365 of 30

10 Tuesdays of Me! - 6 Places

2011-07-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do 2 lists for this. 6 Places that I loved having been at and 6 places I hope to go one day.

6 Places I loved being:

In the hospital when I first held both my girls. Those two moments were two of the best of my life.
In the car with Mikey when we went on our vacation to South Dakota five years ago. South Dakota was nice, but I think the fun of going with him was probably the best part of that. The Badlands are pretty awesome though.
In my Great Aunt Phyl's house. I loved that house. I have great memories of being there when I would walk the mile over from my Grandma's and I have great memories of being there when I lived there with my parents. Sometimes I'm sad that they don't still live there.
On the basketball court in high school. I wasn't really all that good at basketball, but there was something about being out there and playing that I still have dreams about. Now the locker room being yelled at by coaches and teammates...that's a different story...
In my classroom when a student gets excited about something we are studying. I'm a dork who loves all the stuff I teach and I get pretty excited when a kid shows some enthusiasm.
My bed. I love sleeping. I particularly love when all 4 of take a nap on weekend afternoons in it. That's pretty close to heaven for me.

6 places I hope to get to someday

Yellowstone - we are actually sort of planning a trip next June with my parents to celebrate Mikey and I's 5th year wedding anniversary and my parent's 40th ann. (I know we are soooo romantic - traveling with my parents for our ann.)
Alaska
New York City
Washington DC - I went in high school for a week, but I'd love to go back now and see all the history. I could spends weeks in the Smithsonian I think.
The East Coast - I love to take a trip where I visit major battle sites of the Revolutionary and Civil War.
Europe - I went last summer with my aunt and her son's school group to England, Spain and Italy, but I would love to go again with Mikey and my girls (and probably my parents because I like their company). Sweden in particular. My brother-in-law is from Sweden and I think it'd be neat to see his home in person.

FNL - Some Roo Quotes and More

2011-07-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

We are headed out to camp in about 45 minutes. I've gotten nothing ready, yet here I am blogging. I'm having a little trouble getting excited about camping in this heat, but oh well. I'm thinking we will be spending the afternoon in the camper, which is not my favorite part of camping.
Only about a month left before school starts. In a couple of weeks I'll be excited again, because I really do enjoy my job. Today I'm a little sad about that because I'm going to miss spending my days with my little ladies.
My sister is in Sweden for 3 1/2 weeks visiting her in-laws with her family. It's crazy how I've talked to her more on Skype while she's been gone than I probably would have if she was here. Her in-laws don't speak English too well so I think she starved for someone to chat with. The funniest thing she said was how one of her daughters had said her favorite part of the trip so far was watching the cows. Apparently the cows in here in Nebraska are not as exciting?
Mikey read my post about my 7 wants and said I sounded like a weirdo. He said I should tell people I'm not a weirdo. So here you go, "I'm not a weirdo." I said that only a weirdo would say I'm not a weirdo, but he said I should let people know. It was a funny conversation.

To end my leftovers, I thought I'd post some pictures of Roo with some quotes from her - so here you go:

After locking me out when I took out the trash (which I didn't know she could do) - I'm omitting what I said so no one thinks I'm a terrible parent.
ROO: Why are you locked out?
ROO: Can you just come in this window?
ROO: Are you sure you aren't a stranger?

ME: I'm going to hop in the shower quick, k?
ROO: Mommy you need to just stand in the shower. You told me I can't hop in there remember?

And a couple pics of Pj just because.

Wordless Wednesday - 4th of July

2011-07-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

10 Tuesdays of Me! - 7 Wants

2011-07-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't put too much thought into these, so just doing them off the top of my head here.

I want an iPad. The school should have ordered one for me. I still sorta want my own though.
I want to lose about 150 lbs so that I look like a runway model and blow over in big wind storms. I had jaw surgery about 5 years ago and after a 2 hour surgery that took 5 hours to complete, the surgeon said, "you literally have the thickest, densest bones I have ever sawed through." I would like that on some type of plaque. My point is that I be almost literally skin and bone if I lost that much weight - thick, dense bone at that and probably some loose saggy skin. You know, so I'd be one of those rare people that people would say, "wow, she looked better fat." ((I seriously do want to lose some weight, but what I want MORE is for people to get off my back about it. **Read people as my MIL and one of my friends who'd like me to buy 'shakes' from her.))
I want my house to be cleaned, magically, when I get up in the morning, and every morning from here on. By "clean" I also mean organized.
I want to win a new SUV, because I don't want to have a payment. We don't have the most family friendly vehicles (2 door Cavalier and 4 door Tundra pickup). People always watch us unload out of the Cav like we are clowns piling out of a clown car. I do not want a van and will not enter contests that only allow winning of vans.
I want to continue teaching, but not have to do any part of the job I deem unnecessary to student-learning and not have people crab at me about it. This would include any type of "report" that I currently just change the year on the one from last year each year instead of actually doing.
I want my girls to continue being the happy, healthy, easy-going, sweet, low-maintenance girls they are.
I want the national debt to magically disappear so programs don't have to be cut and taxes don't have to rise. (little somethin' for everyone there :) )

I wonder what my "wants" say about me.

FNL - The Questions

2011-07-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Why is that when I ask Roo to take 2 more bites of something she'll generally finish it? Why doesn't she just finish it?
Why does Roo think that all milk must be flavored with chocolate or strawberry? Curses to the husband who gave her chocolate milk to begin with!
Who are daytime television advertisers targeting? Apparently people at home during the day hope to sue someone?
Why do people assume that because I don't have to go to "work" during the summer that I have "nothing to do all day?" Really people? Taking care of my of girls is something!!!
Why is John Goodman the voice of a chicken on the Direct TV ad? Aren't all chickens female?
Why does low carb beer exist? If you are drinking enough beer that you feel it is having a negative impact on your low carb diet, I would contend that it is not a diet issue you have, but a drinking problem. (No offense to the Michelob Ultra drinkers in the blogosphere - just a thought.)
Why is Michelob in the spell check? And Budwieser? And Heineken? (How easily entertained am I that spell check does it for me?)
Why did we buy a house with basically no back yard?
Why does the local news anchor leaving make me tear up? Am I that attached to news anchors?

And the final question...

Who dresses this Roo? Does she think it's Country Christmas in July around here?

Head over to Danifred's and check out more Friday Night Leftovers.

I'm a horrible person

2011-06-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Just ask my mother-in-law. I mean, I would have thought that'd be pretty obvious to you from reading this blog, but just in case you didn't know already, I thought I'd let you in on it.

Mikey and I started dating as seniors in high school. At first I think his mom was happy that he had me because he had been pretty depressed to the point he had tried to get them to let him drop out of school - not because of academic issues. I think as time went on she realized that I was not AT ALL what she would want in a daughter-in-law. Why? How 'bout a bulleted list of reasons for you:

I was, in her eyes, a wild-child in high school. It was ridiculous to her that I went out for sports, played in the band, participated in speech and drama. Crazy that my parents let me stay out past 9 on school nights (usually because I was still practicing something) and past 10 on weekends. I never drank in high school, but since I went to Rated R movies, drove on the interstate, and went shopping by myself, in her eyes I could not be trusted.
I went to college, while she would not let her daughter, 20 at the time, walk around Wal-mart by herself. (I'm from central Nebraska by the way...not a high crime place.)
Then I got a job (crazy me) and even earned my Master's degree (waste of money in her opinion).
I listen to whatever I want to on the radio. Even, prepare to gasp, NPR (seriously...N-P-R - she didn't know if Wait! Wait! Don't tell me! was appropriate). Mikey still only programmed country stations into his car radio when we got married. He'd turn it to the station he really wanted to listen to and then every time he got out of the car he'd switch it back to country (not Christian or something, country) - every time. He once forgot in high school and his mom grounded him, told him how disappointed she was in him and even asked if he was using drugs (over a radio station). Even today if we go somewhere and take his mom he will only listen to the country stations.
She hates that I work (I know been over that one) and even said when my Roo was a baby that "since I worked" and "didn't want her" she'd "take her home." Not like I'm a stripper, I teach high school for goodness sakes.
I use a dishwasher. According to her they don't get dishes clean. (After hearing this comment probably 25+ times I said, "They get cleaner than if I don't use the dishwasher - cuz they wouldn't get washed at all.")
We spend waaaay to much $. She just doesn't understand how we can do it on Mikey's salary. Apparently the fact that I get paid to teach is lost on her (and paid more than Mikey is doubly lost).

There are just waaaaaayyy too many to continue.

There are plenty of reasons why could I dislike her. I wasn't allowed in her house because it was "too messy" for the past decade being one. Mikey and I watched an episode of Hoarders once and he commented that his mom could be on the show (although I don't think she can be that bad - but then, I haven't been in to see it).

Another being how she makes a comment every time we see her about my size, it used to be that she didn't understand how someone as "cute and little" as her daughter couldn't find a husband while all these "big girls" get married and now how she hopes my girls stay "cute and little like their aunt." (I actually failed to hold my tongue on this one this weekend. When she said that I said, "Yeah, we've been feeding them lots of aspartame in hopes their growth will be stunted." She actually replied with "Oh good.")

I've worked really hard to try to be nice, even at times, going above and beyond, but still, just ask her - I'm a horrible person. In fact you don't have to ask her, she'll tell ya. Sure she'll do it in a passive-aggressive way, but she'll tell ya. She'll tell you how I don't let her see my girls and I won't be there to explain how she doesn't come to our house and how we aren't allowed in hers so it's kind of hard to let her see my children. She'll tell you how I don't care about my girls because I (gasp) work. She'll tell you how I'm not a good wife, because I don't bow to my husband (yes we actually discuss things and make decisions together - foreign concept to her).

What she also won't tell you is that the weekend before my Pj was born she sent me a nasty text message because she had gotten into it with Mikey after he stood up for himself when she berated him about not getting to see her granddaughters. She won't tell you that even when Mikey called her repeatedly that weekend to smooth things over, she wouldn't budge. She won't tell you how Mikey and I argued that weekend over what to do, why she doesn't like me, how we should move to Alaska to get away from her (yes - literally move to Alaska). She doesn't know, so she can't tell you, how I didn't sleep much that weekend, how upset I was and how I went into early labor. That all of this happened. She will also not tell you how she showed up at the hospital and acted like nothing happened and has continued to act like that since then.

