Feeling My Age February 2, 2009

Are there any other women out there 27, with a couple kids under their belt, feeling their age?  Yeah?  Me too!  I made the mistake about commenting about that on Facebook, and people are actually giving me crap about it!

I remember when I was 19 or 20.  Working 40+ hours on my feet, taking about 16 hours at community college, and staying up until all hours going to concerts or whatever with my friends.  And I thrived on it!  Granted, I did still have my mom to take care of me.

Now, years later, I just can’t do those things!  I can’t take care of two kids, try to stay in shape, clean my house, stay up until the wee hours of the morn, wake up with those kids, and feel great!  Sorry, but I feel my age! And if you don’t get that, then just wait:  your time will come.

25 Random Facts January 20, 2009

My friend over at Scats Thoughtered Tagged me for this.  I may be too tired to think though…

I don’t know how I’m going to come up with all 25.

1. I’m about to finish reading The Host by Stephanie Meyers.  I’ve read it in like three days, and the only reason it’s not finished is…

2. Sometimes I like to put off finishing a novel when I really like it.  Delayed gratification.

3.  I love hoodies.  I’ve been accused of being obsessed. lol

4. It annoys me that wordpress makes you double space every line like this.

5. Growing up I wanted to be a novelist.

6. I played basketball for 4 years… I wish I would’ve more.

7. I don’t really like candy unless there’s chocolate involved.

8.  Last night I finished knitting my first wrist warmer… it’s for my sister-in-law Ginny.

9. I cry every time I see Emma (the one with Gwyneth Paltrow).

10. You may have noticed this already, but I love to read Historical fiction (especially Victorian) and fantasy.

11. I could take or leave most non-fiction books, but I do like to read books on being a better wife/mom/homemaker.  Occasionally I’ll get on a different kick too.

12.  One of those kicks was a few years ago, and I did a TON of research on self sustained living and farming.  Maybe it’ll come in handy some day.

13.  I’m starting to get the gardening itch again.  Too bad it’s 29 degrees outside!

14. I hate cold weather. I hate being cold.  I need some socks on.

15.  I hate talking on the phone.  I would rather email any day.  There are very rare exceptions to this rule.

16.  I’ve been feeling really socially awkward lately.  Sure, I’ve always been pretty introverted.  But lately I’ve been noticing how extremely uncomfortable I am in groups.  Ugh.

17.  When my kids aren’t around people still think I’m in highschool. I try to take this as a compliment.  I wonder how old you have to be before people stop thinking of you as a kid!

18.  I’d rather clean a really dirty bathroom that organize just about anything.  I think I’ve talked about how futile organizing is on this blog before. hehe

19.  I couldn’t sleep through a movie if my life depended on it.  Maybe that is a little bit of an exaggeration.

20.  It takes me half an hour to get to sleep on average.

21.  I wish Ikea would move to KC.  (I’m trying to be really random here!)  My house would thank them.

22. I think that showers are inconvenient.  Don’t worry… I still take them.  I’ll like them again once it warms up.  Probably.

23.  I’m working on my first ever baby dress.  For Lillian of course.  I’m about half way through.

24.  When I was young (er) I used to say that there were two types of guys I would never want to marry: A Doctor or a Catholic.  Not sure how I came upon this theory.  It’s pretty funny now.

25. I just got through cleaning up 3/4 of a container of parmesan cheese that was sprinkled/dumped throughout the downstairs.  B is just so much fun (sense the sarcasm)?

Em tagged four people, so I guess I will be just as nice. *evil grin*  Chad, Mom, Mo, and Lori (you’re due for an update anyway   it’s your turn!

Mid-Week Catch-Up October 8, 2008

Outside: My squashes are succumbing to powdery mildew.  I’m trying to decide if it’s worth the effort to try to save them at this late date.  I think I will try a solution of baking soda and water on my yellow squashes.  They were doing so well, until the mildew.  Probably just let the decorative squash go… I’ve gotten so many more than I ever thought possible already!  I’m wishing I planted pumpkin instead.  Next year.  C planted some new shade grass seed in the front, and it seems to be doing well.  If only the warm weather would stick around a little while.  It was cold last night!! I guess I shouldn’t have left windows open in my room!

In My Kitchen: I was afraid I was only going to have recipe posts for a long time, because I’ve been baking so much (perfect weather for it).  So, I decided I’d better just get in a good catch up post.  More fall recipes to come… probably tomorrow.

