanted to hear the nonsense that my mother-in-law had suggested. That wasn't her only suggestion, and she was trying to brainstorm to help me come with a constructive solution to receipt-nazi-induced frustration. Yes, I love him. Yes, I am very grateful for his financial discipline, and no, that does not change the fact that he is a receipt nazi. Anyway, I really don't want him to have to pick up an extra job when he works so hard already. And I really love those Fridays off. But I have begun to look into finding something part time (perhaps around 10 hours a week). Something that will be flexible enough for me to only work partial weekends, so hubby and baby bear can have bonding time. Preferrably something close to home. I haven't applied at the grocery stores yet (there are now 2 less than 2 miles away from my house.) I am also going to consider tutoring in the Subject that I taught, but my books are all packed away in boxes and finding them is a somewhat daunting task.
Anyway, we have friends from church who own their own cleaning business. It is small, but has grown enough to where they have thought about hiring additional help. However, they aren't quite ready to take on that commitment. Anyway, after a conversation I had with Mrs. Clean, as I will call her here, I began to think about possibly helping them out. I could potentially help clean if they really need someone else on the Friday mornings hubby has off, providing we aren't galavanting around the globe or across the state to visit family. Today, Mr. Clean and I embarked on my first "job". Well, not first job ever, but first job cleaning someone else's house. The last time I did any type of house cleaning and got paid for it was when I was about 9 years old, and "Grandma Hock" from our church in MI hired me to help clean out her kitchen cabinets. It hurt her back too much to hunch over, and I thought it was fun. Anyway, though I had initially scoffed at my mil for suggesting such a thing, there I was today, trying on my oldest jeans. Unfortunately, the size 7 and 8's were still too small (in spite of the fact that I've lost 5 more pounds since January), so I had to choose the pair of good jeans that I would least mind ruining with bleach or other household cleaners. I threw on a "Blood Battle" (UT-Martin and Murray State Blood Drive)T-shirt, and off I went to meet Mr. Clean. I'd forgotten that normal people are actually awake and out and about at 7:00 a.m., and it took me 20 minutes to drive 6 miles. Nothin' like being late to your first day of a new job. Oh, well. The afternoon cleaning actually turned out to be in a neighborhood I will not be going to by myself, not far from where hubby used to patrol the streets. It doesn't look as scary during the day, and the apartment was actually slightly cleaner than my house's current state... the inside of the fridge was cleaner than my own fridge's current state. But I have been reminded that other people's grime is much scarier than your own personal grime for some reason. Thankfully, I will get to decide whether or not I want to accept a cleaning job in the future.
So, as we approach the weekend, I now have my feet kicked up on the ottoman. We went out for pizza, and apparently something in the salad bar hit my stomach wrong, so I had a rough hour or so after we got home. Baby Bear went straight to sleep after brushing her teeth.
OH, I almost forgot to share the best part of my day. And no, I'm not talking about the fact that the husband at morning cleaning appt. has the same name as my hubby IRL (no, not receipt nazi), his wife's name is 2 letters different than mine, and their last name has the same first 3 letters. Their sons' names are nothing like Baby Bear's, but they are almost as cute as she is. Nor am I referring to the fact that hubby swept the kitchen floor, folded laundry, and wiped down the counters while I was gone. (Have I mentioned that he is a WONDERFUL hubby? No? Well, he is! Tech Mom, you raised him well!!!)
No, the BEST part of my day was getting to experience the joy of seeing my little girl's beautiful grin and feel her hug me as hard as she can because I am home. I never realized that I take her sweet smiles and hugs for granted until I was away from her for a full work day.
Maybe I will actually clean my own house while baby bear and daddy play this weekend. I haven't quite gotten into the swing of things with my routine.
Yup, it was hubby's turn to be a Stay-at-home-Dad. He works long days so he can have every-other Friday off work. We love it. Well, about 6 months ago, tech mom suggested I look into cleaning houses. At the time I think I laughed in her face, or called crt and asked her if she wanted to hear the nonsense that my mother-in-law had suggested. That wasn't her only suggestion, and she was trying to brainstorm to help me come with a constructive solution to receipt-nazi-induced frustration. Yes, I love him. Yes, I am very grateful for his financial discipline, and no, that does not change the fact that he is a receipt nazi. Anyway, I really don't want him to have to pick up an extra job when he works so hard already. And I really love those Fridays off. But I have begun to look into finding something part time (perhaps around 10 hours a week). Something that will be flexible enough for me to only work partial weekends, so hubby and baby bear can have bonding time. Preferrably something close to home. I haven't applied at the grocery stores yet (there are now 2 less than 2 miles away from my house.) I am also going to consider tutoring in the Subject that I taught, but my books are all packed away in boxes and finding them is a somewhat daunting task.