While I know that I shouldn't blame her for probably not being able to have more kids, part of me does and probably always will.

When I first started this blog I had a similar post and I had a couple of commentors say things like "hope she doesn't read this" and encouraging me to take it down - which I did. I actually, in my own passive-aggressive way, hope she does read this. I hope she can read this and see just how "horrible" I am. I'm just so tired of being around her and trying so hard to be nice and make her happy and then having her turn around and talk crap about me and make little digs to me.

See the thing is, I'm proud of who I am. I'm a good mother, wife and teacher. I take care of people around me and don't only think of myself. I take responsibility for my life and don't blame everything that goes wrong for me on others.

At the end of the day I'll take all of that over being a good daughter-in-law in her eyes.

10 Tuesdays of Me - 8 Fears

2011-06-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today is my 8 fears. I'm not sure I have 8 so I'll see what I can do...

I fear anything bad happening to my children.
I fear that something is wrong with Pj fairly often and that we will realize it or figure it out when it is too late to actually help her.
I fear that my girls will care when they get picked on in school. I guess I kinda see being teased as inevitable. I didn't really care when I got teased in school for the most part (I don't know if that is due to self-esteem or introversion), but I did have a few people who were pretty horrible to me. I just hope my girls don't care and can avoid people like that.
I fear that something will happen to Mikey (generally this is a car accident) and I will be alone with the girls.
I also fear that Mikey's mom will finally convince him that I'm a horrible person and he will leave me. :( While I know this one won't happen, it's still a worry and something I dream (or should I say nightmare) about occasionally.
I fear losing my parents - hard to deal with them getting older (not that 60 is anywhere near old)
I fear my sister - she is a great person, but I also tend to fear pissing her off and often walk on egg shells and go out of my way to make her happy. Unfortunately sometimes all my work to make her happy blows up in my face.
And a trivial one...I'm afraid of heights. Ridiculous for a person of my height (6'), but I am for some odd reason. Even standing on a chair can make me dizzy.

Roo is 3!

2011-06-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Roo's 3rd birthday was last Friday (I'm a little behind posting this). We asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said camping, so we planned another weekend camping with my parents. We tried to explain that she could get something new for her birthday, something she wanted. Roo doesn't seem to "want" things though. Maybe that means we give her too much stuff. She wants to DO things, but she doesn't want stuff.

Anyway, the games to her iXL, which rocks by the way, were 1/2 off so we bought two of those. She happened to see them so that is what she started asking for. I'm not sure if she thought she could only ask for things we already had or what. We did put those on her game for her.

The other thing we got her was a new bike. We had looked at about 10 at garage sales and they were all in pretty sad shape - broken seats, broken training wheels, really rusty, etc. So Mikey went to the store and found what he deemed the perfect bike that she would love always. It was pretty cute how excited he was about it.

Overall she loved going camping, but really didn't seem to "get it" that is was her birthday. She loves hanging out with her grandma and grandpa so I think that was nice for her. It's funny how if they don't see each other weekly both the grandparents and Roo act like they've been separated forever.

FNL

2011-06-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

I sometimes use the blog to post about my frustrations. Then I decide I probably shouldn't and delete them. I refer to them as a my self-destructing posts. I am somewhat tempted to start a completely anonymous blog where I can crab away.
Roo loves to play "tornado," in which we put on our shoes and jackets, put Pj in her carseat and gather things in the laundry room (our most interior room). I, on the other hand, HATE when we have to do this because I worry that our laundry room is not going to protect us from the tornado - plus I'm not playing.
Speaking of tornadoes, my cousin is now somewhat famous round these parts for diving in a pit under a windmill to escape one. He was on all the local news channels and made the front page of a couple of papers. Kinda funny though b/c I keep thinking of Jeff Foxworthy saying, "If you have been on tv explaining how you outran a tornado...you might be a redneck."
Took Pj to her 4 month check-up yesterday. She's a chub, but the dr said she doing great. I'm just waiting for the mother-in-law to comment on the chubness. (yeah, that one will probably explode...)
This summer is going too fast for me. I have waaaaayyyy too much I wanted to do for school, but can't seem to do when I could be cuddling and playing with my little ladies.

Head over to Danifred's and check the other leftovers.

10 Tuesdays of Me! - 9 Loves

2011-06-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Along with Kim and others I'm doing 10 Tuesdays of Me. Today is 9 Loves.

I'm not going to put the obvious ones of my Mikey and my girls, my family and my friends. I think it goes without saying that they are my loves above all else and I don't think I can put them on a list with more trivial things.

So here goes (in particular order)

Our camper. I love camping, love being outside and going for walks and grilling and not being busy doing all the household stuff we have to do at home.
My job. Really, where else could I work where I get to tell people all the things I know about history, geography, the government and economics? Thinking that'd get annoying as a checker at Wal-mart. Plus as annoying as most teenagers can be, adults can be worse.
Pepsi. I love pepsi. I shouldn't - it doesn't love me and is probably a good part of my current weight woes, but I love it none the less. The taste, the bubbles - all of it.
TV. I love TV and think a lot of what I know comes from TV. I particularly enjoy anything with the court system.
My DVR - enhances my love of TV.
My laptop - although I am wondering if my love of this will decrease when I have my new shiny iPad.
Nebraska sunsets and sunrises. They are gorgeous!
My camera. A good camera snob would tell you how it's not really a "professional" camera, but I'm not a professional photog so it works for me. I'm thinking when I land that spot at NatGeo they'll buy me some "professional" equipment.
Amazon. I'm not a big fan of shopping, but I love my amazon with 2 day shipping. (Thank you amazon-mom)

*No idea why this didn't post Tuesday. Sorry about that...*

10 Tuesdays of Me! - Day 1, part 2

2011-06-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

If you missed yesterday's post I posted 4 of 10 secrets about myself. Thank goodness we are doing this every Tuesday instead of 10 days straight or I'd be outta luck.

So here's my secrets du jour:

6. I often tell Mikey something took me forever so that he doesn't get ticked that I spent some time on the internet or doing some other non-crucial thing. I may be doing this right now...these darn clothes of the girls are just so time consuming to fold... ;)

5. I stalk some of my student's facebook pages. They don't have their pages set to private so I can see their walls and such. Pretty interesting stuff sometimes, but has also allowed me to ask some kids if everything's okay. I will deny, deny, deny if anyone asks me about this though.

4. **kaboom**

3. I still sleep with a blankie. However, I have a theory that there are many others like me that still have a "comfort item" they sleep with.

2. I sometimes fib about what I watch on TV. Since I'm a history teacher people often think I watch a lot of the History Channel, which I do, so I just go with that. But the truth is that I mostly watch shows on USA and TNT as well as the People's Court, which I dvr.

1. I could easily go all summer without talking to my friends that I teach with. Horrible again I know. I'm pretty sure the one I am closest too would agree though. Just like to be to ourselves in the summer.

Wow! I can't believe I really came up with 10 secrets. I really don't have a lot of secrets or I'm not willing to share them I guess.

I will say that a lot of people tell me secrets (or seems like a lot anyway). I also think it's crazy how many people tell me secrets and then tell me they are surprised that I didn't tell anyone. I never understand this comment. If a person tells me not to tell anyone, I don't (with the exception of if I think someone needs some help). I kinda figure the people surprised that I didn't tell are not the people to be telling my secrets to...guess I reserve that role for any of you reading my blog right now.

10 Tuesdays of Me! - Day 1, part 1

2011-06-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

You my lucky reader are in for a treat! I am going to spend 10 posts talking about me - aren't you in for a treat! And if you buy that I have some great ocean front property to sell you just down the street...right here in beautiful Nebraska!

I got the idea from the newest blog I'm following over at Our Life - Unscripted. Instead of doing 10 straight days, she is splitting it into 10 Tuesday and that sounded like a great idea to me. I've been struggling to blog so I hope I'm up for the challenge.

Hmm... So 10 secrets...What do I have for ya...I'm going to try to tell you things I don't usually tell people...so I'm going to think about it...

10. **kaboom**

9. I like to mess with the school secretary. I know, not nice, but trust me she deserves it. It's always small stuff and it generally gets her to get back to work faster (ahhh the power that comes with being the tech person at school). In a sense I'm just increasing her productivity.

8. **kaboom**

7. I let Roo go outside by herself. Yes, she's 2 and I'm horrible. I can see her though and there is a fence around our patio. Plus she can't be seen by anyone except maybe the neighbor, but you can't see her from the street or alley. It's just hard to take Pj outside in the weather so I don't.

So I only got 4 secrets out...I'm gonna promise to finish 6 through 1 tomorrow. Need more time to think, but wanted to get started on Tuesday.

The Saucer

2011-06-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Little Pj is 4 months old today - my little Valentine is growing up. In honor of that I thought I'd post some pictures of her favorite past time - the saucer.

Sometimes her time in the saucer doesn't go the best...her arm gets stuck and she can't get it up.

It doesn't really seem to bug her though.

Although maybe a little.

But overall she loves looking over all of the toys.

And even spinning this thing - which may just be a fluke that she can do it.

Happy 4 months little girl! But would you mind slowing down in this aging thing? Thanks

FNL - These are the days of our lives

2011-06-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

I actually ate leftovers tonight for supper, which reminded me I should write my bloggy leftovers.
The term "friend" on Facebook is, in my opinion, slowing eroding what that word really means. I'd say I have a dozen or so "friends" who are not my friends by Webster's standards. There are a few that if saw them in real life in the grocery store for example, I would turtle-up and avoid them at all costs.
Roo declared tonight that she will be referring to me as "Mom" now, not Mommy, because, in her words, she's 3 and not a baby anymore. Then she added, "just so you know." Interesting. Particularly since she is only 2 until next Friday.
So next Friday is Roo's birthday. We are going camping with my parents because she loves camping and I think she'll love having her birthday there. Because of this plan, and the fact that my sister is leaving for Sweden and doesn't really have time to take a weekend day to "party" for a 3 year-old, we were going to forgo the party. (She didn't say this, just my courtesy to her on my own.) Unfortunately Mikey's family threw a fit last year when we were going to forgo the party for camping, so we are having them over on Sunday. Last year we just skipped the camping and had a party, but we didn't succumb quite so much this year.
I have at least 3 memory card readers. Do you think I can find any of them so that I can post some pictures of my ladies? Of course not...