I am wearing: My workout clothes.  I did yoga at home this morning, because last Wednesday I strained my back in class, so I needed to basically just stretch out. It finally is starting to feel normal again, so I’m trying not to make it worse again.  We did go to the Y so that I could use the elliptical machine though.  I had to go to the grocery store anyway.  The Price Chopper by me probably thinks I only wear workout clothes, and look gross all the time. I’m always combining the trip.  I have to try to save gas though!

Latest Creative Endeavor: I started knitting again!  Maybe I’ll have a little hat to show off soon.

I am going: to walk the 1 mile fun walk in support of the Rachel House (crisis pregnancy center), along with the kids and my G-ma.  C is going to run the 5 k!  I’m excited to put my money (and time) where my mouth is. hehe  Anyone else participating?

Can’t Wait For: My G-ma’s fried chicken and mashed potatoes on Sunday for my uncle’s birthday.  And I always look forward to family get togethers.

Family News: hmmm… B started saying “I love fill-in-the-blank” all the time.  I say “let’s go outside” he says “I love outside!”.  I say “we’re having soup for supper” he says “I love soup!” and so on.  So funny.

Current Read: Shopping for Time and A Constant Heart.  A friend loaned me a copy of that last one.  I think she’ll have a review up on her blog pretty soon about it.  It was about living as a courtier in Queen Elizabeth’s court, which I found very interesting.  It held my attention really well, so I finished it really quickly (despite all my other books I’m reading).  It had a good plot, but to be honest: the heroine drove me a little crazy.  She was just– a little too stupid for me.   If she’d been smarter there would’ve been no book though.  Overall good for new Christain fiction.

I am hoping: Still hoping to finish painting and cleaning up my room. Also, hoping to get a pic that you can actually tell what color it is.  No success so far.

I am hearing: L refusing to nap. I thought I already had her asleep too.  She should be exhausted.  She never wakes up at night, but last night she woke up 2x and wouldn’t go back to sleep.  I should be napping myself.

Around the house:So much to do, so little time.

Simple Pleasures: Sunny fall days.

Plans for the Weekend: Whoops. I basically already talked about all of it that I have planned.  For Friday night: I might actually be able to see my husband for more than an hour.

Now I’d better go talk (or rock rather) L into taking a nap.

More Summarizing August 27, 2008

Outside: Haven’t spent much time outside this week to be honest. I’m going to regret it when it gets cold! I’ve gone out just to get some mint, peppers, and squash. The above pic is the harvest from my crazy decorative squash plants (which I need a pic of– coming soon) I did order seeds for a fall garden though! From Bountiful Gardens– there’s a link over in the sidebar I believe.

In My Kitchen: I’ve been trying to get other things done this week. I did make a mean salmon fillet yesterday (that I should’ve taken a pic of) from the latest Everyday Food magazine. I have a free subscription to that and like it a lot. May do some baking tomorrow…

I am wearing: jeans and t shirt. bleh

Latest Creative Endeavor: Some secret stuff, plus the bath crayons from yesterday. I did another batch today– more on that tomorrow hopefully. I did let B use the bombed ones in the tub today. Lol. They bombed of course.

I am going: to my first Pi- Yo class tomorrow morning, plus a garage sale hopefully. Both cars are acting up right now though…

Can’t Wait For: Friday when we head to Oklahoma for a wedding plus a different wedding reception the next day (both in the same family). The wedding that I was Maid of Honor in in FL will now have a reception in OK for those people. That’s where the bride and I are from (and of course where we met in 4th grade). Her brother is getting married the same weekend.

Family News: Chad and I had a fun day at Worlds and Oceans of Fun. I didn’t feel that great from the get-go, but it was nice to get out by ourselves for awhile. Kids did good at GG’s too.

Current Read: I just started another book (lol) called The Creative Family, and I like it a lot so far. I need all the help I can get!

I am hoping: To get everything done I need to to leave town on Friday afternoon. All of a sudden it feels like a lot tonight.

I am hearing: C brushing his teeth.

Around the house:Floor cleaning day. Didn’t get much else done somehow– just trying to keep my head above water and wishing I didn’t have so much floor to clean!

Simple Pleasures:Watching L have so much fun tapping her hands on the stairs while climbing (I really need to stop her from doing that, but she has so much fun!)

Plans for the Weekend: Outta town! Hanging out with best friend and her new HUSBAND for the first time!