Anyway, we have friends from church who own their own cleaning business. It is small, but has grown enough to where they have thought about hiring additional help. However, they aren't quite ready to take on that commitment. Anyway, after a conversation I had with Mrs. Clean, as I will call her here, I began to think about possibly helping them out. I could potentially help clean if they really need someone else on the Friday mornings hubby has off, providing we aren't galavanting around the globe or across the state to visit family. Today, Mr. Clean and I embarked on my first "job". Well, not first job ever, but first job cleaning someone else's house. The last time I did any type of house cleaning and got paid for it was when I was about 9 years old, and "Grandma Hock" from our church in MI hired me to help clean out her kitchen cabinets. It hurt her back too much to hunch over, and I thought it was fun. Anyway, though I had initially scoffed at my mil for suggesting such a thing, there I was today, trying on my oldest jeans. Unfortunately, the size 7 and 8's were still too small (in spite of the fact that I've lost 5 more pounds since January), so I had to choose the pair of good jeans that I would least mind ruining with bleach or other household cleaners. I threw on a "Blood Battle" (UT-Martin and Murray State Blood Drive)T-shirt, and off I went to meet Mr. Clean. I'd forgotten that normal people are actually awake and out and about at 7:00 a.m., and it took me 20 minutes to drive 6 miles. Nothin' like being late to your first day of a new job. Oh, well. The afternoon cleaning actually turned out to be in a neighborhood I will not be going to by myself, not far from where hubby used to patrol the streets. It doesn't look as scary during the day, and the apartment was actually slightly cleaner than my house's current state... the inside of the fridge was cleaner than my own fridge's current state. But I have been reminded that other people's grime is much scarier than your own personal grime for some reason. Thankfully, I will get to decide whether or not I want to accept a cleaning job in the future.
So, as we approach the weekend, I now have my feet kicked up on the ottoman. We went out for pizza, and apparently something in the salad bar hit my stomach wrong, so I had a rough hour or so after we got home. Baby Bear went straight to sleep after brushing her teeth.
OH, I almost forgot to share the best part of my day. And no, I'm not talking about the fact that the husband at morning cleaning appt. has the same name as my hubby IRL (no, not receipt nazi), his wife's name is 2 letters different than mine, and their last name has the same first 3 letters. Their sons' names are nothing like Baby Bear's, but they are almost as cute as she is. Nor am I referring to the fact that hubby swept the kitchen floor, folded laundry, and wiped down the counters while I was gone. (Have I mentioned that he is a WONDERFUL hubby? No? Well, he is! Tech Mom, you raised him well!!!)
No, the BEST part of my day was getting to experience the joy of seeing my little girl's beautiful grin and feel her hug me as hard as she can because I am home. I never realized that I take her sweet smiles and hugs for granted until I was away from her for a full work day.
Maybe I will actually clean my own house while baby bear and daddy play this weekend. I haven't quite gotten into the swing of things with my routine.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Pray for Janice at 5minutesformom. She has 2 lumps in her breast, polyps in her cervix, and is pregnant. Her ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow.
We have a play date this morning! The thought of being around other Moms and their kids is making me a little nervous. Will Baby Bear be in a good mood? Will she play nicely with the other kids?
Part of me wants to chicken out and stay home in my comfort zone of plaid purple pj pants, a t-shirt, and my glasses. I guess there is still an introvert left inside me after all.
Part of me wants to chicken out and stay home in my comfort zone of plaid purple pj pants, a t-shirt, and my glasses. I guess there is still an introvert left inside me after all.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
i found my dream home
When we can afford it, we can afford a housekeeper.
Or we'll have enough kids who are old enough to do the chores.
When we can afford it, we can afford a housekeeper.