Head over to Danifred's and enjoy the leftovers.

Weekends don't feel like weekends during the summer...

2011-06-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

I don't think I could have a "regular" job. If you are a teacher and reading this you might be thinking, "hey! we have 'regular' jobs! we work!" which we do, of course, but I mean a regular job where you don't get a 3 month break from the regular-ness. Yes, we teachers (nice grammar there, eh?), do 'work' during the summer (well some of us anyway), but the fact is we get 3 months "off." I don't think I could do a job where you don't get those 3 months off.

Granted, so far this summer I have only "not worked" 1-2 days each week, but it's different. I don't have things to grade every night. I don't have lesson plans due for the next week and technology trainings to plan. The "regular"-ness is on hold for 3 months.

And granted some of the things I have done this summer for "work" have not been exciting. Today, for example, I went to a server training. Pretty sure I prefer a full day of Dora and Backyardagins to Workgroup manager settings and the importance of DNS. The knowledge that I will be spending several days with a label maker and 100ish computers to name doesn't exactly flip my hair back either.

I also often hear other teachers say things like, "we need 3 months break, we work with teenagers." I used to agree with this, but lately after trying to "teach" adults some things, I find that I disagree with this. Teenagers have an excuse, they are teenagers, they have "growing up" to do. The 40 year old woman who kept "Hrmph"-ing next to me at a tech training on Tuesday should in theory be "grown up." ((Noting here that I had great restraint when she asked me "how do you know all this stuff?" and answered with, "Oh, I've had time to explore things," instead of "I'm not a moron who refuses to learn new things because 'what we did 20 years ago worked so well.'))

I guess I'm not sure where I'm going with this. I'm just feeling lucky that I get "time off" even though I don't get to laze around for 3 months. I get to get excited about what I do all year and have the precious time to explore content and resources and learn new things myself. I get to spend hours holding my little chubby wubby Pj and hours playing colors, letters and numbers with dear Roo.

I have also been reminded the last few summers that while being home with my girls is wonderful, it is not easy. It gets a little trying to only have a little girl who doesn't speak accurate English in the vicinity. It also gets old constantly picking up, doing laundry, making meals AND being expected to do this all perfectly because, after all, I'm "home all day." By the end of the summer I am certainly not going to be ready leave my little ladies, but I will be ready to not be "home all day."

So in closing, because I'm not sure what my point is exactly but a picture is worth a thousand words, I think the following pictures of dear Roo accurately show some of the difficulty of being "home all day" that is mixed with the wonderful time I have being with her and her baby sister.

Back again!

2011-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

I've been a horrible blogger lately. Mostly because my little Pj has gotten big enough that I can't hold her and type at the same time. I've been doing okay with keep some pictures updated on facebook for my family to see, but you don't really get to add your "thoughts" there so I'm truly planning to come back to blogging. I'm going to do a little update of both girls and our summer so far.

Pj - 3 1/2 months

Pj now rolls over, but only from her tummy to her back. She LOVES being on her back so I don't anticipate her rolling back to tummy any time soon.
She is becoming quite the chunker. I've been keeping up with her pretty well on nursing, but not always so she gets the occasional bottle of formula.
She has started giggling, literally giggling. It's adorable. I've been trying to capture it on video so I can add it here. (I know you are thinking "Yeah right you only update this every two months..." but I really have been thinking that)
I don't have her height/weight stats - she has her 4 month appt in a couple of weeks and I'll get the official details then.

Roo - almost 3

Roo is talking up a storm. She has been talking for a long time, but lately she's been really upping the vocabulary. For example, she "decorates" things and says things are "ridiculous" (which I think is her way of swearing about things). She also knows most of her animals and is really specific about them - though I have no idea where she learned them. She told me the other morning that she planned to wear her Ariel socks and then added "just so you know." My sister asked me how she was learning all of these, and my reply was "TV."
She has always been an independent little girl when it comes to playing, and this summer has been no exception. She can keep herself entertained for hours.
No stats on her either - I'm going to ask at Pj's appt if they can do her too since it will be just a few days past her 3rd birthday.

Me and Mikey

I've been enjoying having some free days this summer, but still haven't gotten too much time to myself away from work. I'm hoping July will be mostly work free except for the things I want to do for my classes.
We have went camping a couple of times now and hope to go more this summer. We love camping, but it's not "real" camping. We have a camper complete with air conditioning and a bathroom. Probably doesn't meet a lot of people's definitions of "camping," but I really don't think we'd go much if we were tentin' it.

And finally an apology. It seems like there are a few of you that I know because I read your blogs and feel a connection. Lately I haven't even been commenting (see two handed issue above) and obviously haven't been updating my blog. Kinda makes me feel like either a stalker or a friend that never shares her life. I've had a couple of "friends" who no matter what you ask just won't share much of themselves and those people annoy me. I'll try to stop being one of those people.

Thanks for reading!

4 weeks fly by

2011-03-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

Tiniest is 4 weeks old today; plus since she was born in February she is also a month old. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. It's crazy to me that at this time 4 weeks ago I was strapped to an OR table "having" my little peanut.

Facts:

Mikey calls her our "Diva." Compared to Roo she is cranky and makes sure we pay attention to her.
On the other hand, for a Diva, she sleeps remarkably well (knock on wood). It's not that she is sleeping for incredibly long stretches, but she does sleep in crib and in her little bed in our room pretty easily.
Some of that credit probably needs to go to the swaddle blanket thing with velcro that we got. We tried to swaddle Roo, but she always wriggled out of it. I'm apparently swaddle impaired without velcro. I can feed her at night, then change her and put her in the swaddler and she's out. With Roo I'd be petrified of burping her after her last bottle for fear she'd wake and I wouldn't be able to get her to go back to sleep.
PJ is also a really good self-soother. During the day I hear phantom baby all the time. I lay her down in her crib and go to do dishes or laundry or whatnot and I'll think I hear her. When I go in her room she's laying peacefully. I know she squawked, but she just goes back to sleep.
We call our little PJ several things: Lisity, Lissy, Tiniest and Diva. I'm thinking Diva will not be the nickname that sticks. My guess is either Lisity or PJ. We'll see. Mikey says Lisity more and I say PJ more and Roo prefers her whole name - last name included. As long as people don't call her Phyl I'll be happy.
She is still wearing newborn clothes, although they are a bit tighter fitting. I need to try to weigh and measure her - but I'm thinking that will be a 4 weeks, 1 day activity.

In other news:

Roo is doing pretty well with being a big sister. She has stayed home with me the last week, which has been nice but stressful. I'm not good without sleep and she has just not been good at times.
Mikey started a new job at the same company. He LOVES it. He now works in the office instead of production and the hours are 8-5 instead of 5-5. I love it too...he's not nearly as cranky when he gets to sleep normal hours.
I love being home with my little girls, but part of me is ready to go back. I think since I know I have too I have been trying to find the things that will be "nice" about being back at work. Admittedly those are few and far between. I am looking forward to being back with my students.

Well thanks for stopping. Hopefully I'll be a little better about keeping this updated. Also, for loving to take pictures - I'm horrible at getting pics of PJ. Roo is a little easier lately though.

My Sweet Valentine Baby and scary nightmare

2011-03-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty late in the posting, but generally when I am on the computer I am holding the little bundle of joy and I'm terrible at typing one handed. Plus the story of this birth isn't exactly easy for me to write out. I have come back to it more than once because each time I type a bit and then quit.

Phyllisity Jean will apparently be more prompt than her older sister. She was born on Valentine's Day and weighed 7lbs, 1 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. She was scheduled to be born on February 21st, but apparently wanted "out" early.

Her entry to this world was a little traumatic to her momma and I'm still having some nightmares about it. Luckily when I wake up she is right beside me and I know it was just a dream.

So here's the story of Pj's birth.

A couple of times at school on Valentine's Day I had some back pains that I thought might be contractions, but really just thought my back was spasming. I got home, ate supper with Roo and Mikey and my back started hurting some more so I went to lay down for a while. It really started hurting and I hollered for Mikey to come and rub my back. When he came in the room I felt what I thought was my water breaking. Not wanting to soak the bed, I got up and looked down expecting to see water on the floor...but instead I looked down to see my feet covered in blood. (This is part of what I keep dreaming about).

I sorta freaked out at this point and told Mikey to call 911. He did and told emergency that I thought my water had broke, but it was blood. I'm pretty sure the dispatcher thought that I was just in labor (some blood is common when your water breaks), but she sent the ambulance out.

When the ambulance got to our house (after going by the first time), they initially wanted to take me to the hospital in town - uh, no to that. They don't do deliveries, and certainly don't do c-sections so I said we'd just drive to my hospital. One of the emergency ladies thought I was in regular and the other one had apparently noticed that my shoes were filling up with blood and the inside of my sweat pants was red and said they'd take us where we wanted to go.

So I got in the ambulance and Mikey grabbed Roo and hopped in the front seat. It surprises me that they let him do that. Roo loved riding in the ambulance. As we turned the corner she yelled, "Here we go!" all excitedly. She loved the lights and the siren and going fast.

Meanwhile I was in the back freaking out because the lady who thought I was just in labor was trying to hear the baby's heartbeat and kept announcing that she couldn't find it - this really freaked me out. The other lady I think could tell what I was thinking and said "you couldn't hear a train back." It was really loud.

So we got to the hospital and they started prepping me for surgery right away. I tearfully asked if they could put on the fetal monitor because they couldn't hear the baby in the ambulance. I had been thinking since I saw all that blood that she was gone. Luckily her little heartbeat was strong and I couldn't have been more relieved.

