Common Misconceptions - My Man Is On A Roll

Another Misconception

Just because my husband works from home doesn't mean I don't have A LIST.

You know what kind of list I'm talking about=)

1-Hang this picture frame

2-Fix the doorknob

3-Put lightbulbs in ALL the fans since they are way out my reach and they seem to all burn out at one time=)

4-etc.

I've been pretty sick, again, this week with some kind of sinus something.  We've also been going non-stop since we got back from Thanksgiving, until yesterday.  I decided to just take it easy, especially since I could hardly move.  Josh, on the other hand, has been working like crazy to check everything off of my list for him that's been adding up for quite some time. 

He hung picture frames, fixed light bulbs, started painting the trim on our house, and putting a new doorknob on our front door (one with a dead-bolt preferably, so the bad guys don't get in;).  All while overseeing the kids since I've been so sick!  He said he never has a day to just work on stuff around the house and I know he has felt a huge sense of accomplishment.  I really appreciate his hard work.  My man can do just about anything!  I sure love this guy=)

Josh and his little helper

SOP - It Begins - Part 1

During my first 2 pregnancies I had what my brother has coined as SOP's:  "Signs Of Pregnancy".  It was basically a cop-out for anything silly that I would do that I could blame on pregnancy=)

I can already tell that this pregnancy is going to be NO DIFFERENT!

While I was making a family favorite for dinner last night I started scrambling eggs to put in the main dish.  Not a problem in and of itself, but there were NO EGGS in the recipe.  I didn't just put 1 or 2 scrambled eggs in the dish, no, that could have been covered up with the rest of the stuff that went in it...I put 6 scrambled eggs in it.  What in the world was I thinking????

Oh, the things my family will have to put up with for the next 9 months=)

I Don't Understand Why ...

... they make strands of lights that completely cut off because of ONE light bulb!!

We had 2 LONG strands of lights where only half of the lights worked.  Josh and I spent forever trying to figure out the culprit to no avail.*sigh* 

Then, the next morning I went to plug in the lights that I had put around a window and they would no longer work either.  They went directly in the trash!  I hear Lowe's Christmas decorations are 50% this week;)

Tree Time

We went and got our tree this week!  We've been counting the days for weeks=)  We decided to try something different this year.  Instead of waiting until AFTER dinner when the kids are starting to get cranky and the parents are beginning to get impatient and bed time is long gone...(you can just imagine what our past experiences have been like)...we decided to go AFTER breakfast when the kids are fresh and "happy hearts" are abounding!

So, we went and picked out the perfect tree

The kids had a GREAT time decorating it (well, at least the bottom 3 branches=)

And maybe the kids still didn't have the best of attitudes, but we DID have a fun day!

Mission accomplished=)

I WANT More Covers!!!

Zeke has been going through this stage that just seems like it WILL NOT end!

Here is what happens...

Josh and I are sound asleep when we are awakened from our slumber to yelling, screaming and banging on the door (how Areyna can sleep through it all is beyond me).  It really begins when Zeke wakes up and realizes that he is twisted up in his covers.  His first reaction is to jump out of bed and then he's mad at himself for getting up and not knowing how to get back under the covers, then it just escalates when Josh and I refuse to go in and help him because we have showed him, helped him and taught him to do it by himself.

Here is a sample conversation with Zeke before we leave his room for the night.

Me - "Nite-nite Zeke.  I Love you"

Zeke - "I love you too mommy"

Me - "Zeke, now you know you MAY NOT YELL, you MAY NOT SCREAM, and you MAY NOT BANG ON THE DOOR for mommy and daddy to come put covers on after right now because you need to do it by your..."

Zeke - "...self"

Me - "Yes ma'am?"

Zeke - "yes ma'am!"

I'm not quite sure what the problem is.  We have even had to give him "consequences" in the middle of the night because he just will not settle down and he is so worked up about it.