Or we'll have enough kids who are old enough to do the chores.
works for me wednesday: project "get hubby to eat green veggies"
With asparagus in season and on sale, I took it upon myself to buy some for ou family. I like it, Baby-bear likes it... hubby tolerates it. I LOVE green veggies with pasta. They provide balance. And since I had decided to make chicken-bowtie pasta tonight, I decided asparagus would be a perfect side. Hubby eats green bean casserole. I use that term cautiously. I don't mean that he thoroughly enjoys to eat it. But as those of you who've been around here a while know, he's not that easy to cook for. And the fact that somehow in the last couple of years, he has decided green bean casserole is tolerable, is nothing short of a miracle. He hates creamy casseroles. Anything with mayo makes him gag. But the combo of cream of mushroom soup, French's fried onions, and green beans is edible to him.
Well, I decided to try asparagus casserole on him tonight. I substituted cream of chicken for cream of mushroom soup, as that's what was in the pantry. I boiled some water, then boiled 1 lb. of crispy, fresh asparagus til tender but not floppy (about 5 minutes). Then I followed the directions for green bean casserole as they are on the can. I used garlic salt, sea salt, pepper, and italian seasonings to add extra flavor.
Verdict? Works for me. Hubby ate his whole portion. Sure, it was only about 1/4 cup, and no more. But he cleaned his plate. Baby bear probably ate twice as much asparagus as her Daddy.
I'm breaking him down, one veggie at a time.
With asparagus in season and on sale, I took it upon myself to buy some for ou family. I like it, Baby-bear likes it... hubby tolerates it. I LOVE green veggies with pasta. They provide balance. And since I had decided to make chicken-bowtie pasta tonight, I decided asparagus would be a perfect side. Hubby eats green bean casserole. I use that term cautiously. I don't mean that he thoroughly enjoys to eat it. But as those of you who've been around here a while know, he's not that easy to cook for. And the fact that somehow in the last couple of years, he has decided green bean casserole is tolerable, is nothing short of a miracle. He hates creamy casseroles. Anything with mayo makes him gag. But the combo of cream of mushroom soup, French's fried onions, and green beans is edible to him.
Well, I decided to try asparagus casserole on him tonight. I substituted cream of chicken for cream of mushroom soup, as that's what was in the pantry. I boiled some water, then boiled 1 lb. of crispy, fresh asparagus til tender but not floppy (about 5 minutes). Then I followed the directions for green bean casserole as they are on the can. I used garlic salt, sea salt, pepper, and italian seasonings to add extra flavor.
Verdict? Works for me. Hubby ate his whole portion. Sure, it was only about 1/4 cup, and no more. But he cleaned his plate. Baby bear probably ate twice as much asparagus as her Daddy.
I'm breaking him down, one veggie at a time.
Toddler time...
I've been reading some other mom's posts today, and after this post I WILL get offline. Baby-bear naps, and I must say the laptop is like a Siren beckoning to me... I did begin reading through Proverbs a little earlier, and think that is a very good place to get back into the Word.
Anyway, I just wanted to share something I found, and perhaps open up some conversation based on a blog I just read. The author of the blog "So Many Joys" shares some TV-Free Toddler Activities for her Works-for-Me Wednesday entry.
Baby Bear loves following me while I work on laundry, putting pop cans in the fridge, and today she put her new baby wipes into the cabinet of her dresser for storage. She would rather tear blocks down than stack them up, but at least she has fun doing it.
What are some of your favorite TV-Free activities? I've found myself getting into a TV-rut with Baby Bear's new videos (she loves Blue's Room). She is starting to enjoy coloring, but she has yet to learn that she can't color everything she wants. If you don't have toddlers (i.e. they are grown or you aren't "there" yet), what are some things you used to do with your kids or you have seen others do that you plan to implement with your kids?
I've been reading some other mom's posts today, and after this post I WILL get offline. Baby-bear naps, and I must say the laptop is like a Siren beckoning to me... I did begin reading through Proverbs a little earlier, and think that is a very good place to get back into the Word.
Anyway, I just wanted to share something I found, and perhaps open up some conversation based on a blog I just read. The author of the blog "So Many Joys" shares some TV-Free Toddler Activities for her Works-for-Me Wednesday entry.
Baby Bear loves following me while I work on laundry, putting pop cans in the fridge, and today she put her new baby wipes into the cabinet of her dresser for storage. She would rather tear blocks down than stack them up, but at least she has fun doing it.
What are some of your favorite TV-Free activities? I've found myself getting into a TV-rut with Baby Bear's new videos (she loves Blue's Room). She is starting to enjoy coloring, but she has yet to learn that she can't color everything she wants. If you don't have toddlers (i.e. they are grown or you aren't "there" yet), what are some things you used to do with your kids or you have seen others do that you plan to implement with your kids?
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