More complications as the anesthesiologist tried to get the epidural in. He couldn't hit my spine quite right and ended up not getting enough in. This meant I could feel A LOT. Luckily not all of it hurt, some just felt weird, but there was pain. I wondered during my first C-section why they strapped down my legs - this question was answered as I kept trying to lift them from the pain.

C-section begins and the surgeon says, "oh my." Not the most comforting words for a surgeon to utter while you are sliced open. He followed up with, "the uterus has ruptured - she may need a transfusion, start the preparation for that." Then the fun began of them trying to pull out the baby while I could feel much of it.

All's well that ends well though. Phyllisity Jean was born and started screaming almost immediately, much like her older sister did. They whisked her away and did her Apgar scores which were great. She was practically perfect. They showed her to me and I got to give her a little kiss and then they took her away again and Mikey went with her for her cleanup and measuring.

I wish I had not been able to hear the surgeon and my doctor discussing "how bad" it was. I didn't need to hear it all and get scared out of my mind that I wasn't going to make it. I just about asked if my mom could come in so I could talk to her about making sure my girls and Mikey were okay in life. Luckily the anesthesiologist noticed the tears and started talking to me about how great my little girl was and how they were almost done with me and I'd get to see her again. Thank goodness for him. The surgeon decided to "wait a while" to see if I'd need a transfusion and luckily I didn't.

At my appt with the OBGYN last week he said I was his first case of both the placenta tearing and the uterus rupturing. He'd seen both before, but not at the same time. He said that having more kids was possible, but that we should really weigh the risks of it. He also said that for so much happening I was doing remarkably well. I'm a fast healer apparently.

If you read all of this - thanks. I am excited to have it done and get to post all the other things floating around in my head. You might get sick of me in the next few days. Of course I don't have a lot of two handed typing time right now, so maybe not..

FNL - And the Countdown Begins

2011-01-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

I had great intentions of posting more this week, but never got to it. Hopefully this weekend I'll have some time to add.
If you are really observant you may notice that my baby ticker over there on the right changed. I found out the date of my c-section so I updated it. Feb 21st is the big day. I had been told the 24th, but the OBGYN prefers exactly 1 week before due date, plus he said it is better on Mondays. So 3 weeks, 3 days to go!
It was kinda weird when the nurse called to schedule the c-section. She asked if the 21st at 11:30 would fit in my schedule. I wanted to ask if people really say "no." What else would I be doing that I couldn't schedule it for that day? "Sorry, I have a spa day planned that day." "Sorry, there is a Law & Order marathon on USA that day." Just thought that was odd.
In case you are reading this and thinking of trying to talk me into a VBAC, save your keystrokes in the comments. My dr recommended against it and frankly the word "rupture" didn't sound like a good time. I have a very healthy Roo that was born c-section and I conducted a volleyball clinic 4 weeks after giving birth to her and did just fine. I actually had someone tell me that I couldn't have "lots" of kids if I had repeat c-sections - so I guess there goes my chance to beat out those Duggars...oh well...

Sooo...I'm coming back to reread this and I sound really snarky about his part - please take into consideration how many people have tried to "talk me out of a c-section" - it really isn't a choice I'm making so it hurts when people assume I just don't want to go through labor - I'd happily (well that might be a bit strong) go through labor if that what was best - but it isn't according to my dr. I've just had enough lectures on the subject, so I'd prefer to be spared any more.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to whine again about having to make 8 weeks of sub plans for 5 classes. I am very thankful that my school is 1 to 1 and I can make my classes mostly online for my students, but I'm getting really sick of making plans. I have had other teachers tell me to just tell my sub what "page I'm on in the book," but I'm not really a "page in the book" kinda person. Or a "just tell em" kinda person. Guess I'm a closet control freak.

Well, guess I should get back to those plans. Thanks for reading my leftovers and don't forget to head over to our gracious host Danifred's and check out more leftovers.

I'm back...Leftovers Style

2011-01-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

So maybe leftovers aren't appropriate for my bloggy guests after not posting for 6 months, but it's what I'm serving. I will try to post a super-size update soon.

Onto the Leftovers:

Roo is now 2 1/2 and talks up a storm, loves to sing and "cook" for us. Her cousin that is 3 months younger doesn't talk much, but he is mostly potty-trained. There are days when I think I'd prefer the potty-trained to the talking.
As a bit of an explanation to why I haven't been blogging much for the past 6 months, I was given a new position at school of Asst Network Manager (aka Computer person). This, combined with the 6 classes I teach and trying to do 8 weeks of sub plans for my maternity leave is keeping me pretty busy. I'm hoping to get back to blogging regularly once I get all my sub plans done.
Did I mention that doing 8 weeks of sub plans (although I will probably only be gone 6 weeks) for 5 preps is a major pain and undertaking. Luckily since the school went 1 to 1 all the kids have laptops and I have basically turned all of my classes into online classes. My friend/teacher thinks I'm making myself more work doing it this way, but I don't really know how else to do it. Not something they go over in college or as professional development - how to make weeks of sub plans. (Maybe I should ask for this on our next "Suggestions for PD" form. :) )
Mikey starts a new job at the place that he currently works the week after next. He is really excited about it and so am I! He currently works 50+ hours a week and leaves at 4:45 am. With this position he'll work 40 hours a week and won't have to leave till 7:15 - which means he can take the kiddos when I have an early morning. PLUS he won't be so tired all the time from getting up at 4. Woohoo!
Baby #2 is due March 1st, but since Roo was a C-Section this one will be too (please don't comment about how I should try a VBAC - can't have one so please don't try to make me feel guilty). I saw the surgeon yesterday and I'm now waiting for his nurse Dori to call me and schedule my day. Seems pretty weird that I will have a "appointment" to have a baby.
We wanted to find out the sex of the baby but it is apparently modest and wouldn't show us the goods at the ultrasound (I only get one unless I want to fork over the $ out of pocket for a second). This leads me to believe it's a girl b/c it seems like a boy would be all about showing itself off.
On Thursday I went to the dentist again. The hygienist was looking at Roo's teeth and asked if I had other children. I said that I would in 6 weeks. She just looked at me and then my stomach and goes, "oh really?" SERIOUSLY!?!? I'm 34 weeks pregnant here! 8 Months! I can't decide what is ruder; asking someone who isn't pregnant if they are, or suggesting that someone 8 months pregnant just looks fat?

Well thanks for visiting after my long absence. Don't forget to head over to Danifred's and check out the other leftovers!

PS: I apologize for all the lurking I've been doing the last 6 months. There are many bloggers that I have missed and I hope to start commenting again.

Summertime Blogging

2010-07-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Apparently summer and blogging don't go together well for me. So I thought I'd do some bullet point updates:

Despite the fact that it is summer, I have spent a lot of time at school. The Label Maker and I have become close friends, as all of the student's laptops had to have their names labeled on them. That's all done now and I'm on to working on the staff development and lesson plans for my classes. Oh where or where did my summer go?
I've been missing Roo since I've spent so much time at work. We've spent a lot of time playing outside and going on walks to the park.
We still haven't told many people about our coming addition. We are planning to tell our families the first weekend in August. I did tell my friend from school who has been struggling to conceive and it didn't go well. She made lots of rude comments and hasn't called me back after I called her twice. I'm bummed, but I saw it coming and really...what was I supposed to do? I've gotten some good advice to give her time, but I'm not sure that's going to help.
We are heading out on a little vacation next week. Taking the camper out "west." It will be short, but it should be fun.

Oh the joys of the dentist...

2010-07-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

I took Roo for her first dental appointment yesterday. My sister had told me they'd count her teeth and send me on my merry way, but they actually cleaned them, polished them and put floride on them. They kept remarking how good she was for a 2-year-old to sit there and open wide and let them clean her teeth. That's Roo though; she's a pretty easy going girl most of the time.

Then today it was my turn. I took Roo to daycare since I wasn't sure what I'd do with her while I was being scraped, poked and generally berated for my horrible teeth. I haven't been to the dentist since before Roo was born because the last guy I went to shook. Not something I look for in people putting needles and drills in my mouth.

This dentist was great though. They gave me a warm neck wrap, which was very relaxing and there was actually no berrating about the poor condition of my teeth. It probably helped that I wouldn't let them do x-rays, b/c they couldn't see all that they should be berrating about. It was so nice though to not have people talk down to me about how I don't floss right (or at all) and how I need to take care of them better and how I need to stop drinking pop (which I have stopped drinking caffinated pop), etc. They were just nice.

They did sell me a fancy, schmancy toothbrush. I'm hoping it helps.

4th of July

2010-07-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

We decided to go to the big city where my sister lives for the 4th of July weekend. Mikey about fell asleep on the way home after the rained out fireworks last year so we opted to get a hotel room. I used priceline for the first time and got a room at the Hampton Inn for $50. It was really nice.

On the 4th the fireworks got rained out so my sister with her quick thinking said we should go to Toy Story 3 - 3D. Roo and her little cousin B did pretty well. She moved around some, but was quiet. Then we went back to my sister's and they had got some small fireworks. Sadly, Roo was not impressed.

The next morning we slept in. We ate the continental breakfast and then headed to the Childrens' Zoo. While we waited for my sister's fam we looked at some pretty flowers. Roo was having fun with her sunglasses. I guess they fit better upside down.

The zoo was really fun. Since it is a Children's zoo it was perfect Roo and all my nieces and nephews. They all had fun.

They even took pony rides. My newphew, who is 12, "works" at the Zoo. He is a volunteer, but refers to it as his job.

We ended the day with a train ride around the zoo. Roo was super tired, but was very well behaved the whole day.

Hope you had a safe and happy 4th!

PSF: Hiking Fun

2010-07-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the fam and I went to a state park and did some "hiking." I call it hiking because it was wooded, but I'm thinking people who live in mountainous areas would be hard pressed to call anything hiking in Nebraska.

I got Mikey a kid backpack carrier for his birthday and Roo really likes it. She usually falls asleep in it even.