So, we have tried EVERYTHING!  I have tried slicker covers that are easier to slide up by himself, I've tried smaller covers, bigger covers, doubling up covers...  

Josh had a brilliant idea last night though!  He got a big blanket/quilt from our hall closet and he completely covered Zeke's bed and tucked it all under Zeke's mattress.  After Zeke slid in his covers last night he couldn't budge he was tucked in so tight.  In fact, the covers hadn't even moved by the time we went and got the kids up this morning.  I think we've finally found the trick=)

Words Of Wisdom - The Reaction

After Josh and I told the good news to Rainy and Zeke we got several different reactions, including Zeke running around saying he has a baby in his tummy too=), but a couple of Rainy's were PRICELESS...

Areyna's big smile could have lit up a room=)  She is SO excited!

Then...

She looked at me, and in a very troubled voice she said, "But mommy, you have to get MARRIED first!"

I couldn't help but laugh!

After several minutes she came back over to me, gave me a big hug and kiss, and then she asked, "Did God come down and give you a baby in your tummy?"

We've been praying for this baby for 9 months and Areyna KNOWS that this baby is a gift from God=)

Where Are We Going To Put Another One?

Hopefully we'll be able to find out by AUGUST 5, 2009!!!=)

Calling All Plumbers, Or At Least Someone Who Knows Something About Refrigerators

We made it home yesterday.  Shew, I'm exhausted.  We made it right in time to put the kids down for a short nap and frantically unpack and try to get as much done in the office as we could before heading over to our friends house for a Christmas Eve Planning Meeting.

I love being home, although I never know what to expect from the kids the first night back.  Besides the normal stuff, like Zeke screaming for covers in the middle of the night, it was pretty uneventful ... until 5am.  We heard this awful screeching sound that woke both of us up.  It was our ice maker and it sounded like something electrical with the water in the freezer.  It made me a little nervous.  We shook it and banged on it until it stopped.  (Isn't that what you're supposed to do=))  We noticed that the ice in the bin was just big chunks of melted water that was refrozen.  We thought it was fine so we just took the ice bin out to thaw it and start over.

Fast forward a couple of hours.  I walk into the kitchen to a big puddle around the rug at the foot of the refrigerator.  The temperature seems fine in the refrigerator but it is leaking now.  What in the world?!

Does anybody know what we should do or what's going on?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated=)

Grocery Experiment - So Far So Good

In November I started a new grocery experiment.  I wanted to share my results with you.  Maybe it will be of some help to some of you.

Here are my rules...

***NOTE:  I don't have a separate budget for household items, diapers and medicine.  These are all included***

1-Go to the ATM and withdraw $140 cash.  (Not sure why I chose this amount, it's just a goal I'd like to keep) This has to last us for 2 weeks.  Why cash?  Because that is the only true way of keeping track of how much you've spent and what you've got left to spend.  Plus, if you run out of cash IT'S GONE; THAT's IT, and you are more likely to spend less money so you can stretch that dollar=)

2-Go to Aldi and stock up on pantry essentials to last us for 2 weeks plus produce and perishables to last for one week.

3-Hit up the rock bottom deals from the Grocery Game at Harris Teeter on the way home.

4-The leftover cash I have after I've made these 2 stops will be to get produce and any rock bottom deals at Harris Teeter the following week.

First 2 week results - Went $3 over budget (this included my weekly CVS trips)

Second 2 week results - Went $10 over budget (this included the food I made for our Thanksgiving get-together at the Via's, the stuff I made for Areyna's Thanksgiving feast at her school and the $1.86 I spent for a TON of FREE stuff at CVS last week)

I love that I don't have to feel rushed to get to the grocery store every week and that it takes less time to prepare for this trip.  I think I'll stick with it.

At this rate I'll be averaging right around $280 for groceries a month.  

Do you grocery shop every week, 2 times a month or 1 big time a month?  I'd love to hear your input...