Boycotting CVS August 19, 2008

Not all of them. Just the one on Wornal and 75th St. Allow me to vent:

I went to CVS to get some claritin because I was grocery shopping near there and I had a couple coupons to use. I also had a coupon for a free chapstick. So, I gathered everything I needed (their claritin is overpriced btw– even their off-brand, which is what I buy). The cashier seems nice. I didn’t have my cvs card, so I asked her to look up my account. No problem. She rings everything up, then tries to use my coupon. The computer apparently tells her that the coupon won’t work for the account. She tells me that it must be the wrong account. “The coupons says Alicia T****– Who are you?” I said that I am Alicia, and I gave her the same phone number that I used the previous day when the coupons printed out. All of a sudden she starts accusing me of trying to use someone else’s coupons. So, I tell her again that I gave her the same phone number that I gave the other day, and it was right then because it says my name on the coupon. She said something else, and I told her that she never told me what name came up when she put my number in. Apparently a name doesn’t come up (that’s stupid). She gets all defensive that she couldn’t have put in the wrong number, then calls over the manager. He looks at the receipt and finds out that the coupon is expired. She rattles on more. Apparently one of them worked, but the other two were expired. I said I didn’t want the chapstick, because I was only getting it because it was free (really I didn’t want it because I was ticked off). They asked if I wanted everything else. He explains again that they were expired. I said I understand, and that “I am only frustrated because of the way she accused me, and handled the whole situation badly, so I just wanted him to know that.” He said that he understood and that they would talk about that. I said thank you. Then the receipt printed out and he patronizingly tells me “here, you’ve got another coupon!”. Grrr. The coupons were beside the point!!!! I was fighting back tears by the time that was all over. I realize that if you don’t know me that well that won’t mean much to you. Just ask my husband how often I actually cry. I had more shopping to do too!

Don’t you just hate service these days! I worked in customer service from the time I was 15 until I got married at 20, then off and on in different capacities after that. I never would treat someone that like woman treated me today. What happened to “the customer is always right?” Even if she had been a teenager I would’ve given her some leeway (even though I was a teenager most of the time I was in retail), but she was older than my mother!

Anyway, this one situation wouldn’t be enough to make me completely boycott this CVS (even though I would not want to run into that cashier again). Two weeks ago I took in two prescriptions at the drive through late at night, and told them I would pick them up the following morning. I went to pick them up and they could not find them. The clueless pharmacy worker finally dug one up that, come to find out, was not even a prescription and I could’ve gotten in the night before over -the-counter. They completely misplaced the actual prescription. This is where she should have confidently told me that they would call my dr immediately and get the prescription replaced. No, after hemming and hawing she told me that they could call the dr and that they do that over lunch hour, so the prescription would probably be ready sometime that day. Excuse me! I left and called her manager. The only thing that saved that situation is that by the time I called the manager she was already aware of the situation, and was taking care of it.

But I’m done with that place! Good thing (for me) that Walgreens is right across the street! Anyone else have similar problems lately?

Time for some yoga.

Shiny Floor June 17, 2008

So, here’s what our kitchen looked like when we bought it. See that grody carpet? Not very well, but believe me, it was grody. So, I finally got fed up and made Chad pull it all up. Plus one layer of sticky tile. I was thinking that even if it was horrible tile underneath at least I can keep tile clean.

Here’s what it looks like after at least 6 hours of cleaning. Two of which were today. It looks ok now, but in two days the stickiness that I still haven’t gotten to budge will make it look horrible again. I know because that’s what happened to the part of the floor I had done of Friday. Plus, I cut myself on the side of the scraper where there’s a blade. Wah. Maybe we should just slap some cheap stuff one. Will I regret it when it makes us take longer to do the real remodel?

Garage Sales May 31, 2008

We’ve been having a great time garage saling lately. Here’s one of our awesome purchases for the day:

All this little people stuff for just $10! I looked it up on ebay and found just the barn with misc figurines in it for $15 plus shipping and handling! Wow!  Little people stuff is great for kids from Lillian’s age to who knows when– B still loves them!

I also got good deals on some craft stuff, and Chad found an awesome deal on sandals, but he already blogged about those.

Moms Read This May 31, 2008

Foot Pacifier May 31, 2008

I tried and tried to get a pic of L sucking on her foot tonight.  Every time she’d get it in there she’d be distracted by the camera. Bummer. I am not giving up though.

Sewing May 30, 2008

Been doing a little sewing here lately.  Got some curtains finished finally:

The second living room curtain.  Finished a few weeks ago.  Nothing fancy.

And one of L’s windows.  Cool fabric from Ikea (bought last May in MN without a purpose in mind).

And a new sling for Lillian!  Not the greatest picture of the sling itself, but it’s the same as the last one (pretty much).