Hosted by Cecily

Is this too corny?

2010-07-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone guessed it! I'm expecting, but really not very far along(about 6 weeks)...so I'm a little worried about telling people, but Mikey wants to tell everyone now.

So we are going to tell the family in the next few weeks. I was thinking it might be fun to have a little bbq or go out to dinner with people and have Roo wear this shirt...

from Cafe Press.

What do you think too corny?

Anyone have another really good idea? I thought of the framed sonogram picture, but the hubs doesn't want to wait that long.

Gone so long...

2010-06-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

It seems odd to me that even though I have more "free" time in the summer I seem to have less time to blog and to follow blogs. Oh well, ya'll will forgive me, right?

So some things of note:

We have been camping a couple of times this summer. This past weekend we went to a beautiful state park and did some hiking and napping. It was wonderful.

I've spent a lot of time this summer watching PBS. I think I'm getting smarter everyday.

I've watched a few movies and read some books so I need to do a goal update post. I've haven't completely given up on that.

And finally, speaking of goals...see goal #15 over there ----> the secret goal? well... I think it might be "achieved." BUT it's still a secret goal for now...so if you can guess what it is and you know me in real life, (Hi Megs! ;)) don't say anything to anyone just yet. We're deciding how we want to tell people, especially since we are a few months ahead on our "achievement," which mikeg make things a little complicated with my job. Frankly, I'm tempted to see how long it takes for people to guess, but the hubs is very excited and I think he'd take out a newspaper ad if he could.

My little Roo is 2!

2010-06-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my little Roo! She doesn't really seem to get it that it's her birthday, although she's enjoying playing with her new customizable play center, which is currently set up as a kitchen. She made Mikey and I a delicious supper. "Delicious" is one of her favorite words.

We are having a birthday party for her on Saturday. Just family (well, we invited my BIL's parents too, technically they aren't related to us.)

Time to go get her Happy Birthday Blizzard! No cake today, but the girl loves her a blizzard.

Hosted by Cecilyand Lisa

Italy was my fav...

2010-06-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

I probably have spent more time narrowing down what to post. There was so much beauty there.

The view from the top of the Spanish steps. Too many people for this Nebraska girl, but still really cool.

Trevi Fountain - pretty spectacular, but lots of people

The lobby of our hotel. It was nice, but our rooms left a little to be desired - considering the bed was a cot...

We were there on the Italian equivalent of the 4th of July, so we just missed a military parade, but got to see this fly over and see the military people going back.

Well, I'll post more later - these are probably not the "greats" but I really like them all.

Pictures from Spain

2010-06-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

While in Spain we walked around the capital city of Madrid, visited the historic capital of Toledo and when to the Reina Sophia Art Museum, where we some works by Picasso. Here are some pictures I took.

The chandelier hanging in the lobby of the hotel we stayed in.

My stomach was not a fan of a lot of the Spanish food so I ended up eating at McDonald's twice. This is the food from my nugget Happy Meal.

The ceiling in one of the cathedrals....it may have been the Royal cathedral, but I don't remember for sure. It was beautiful though.

A view of Toledo

Shrimp with eyes - so you see the need for McDonalds.

Pictures from England

2010-06-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

I'm Back! I have been for a week actually, but due to a new position at school I was busy all week working there.

I thought I'd share some of the pictures that I took. We went to London, Madrid and Rome, but I'm just doing London today.

And now that I've uploaded all the pictures...be warned, there are a LOT of pictures. Scroll down at your own risk.

Westminster Abbey

The hubs said I should have picked one of these for him. A nice little "make your own" kit.

These street performers were amazing, although it did make me wonder what makes a person decide that they are going to stand on their friend's head, or decide they are going to have their friend stand on their head.

This is the pub we at supper in one night.

Even in Nebraska I don't see a lot of meat just hanging around in stores. It was a little odd for me.

Pea and Basil soup - sounds a little gross, doesn't it?

But it was Delicious!

Thanks for sticking with it to the end!

I'm going to miss this face...

2010-05-23T16:15:00.001-07:00

I'm heading overseas for 10 days on Wednesday. I'm going with my aunt and her son's school group. I'm excited, but also REALLY worried about how much I'm going to miss my Roo.

So here's my question dear blogosphere...Should I take my laptop - my really expensive, hard to replace MacBook, so that I can Skype with my little girl?

My concerns:
- trying to lug my computer around
- worrying about breaking or losing it
- the 7 hour time difference will make it hard to skype with Roo and Mikey anyhow

But man, I would love to get to see my Roo...

Thoughts?

A Little More Info: (in response to comments)
I'm going to Europe with a school trip. My aunt wanted to go with my cousin's group, but didn't want to go "alone" and offered to take me. I'm such a lucky girl. :) We are going to London, Rome and Madrid, basically spending 3 days in each place.

I should have time in my room to use the computer, but with the time difference I'm wondering if that will mean I'm up at 2am to skype with my hubs at 7 here.

So I thought it was Thursday...

2010-05-18T19:21:00.001-07:00

So I thought it was Thursday and I was sitting here thinking about which picture to use in Photostory Friday. Then when I went to the blog to link up, I realized - It's Tuesday. Guess it's going to be a long week?

Also, I posted the pictures on facebook from the post a couple days ago. Today I got message from one of my "friends" saying that i should not post professional pictures and represent them as my own.

Uh...I guess I will just take that as a compliment?

And maybe offer to take "professional pics" of her kids too? For a small fee of course. ;)

I haven't responded to the message yet.

Edited To Add: I know that they are not professional quality - lots of things could be improved. I would probably pay someone for them, but hey, I think any pic of my little Roo is a wonderful one.

My hope for these two...

2010-05-17T12:17:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of my nephew B and Roo giving each other a big ol hug. They are buds, chums, comrades. They have so much fun together. I hope they keep having that much fun together.

I was lucky enough to have a cousin just a couple of months younger than me too. I went all through school with him. He was like my brother and we were buds, chums, comrades.

We are not so close now. We see each other at family events, but that is all. I'm not sure what separated us. Our lives are different and so are our priorities. I am a lot different from his wife, who is just...hmm...just different than me. As much as I try to like her, I don't know that I will ever be a person she will enjoy being around.

So my hope is that I have a picture of these two hugging when they are 30. Just as friendly and close as they are today.

Some Pictures and I'm almost done!

2010-05-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Only 3 and a 1/4ish days of school left. It is always a race to the finish. I have been busy with finishing everything up, graduation and spending lots of time outside with Roo. We don't have a lot of nice days in Nebraska, so you have to enjoy them when you have them.

Here are some pictures I took of Roo this weekend at my cousins graduation.

Our first Camping Trip

2010-05-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

We took our first camping trip of the year this past weekend. Mikey turned the big 3-0 and I had a conference to go to so we headed out Thursday night. Mikey enjoyed Friday with Roo shopping and I went to my conference. Then we spent the weekend in our camper. It was perfect weather and we had a lot of fun. My parents camped with us and my sister and her family came out Saturday night.

Some pictures:

I got Mikey a backpack carrier for Roo for his birthday. He really wants to "hike" this summer when we go camping. Roo loved it and even fell asleep in it.

My sister's fam all went paddle boating, except B, her little guy. He hung out on the deck with Roo and Grandpa and watched. Roo and B have so much fun together. It's cute.

Mikey had a lot of fun and showed he is too old to swing.

Roo had a lot of fun too, although she came down with an eye infection (which is why I'm at home blogging on a Monday when I should be at work).

We can't wait to go camping again, although it will be a couple of weekends b/c of graduations that we have to go to.

Hope you all get to enjoy some nice weather too!

PSF: Ready for Summer

2010-04-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

I have been busy the last few weeks, but SUMMER IS COMING! So I thought I'd post one of my favorite pictures from last summer.

Hosted by Cecilyand Pam

Goal Update and I'm not gone...

2010-04-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

The combination of our internet being down at the house and my being crazy busy at school has lead me to not be able to blog much. They finally got our internet working today again.

At school I only have 7 days left with the seniors...that just seems crazy. It's always a rush to the finish with them. I have one girl who will be gone for various activities and I will only see her 2 more days, which just seems ridiculous. This is the time of year when I start to think about how I'm going to miss them. Thankfully I don't have a student aide this year so I don't have any that I really talk to everyday and therefore miss a whole lot. My student aide last year was one of the nicest kids I have ever met and I looked forward to chatting with him everyday (and having him grade my papers of course). I'm looking forward to graduation, which he will probably be at, and I can chat with him a little again.

On the home front I have spent the weekend doing some scrapbooking and got from the day Roo was born until her first Christmas all done, which was pretty exciting for me. I'm hopeful that this summer I'll be able to scrap during her nap times. I've also thought about trying to take my scrap stuff with me in our camper, but I'm not sure how well that will work. I'm not a great scrapper so I'm not going to post any layouts. I really have tried to make myself focus on speed more than greatness - better to have the pictures in there and journaled than to have them all in a box.

FNL - Life needs to sloooooow down...

2010-04-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

Roo has started talking up a storm. It is hilarious at times. She has started counting to 10. It isn't always perfect, but she gets through em. So cute. It's also funny the words that she doesn't say quite right. For example, instead of "Love You" she says "Ahhhh Choooo," like she's sneezing. Mikey calls her Princess Roo and she has started calling him "Princess Daddy" or "my princess."

This has been a crazy busy week...again...every morning I had to be to school early to teach an ACT Prep class and then after school we had prom decorating. It was nice that the boys this morning at the ACT class thanked me and the kids put together an awesome prom for tomorrow.

Oh...and about our names. I keep forgetting to put that in. My name is Laura. I started with a pseudonym and decided to just go with Laura, not like it's uncommon or anything. I'd give a prize to whoever can guess my middle name, but my parents are totally unimaginative and my middle name is probably the same middle name as 75% of Laura's. My hubs name isn't Mikey and I don't call him that in real life, but it's all I could come up with. His middle name is Michael. My daughter's name is actually L.y.l.l.a (without the periods of course, it is unique and I don't want students or my mother-in-law googling her and finding my blog). It is pronounced Lil-uh. She is named after Mikey's dad who passed away shortly after we found out we were expecting her. I started calling her Lil-uh-roo the first day she was born and have shortened it to Roo.

PSF:Hunting Buddy

2010-04-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

This fall my hubs went hunting for mule deer "out west" for 10 days and one of the weekends Roo and I went out and stayed with him. We basically stayed in the pickup or played at camp and went for walks, but one afternoon we went out with him to walk around. Since it was in season, Roo and I had on our orange too.

We didn't see any muleys, but we did see LOTS of antelop. Lucky for them they weren't in season.

Head over and check out the other PSF and GMYBS!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Sewing Project 2,3,4 and 5

2010-04-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

Just in case I have trouble meeting my 30 goal. I'm counting these as #2-5 in my goal.

I went shopping with my sister the weekend before Easter to the fabric store. She was really excited that I might make Easter dresses for her daughters and mine, especially since she is trying to save her $ to go to Sweden. I said I'd make pillowcase dresses because from what I had scene on the web, they didn't look too hard. She found a pattern for them (which I didn't need, but bought to make sure I had sizing right) and asked if I could make them with the band around the bottom. It looked super cute, but I didn't consider how much extra time a little band around the bottom would be.

Overall, they didn't turn out perfectly, but they are really cute and who is going to snatch the dress off the little girl and turn it inside out to see how crooked some of my seems are?

Here's Roo in hers. Please ignore her shoes. I had bought her some cute hot pink Chuck Taylors to wear with the dress, but her feet were too wide for em.

Here are Roo and my nieces and nephews. Roo and her cousin B are both 20 months-ish. Then the girls are 4, 6 and 8 and my oldest nephew is 12. People always tease my sister that she missed a kid.

My sister noted how I made them all the same length. I think she was trying to be nice. It did work out well though that the littler girls are above their knees b/c they would have ripped them right out otherwise.

Mommy and Me Monday: Easter

2010-04-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

My hubs has gotten awesome about taking pictures of Roo and I since I started Mommy and Me Monday. Anytime we are somewhere taking pictures he usually asks to snap a couple of Roo and I. For Easter I was taking some pictures in my sister's back yard of Roo in the Easter dress I made her. The hubs came out to see what we were doing and took the camera and snapped a couple of the too of us. I also took a couple of them.

Hosted by Krystyn

Photostory Friday: Cousins are the Best

2010-04-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

We went to an Easter Egg Hunt with my sister and her kids last weekend. It's called a hunt, but it should be called an Easter Egg Pickup because there is no hunting involved.

My Roo and her cousin B are only a couple months apart in age. I went with my sister and the other kids while Mikey stayed with Roo and B to "clean up" the 0-2 section.

But he joined us with them after a few minutes.

Apparently Roo thought that the goodies in B's bag looked better.

Because she took them out of his basket and put the in her bag, although he didn't look like he cared.

They even gave each other a hug before we left for home.

Hosted by Cecily and Life With Kaishon

WIMTSW

2010-03-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

When the third prom sponsor didn't show up for decorating again and hasn't shown up at all and then said to the other sponsor and I that she wasn't going to stay at prom except for the meal and the other sponsor and I just looked at each other and then back and her and said, "okay,"

WIMTS: Are you kidding me? I totally understand wanting to be home with your baby, after all, that's where I want to be right now. However, we have the responsibility to do this stuff with the kids since we are assigned to be junior class sponsors. You knew at the end of the last school year that you were having a baby in February. You also knew that if you asked, someone else would be assigned to help us. This is not your first baby so you knew you would not want to stay after school to decorate or be at prom from 5 to midnight.

But really, should I be surprised? Didn't you do the same thing to me when you had your first baby, except in that instance instead of shirking you prom duties, it was being head volleyball coach?

See I would have said all that but

it would have been a waste of breath b/c she's a habitual responsibility shirker so clearly it would have had no effect
it was a lot to say in a minute before the juniors showed up
I'm a pansy that dislikes confrontation (this is probably the most accurate)

I ♥ Faces: Dramatic B&W

2010-03-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

I love I ♥ Faces and this weeks theme is dramatic black and white.

I also love this picture and consider it a dramatic black and white so I had to enter it. If you have visited my blog you may have seen it before, but I love it, so here it is again. I hope seeing it again isn't a disappointment.

It is of my little girl Roo.

Mommy and Me Monday: At the Park

2010-03-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Mikey, Roo and I walked up to the elementary school today and enjoyed the beautiful weather we had. Beautiful weather only happens about 3 days a year in Nebraska so we have to enjoy it while we can. I took a bunch of pictures and Mikey snapped some of me and Roo.

Hosted by Krystyn

Recipe 6 - Spaghetti Squash

2010-03-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

So maybe this doesn't really count as a recipe persay, but I'm counting it as one because I LOVE IT!

I should start by telling about my love affair with spaghetti. I have loved spaghetti since I was fairly young. My mom let us pick what we wanted her to make us for supper for our birthdays and I always picked spaghetti. I also claimed spaghetti as my good luck charm and requested it the night before any game in high school, so basically we ended up eating it 3 times a week or so. Plus when I lived on my own after college I ate it for supper probably 3 or 4 nights a week.

However, as I try to eat healthier I decided that spaghetti probably wasn't a good choice. I've tried whole wheat spaghetti in the past and didn't like it. I decided to get a spaghetti squash just to see what it was like. I didn't really envision it being a spaghetti substitute. It's squash after all, how could squash taste enough like spaghetti for me to be happy eating it? But the fact is I LOVE IT!

Now, it doesn't taste exactly like spaghetti, nor does it have the same texture exactly. But it tastes better in my opinion than the whole grain stuff and is really similar to angel hair pasta in my opinion.

So here is how I made it. I sliced it in half, which was a task in itself. Then I scooped out the seeds and the icky stuff. Then all you do it bake it at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, skin side up. When you take it out you take a fork and rake the "spaghetti" out of the skin.

See! Doesn't it even sort of look like spaghetti? Roo loved it, even ate it before she ate her regular spaghetti noodles which I had to make b/c Mikey refused to try the squash.

If you want to know more about the nutritional comparsion between spaghetti squash and spaghetti, check out my post here.

Friday Night Leftovers - 3/26

2010-03-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in Friday night Leftovers hosted by Sippy Cups are Not for Starbucks.

This has been a long week...l o n g w e e k. On Tuesday night I drove a van full of teenagers an hour and half to compete in a quiz bowl (which unfortunately was not successful for the kids) and then drove them back to school and another half hour home. That wore me out. Then yesterday I helped a track meet after school by picking which, since I get so nervous I'll pick the wrong kid, wore me out too. Plust this time of year is crazy for us. Kids are gone for so many activities that it is hard to keep track of it all. Plus some of the seniors only have 12 full days they will be in school. I'm SOOOOOO glad it's FRIDAY!

Mikey took Thursday off because he was in a "use it or lose it" situation with a day of leave. He kept Roo all day and they had a good time. He "got lots done," but unfortunately his idea of "lots done" never includes any housework. Instead I came home to an even bigger disaster than I had left. Was going to tackle that tonight, but decided to kick back.

We are headed to an Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow morning with my sister and her kiddos (she has 5, have I mentioned that?) I went last year with her and her 4 oldest, leaving the babies with the husbands at her house. I don't know why they call it a "hunt." There is no hunting involved. It would more appropriately be called a Easter Egg and Candy Pick Up.

After the Hunt I am getting my hair cut and probably highlighted again (darn gray hairs!) I hate getting my hair cut, but I also hate when it gets too long. I have had so many bad haircuts with my curls that it always makes me nervous to go in. Hair dressers seem to always want me to straighten my hair everyday and that's not going to happen. I much prefer my 20 minute get ready time, from wake-up to out the door, to the hour it would take me just to straighten all of it.

Photostory Friday: The Circus

2010-03-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

We went to the circus with my sister's family for my niece's birthday. It was a lot of fun. Our seats weren't fabulous, but the kids all enjoyed it.

I especially liked seeing the elephant. One of my favorite childhood memories is when my dad took my cousins and I to the circus and we rode the elephant. My dad is both very frugal and often worked on weekends so it is very memorable that he took us and that he paid for me to ride an elephant.

I really liked the quick change artist. It was amazing. Some of my students also went and were amazed by that too. We probably talked about it for 20 minutes on Monday because the 8th graders were so intrigued by it.

My niece finishing up her sister's Juicy Juice on the sly.

My nephew loved the whole thing and clapped through most of it. He is 2 and 1/2 months younger than Roo.

One of the only drawbacks of the day is that the circus lined up perfectly with Roo's naptime.

But she snuggled up to Grandma and fell asleep. She even slept through the Human Canonball where they instructed everyone to cover their ears.

Hosted by Cecily and Momma

GMYBS - Roo Reading

2010-03-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Roo loves to read. On Monday morning, I got her out of her crib and he snagged a book. I left her in her room and went to keep getting ready for work. When I went back in to check on her, she had grabbed her 3 stuffed animals she plays with (giraffe, Tigger and Pooh), scaled the chair and was reading them a book. I snagged my camera quick and got these 3 pictures.

Poor Tigger didn't have the best seat in the house.

I really love these pictures because they really show Roo at this stage - constantly reading and constantly pretending with her stuffed animals. It almost makes me glad that I live in a small house so that I had time to go grab my camera, almost.

Head over to Better in Bulk and submit your best shot.

Mommy and Me Monday: Checking out the Presents

2010-03-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

The hubs came through again and picked up the camera at my nieces birthday party and snapped a couple of pics of Roo and I. We were checking out one of her gifts; a huge Barbie playset. I'm thinking Roo will love these in a couple of years.

Head over to Really are you serious? and add your own Mommy and Me.

Hosted by Krystyn

Recipe 5 - Doc's Chili from the Biggest Loser

2010-03-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

So I decided my quality of life is crap due to my weight. I bought the Biggest Loser 30 Day Jump Start book and started a blog. Totally different food than I had been eating. Well, I've had chili before, but not like this.

The recipe I used can be found here.

This chili was very different than what I've made in the past. I don't think I've eaten a black bean and any chili I've ever made had tomato juice in it.

I made one very important change. I used hamburger instead of turkey. Does this change the nutritional value? Not really. I used 93% lean beef, which is what the turkey is. Maybe there is even leaner turkey available, but I dont' think I would have liked the way this tasted as much with turkey instead of beef.

Plus I'm from Nebraska, so Beef, it's what's for dinner.

I would completely recommend this recipe. It was filling and delicious. It tasted like chili and was actually better than the recipe I've used in the past. Plus knowing that you are eating something that is fairly healthy always helps.

If you want to follow my progress as I try to get healthy and lose weight, join me over here. I'm all for encouraging comments and more people that I don't want to see me fail.

Friday Night Leftovers - 3/19

2010-03-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Anyone seen the Liberty Mutual commercial about "doing the right thing?" With the people apparently "doing the right thing?" Well, the first scene is a man picking up a little girls toy and the mom smiles at him. Then in the next scene you have the mom and she slides a coffee cup farther onto a table - anyone else wonder where her kid went? I always do. I also wonder why she is touching someone else's coffee.

I don't understand why a few weeks ago we got a letter saying the Census was coming. Really? Do the American people need mail to announce the coming of mail? Or is it just a ploy to drum up business for the postal service? My tax dollars at work...

I think Mother Nature just likes to mess with Nebraska sometimes.. On the radio Thursday morning the guy said, "A Winter Storm Advisory begins this evening for North Central Nebraska. High today in the East 64, in the west 56." Seriously?!?! If you are following Winter Storm Warning with a high of 64 then something is wrong with Mother Nature. Yesterday the high was 76 and this morning it was snowing. Nice.

I'm starting to think I lead a really exciting life. Last weekend was the Arenacross and this weekend we are going to the circus for one of my niece's birthday. I'm excited to see what Roo thinks of it.

Roo woke up a 1 am crying this morning. I laid there a few minutes trying to see if she'd go back to sleep, but she never does if she's actually crying. I went and picked her up and rocked her and she almost immediately fell back to sleep, so I tried to lay her back down - no luck. She woke up and cried again. So after doing this a few times I took her to bed with me. She snuggled in and went right to sleep, but I don't sleep well with her with me. I wake up everytime she makes any little noise or movment. Then at 5 am she woke up and didn't want to go back to sleep. Needless to say I'm exhausted today...

Head over to Sippy Cups are not for Starbucks and submit your leftovers!

Photostory Friday: Arenacross Baby!

2010-03-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

I love anything racing. I think is because my dad worked most of my childhood so when I did spend time with him we were doing something relating to racing. If he wasn't working or sleeping I was spending time with him and even sometimes when he was working (he worked for a farmer part-time nights and weekends so I spent a lot of time in a tractor, often listening to racing on the radio).

So when I saw that an Arenacross was coming to the MAC I was super excited and so was my dad. It was funny when I called him to ask if he wanted to go b/c he sounded like a little kid - all excited - and he is usually pretty low key. He smiled like this pretty much the whole time. This is not the most flattering pic of him, but does show his grin for the night.

Mikey and my younger brother went with us. Mikey was not quite as excited, but said he would go again, especially if we took Roo next time.

It was really loud, but pretty exciting.

They even had little guys, which was fun to watch.

Even funner with the little guys was the post race interview. This little guy when asked who he would like to thank said, "My mom, my friend Justin, my sponsors." The interviewer asked for anyone else and he goes, "My friend Justin and my mom said I should thank my dad since he sets up my bike and takes me riding."

They also had some cool freestyle riders. They also advertised a freestyle motorcross in April. When I went and looked up when it was - April 10th, Prom - man, that stinks. (I'm a sponsor, not a junior/senior)

I even got the autograph of the winner! How cool!

Hosted by Cecily

Book #3 - Best Friends by Jennifer Weiner

2010-03-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

I know I have read a Jennifer Weiner book before, but for the life of me cannot remember which one it is. I had some great suggestions for new authors and books on my last post, but sadly our library is semi-pathetic and this was one of the few authors that was suggested that they had.

However, I’m glad that the library did have this book as I really enjoyed it.

Aptly titled, Best Friends is about a pair of best friends. Current time is after their high school reunion and it has flashbacks to when they were little and then when they were in high school. It’s very involved and that is what makes it good. There is a lot to consider.

The only thing I didn’t like about it was the ending. It kinda seemed like the author reached a page number and then thought she better wrap it up quickly, so she did. Better than a long drawn-out ending I suppose, but reminded me of reading my students’ papers. If I assign them to write a page; that’s what they write, a single page. No matter where they are when that page is up, they’re done.

Overall I’d recommend it. I already have my next book. If I’m going to read 30 this year I need to pick up the pace a bit, but I read a lot more in the summer than I do during the school year.

A Flat Tire in the Middle of Nowhere

2010-03-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

I always joke that I live in the middle of Nowhere, but really, the middle of Nowhere is farther west in Nebraska. So yesterday and today I headed 3 hours west to a conference for school. What really stunk is that I had to be away from Roo and the hubs for a night, but the conference was very good and informative.

So today, the conference ends at 1 and I'm on my merry way from the middle of nowhere to just slightly east of nowhere. I get 10 miles out and the school car is making a weird noise so I pull over - flat rear tire. Great!

Now what I usually do when I get a flat tire, and I know this is pathetic, is call my hubs or my dad or my brother or even my cousin, but I doubted they'd make the 3 hour drive. So, I got out the spare, took off the flat, and put the spare on. Just as I was letting down the car, two guys stopped in a Dept of Roads truck. They said, and I kid you not,

"Tire go flat?"

I actually looked around for Bill Engval and so wanted to say, "Nope, this is all part of an elaborate drill," but I just said yep.

But then they asked, "did you already change it?"

Seriously?!?! The spare is small, so it's obviously a spare. I so wanted to say, "nope, just shrank it," but I just said yep.

It was really nice of them to stop, but really?

Then I get to a town with a tire shop, which was not the first town I went through, and explain my plight to the lady working. She asks if I can leave it over night. Uh? Really? Didn't I just explain that I live THREE HOURS AWAY! I say no, and repeat the 3 hours away thing and she still asks if I can leave it or come back another day. Seriously?!?! What part of that is not understandable. So I tear up.

Luckily the tire manager comes into the office and asks about the school car. The lady explains what I need and that I won't leave it over night. I tearfully add that I live 3 hours away. I didn't mean to be tearful, but I was exhausted and I was just done. He says, pull it around back, I'll do it right away.

Thank goodness there was one sane soul in the middle of nowhere!

Wordful Wednesday: Roo at School

2010-03-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

One Sunday I realized I had forgotten the tests I was supposed to grade at school (I live in one town, teach in another 20 miles away), so Roo and I went to fetch them. I took my camera with to take some pictures of the river on the way to school, but ended up taking some fun pictures of Roo.

She had a ball walking around the school.

She had some fun in one of the empty lockers.

She did some math. She loved playing with the calculator; I hope that sticks with her as she gets into high school. No I'm not a Math teacher. I like to say I teach all the "boring" stuff. ;)

She also enjoyed trying out all of the desks. She'd climb off of one and then back up on another.

She seemed to enjoy playing in the bigness of the school. She really seemed in awe at times of things, but mostly she just grinned at me.

Go post your own wordful Wednesday. Nothing more fun than seeing pictures.

MEme Monday: Proms

2010-03-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

My students are always *shocked* when I tell them this. We didn't have prom at my HS. Last year one of the juniors asked me if that was b/c it didn't exist yet that long ago. Sweet kid, huh?

What we did have was Activities Banquet: 3 hours of awards after eating basically crappy food and wearing what is more than likely a very uncomforable dress.

Here is Mikey and I at our senior Activities Banquet.

What is really crazy about this is that I was so self-conscious of how "fat" I was. Oh, to be that "fat"
again...

Get out your scanner or, if you are youngin' upload your pictures and play along with Supah.

Mommy and Me Monday: Phonetime

2010-03-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

After discovering how few pictures I have of Roo and I last week I told Mikey he needs to be taking more of the two of us, which he completely agreed with.

On Friday night at my parents, I took this picture of Roo and I with my mom's camera. Roo looks a little shocked, but it got her pretty eyes.

Mikey was playing with the camera Sunday morning. I thought he was taking pictures in the kitchen, but when uploaded the pictures to my computer he had taken one of Roo and I talking on our phones, although in this picture she is just eavesdropping while I talk.

I'm so glad I started this. I am pretty hesitant to get my picture taken, but I need to get over that. Hopefully Roo will have lots of pictures with me. as she grows up. Go play along now!

Hosted by Krystyn

Sunday Snapshots: Messy

2010-03-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Brandi over at Stepping on Cheerios is hosting Sunday Snapshots again. I love this because Sunday is when I usually go through pictures and just generally have a little time to kick back. This week she choose messy as a theme. I decided to do the Part B of my nieces birthday party and submit pictures of my nephew and Roo.

After the fun trip to Chuck E. Cheese, we went back to my sister's for cake and ice cream. Roo seems to pride herself on her ability to eat with minimal mess (this is her second small piece of cake, note the lack of mess from the first one).

Her cousin, on the other hand, likes to shovel it in (in his defense he is 3 months younger than Roo).

Roo seemed to disapprove of her cousins messy ways.

A close up of her eyebrow raise at him.

Head over to Stepping on Cheerios to see the other Sunday Snapshots and even submit your own.

Friday Night Leftovers - 3/12

2010-03-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

I participating in Friday Night Leftovers over at Sippy Cups are Not for Starbucks.

Spring Break is today. We get one day - one. My sister who teaches in the city (one of the two in the great state of Nebraska) gets a whole week. I would love a whole week. I'm getting pretty burnt out, and tend to every year about this time. I'm ready for summer and it's only March 12th. What's worse is that the weather today is crap. Cold, windy, rainy and supposed to be snowy later today. Yuck!

I'm going to an Arenacross tomorrow night with my dad, my bro and Mikey. Roo is staying with my mom. I'm so excited. I love this kinda thing, although we don't go to many events. My dad has a dirtbike that he rides. He usually goes to Colorado once a year and rides around in the mountains. We tell him that maybe an asthmatic near-elderly guy should be giving up the bike or at least trips to the mountains, but he disagrees.

We had considered trying to start potty training Roo. She tells us sometimes when she needs her diaper changed by saying diaper. We changed our minds Tuesday night. While I was gathering up her bath toys after drying her off she ran out to Mikey in the living room. She said "Daddy!" really excitedly and then proceeded to pee on the floor with a shocked look on her face. Thinking she doesn't understand this just yet.

Thanks to everyone who left me nice comments on this post. I was super upset and I'm pretty even keel most of the time. Kinda made me feel like I was in HS and the cool girl was telling me I wasn't cool enough to hang with her. (Thankfully that never really happened to me in HS.) I have started commenting less, especially if I'm the first comment, but I suspect I'll get over that. And as my hubs told me, I'm not great at fake knitting aka with a loom and he's not planning to give up remote control anytime soon.

Well I better wrap up the leftovers (get it, wrap up the leftovers? how clever am I? ;) ). Roo is officially addicted to Wii: Just Dance and is pulling on me to play along. If you missed her dancing, I posted a video here.

Blogger Faux Pas

2010-03-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

When a person decides to start a blog after having just been a lurker of a few blogs, they really don't know the etiquette. So if, like a fool, they dive into the blogging world head first: writing posts, becoming a follower and commenting, they are bound to make a faux pas or two.

What's worse than a faux pas though, is when a blogger is oblivious to their missteps. When they discover their inappropriate behavior they are embarrassed; they are ashamed.

What is a blogger to do in this situation? Should they ignore their horrible mistake? Should they shut down their blog and delete their reader account?

Maybe what a newbie blogger should do is write a blog post about it?

So here's what I did/do aka my faux pas.

I'm a commenter. I like people to know that someone is reading what they wrote. I also appreciate posts that are interesting or funny and want to share my appreciation. I worry that I annoy, but I really like reading what people comment on my blog. I'm also a follower. I love my google reader and my new nifty next button (thanks whoever gave me that tip). I have gotten so many good ideas and so much inspiration and comfort from knowing that other people struggle at times just like I do. I even reconnected with an old friend.

So the fact is that my worry of annoyance, should have clued me in. I received an email this week from someone whose blog I really enjoyed. She wrote cute stories about her daughter, posted pictures of her daughter's adorable room and some awesome maternity photos of herself and wrote about her frustration with winter and even did a funny and interesting meme.

So what did I do?

I commented. A couple of days later, when there was a new post, I commented again. And then a few days later, new post-new comment.

And then the dreaded email, with the simple question, "how did you find my blog?" Because her name was not anywhere on her blog I wasn't sure which blog was her, so I replied to her email asking what it was and asking if I had left an offending comment and if so I apologized. Her response was simply her blog's url; nothing more, nothing less.

So I checked out my comments, trying to figure out why she had asked and why her question was so abrupt. It wasn't "thanks for visiting - how'd you find my blog?" It was "how'd you find my blog?"

And that's when I discovered my faux pas. The cute story about what her daughter said - I was the only commenter. The great pictures of her daughter's adorable room - I was the only commenter. Two other posts - yep, just me again.

"I'M A STALKER," I thought. I sent her an email explaining that I wasn't a stalker, that I just really liked her blog and enjoyed her posts and apologized.

Her response.....nothing. No response...no email back.

So what do I do? Stop commenting? Delete my reader account? Go back to fake knitting at night while the hubs has remote control...

:(

Photostory Friday/GMYBS: Chuck E Cheese

2010-03-11T16:50:00.000-08:00

One of my nieces starts every year at Christmas saying she wants to go to Chuck E Cheese for her birthday. My sister said she says it almost everyday. This works for me because we get to go with too! Roo had a ton of fun and I took a ton of pictures. I thought I'd share these pictures for GMYBSPSF as they are now calling it.

Roo played some games with her daddy...although he seemed to enjoy them more than her.

She did do a solo driving game though.

She seemed less than impressed with the bumble bee ride, but did enjoy taking her cousin for a spin.

And finally she took Chuck E. himself for a ride. She even gave him a free dental exam.

And held him back when she stopped short.

It was a very fun time.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Photography - The Exposure Triangle

2010-03-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

The Blogography Challenge this time was about the Exposure Triangle. The tutorial was a great refresher for me and reminded me that I really tend to focus on Aperture and Shutter Speed almost to the exclusion of ISO. I did have my camera on 200 ISO, but then I struggled to take pictures in the evenings at my house with just the ambient light. I prefer not to use flash. So for my part of the challenge I started upping my ISO at night.

This is the picture I am entering this time.

My settings were F 1.4, SS 1/100 and ISO 800. I probably could have had my ISO a bit lower and still got this shot, but I'm really happy with the results.

I like it even better in black and white..

I took this picture last Friday evening when Roo was about to be going to bed. I was telling my hubs about some of my worries from the week and felt Roo lean against my leg. I happened to have my camera right be side me and snapped this picture. She looks like she is just focused on what I am saying and leaning on me to show me she cares. After I took the picture she wanted up and gave me a hug.

It was probably b/c she was tired and ready to head to bed, but it just seemed so sweet of my little girl. I also used the picture on the front of a 'thinking of you' card I made for a friend on Monday night. I thought it was appropriate.

Head over to Better in Bulk or Manic Mother and add a submission of your own.

PS: I'm just grinnin from ear to ear here because Manic Mother picked my entry last time as her favorite. Thanks! You made my day!

Recipe 2, 3 and 4 and something nice for a friend.

2010-03-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

I've been busily working on attaining my goal of trying 30 new recipes. I have several bookmarked to try and this weekend I made a couple of them.

Recipe 2 - Homemade Banana Bread
I was really excited to find Chrystal's blog because she shares some great recipes and is also intrested in photography. I will admit to having thrown away several bananas due to over-ripeness in my time, but no more. I'm a changed woman. Why? Because Chrystal's recipe is super easy and made with ingredients that I usually have on hand.

It's starts with mashing bananas.

Then you add butter, sugar, flour, etc. Go to Chrystal's blog if you want her recipe. A couple of snags I ran into; first, if you are making bread you should probably have a bread pan. I didn't. Best I could come up with was an 8x8 square baker. The other snag was that I had 3 bananas instead of two and since I'm a reformed over-ripe banana tosser I couldn't just throw it out, so I added a 1/2 again to each of the ingredients.

I suppose that my lack of a bread pan means I made banana cake? or bars? but I like the idea of being a "bread baker," so I'm calling it bread.

It was delicious! Mikey agreed and Roo at some too. Thanks for the recipe Chrystal.

Recipe 3 - Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

I'm pretty sure I've had this before, but I've never made it. I found the recipe in a church cookbook, but I'm sure there are similar ones all over the internet.

Mikey invited his mom and sister and bro-in-law over for lunch on Sunday so I decided to make this for dessert. It's a pain in a behind. I don't plan on making it ever again. It was delicious, but letting things set for hours and then doing something else and then setting again and doing something else. Not a fan of that. Plus I started it after I started the roast so it was just done setting after we ate.

I also messed up and didn't mix the cool whip in with the layer on top of the pretzels, so it looks funny b/c the strawberries pushed down on it, making it look all weird.

The best part of making this recipe was having a good reason to get out my grandma's mixer and then licking the beaters clean. Makes me think of my grandma and how much she loved me everytime I do this.

Recipe 4 - Cinnamon White Chocolate Popcorn with Peanuts: Plus something nice for a friend

The final recipe I made was a recipe I sorta made up. I used this recipe for white chocolate popcorn. It's super easy and then I added redhots aka cinnamon imperials and some peanuts. It was easy and delicious.

I made this popcorn for my dear friend that I teach with. She got the bad news today that her daughter-in-law found a lump on her breast. The daughter-in-law is only 25 and is in remission from lymphoma, so there is a real concern that this will be cancer. She is getting a mammogram tomorrow and my dear friend and her husband are driving the 2 hours to their sons to be with her and their son.

I made the popcorn and then bought some diet coke as a little traveling treat. I even put some baby wipes in a baggy, since the popcorn is a little messy.

I also made a card with a picture of Roo on the front. I went to the store to try to get a "Thinking of You" card, but I'm card picky and I thought this picture was a good "Thinking of You" picture.

If any of you are willing, please pray for the daughter-in-law. Thank you.

Mommy and Me Monday: I'm cheating...

2010-03-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

I really liked the idea that Krystyn over at Really, Are you serious? had a great idea for Mommy and Me Monday; post a picture of you and your kiddo(s) that you took from the week every Monday. I commented that I didn't have a picture from this week, but I'd try to get one and play again next week. Well, Krystyn said I could cheat and could submit an "oldie, but a goodie."

Hosted by Krystyn

So off I went through my iPhoto and came up with literally 8 pictures. In 21 months, I have 8 pictures of myself with my Roo. 8. I started counting how many I have of Roo and her Daddy and stopped at 63 - she was 9 months old when I stopped. So I really need to participate in this. Thank you Krystyn for the idea so that my Roo will have more than 8 pictures of her and her momma in the next 21 months.

After looking through the 8, I also realized I need to give Mikey some photography tips.

Head over to Really, are you serious? and play along.

Sunday Snapshots: Imagination

2010-03-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

I really love taking pictures of Roo. I also really love participating in blog photo fun. So when I saw that one of my favorite blogs to read, Stepping on Cheerios, was starting some photo fun I just had to join in.

Brandi picked the theme of "imagination," which was actually really tough for me because I have so many pics of Roo that I think fit with the theme.

I choose this one because it shows how imaginative Roo can be. We were snowed in at my parents for 3 days over Christmas. One would have thought Roo would miss her toys, but she made do with all kinds of things - including the return air vent. For most of the 3 days we were treated to the musical stylings of Roo on the return air vent. She had a blast.

Head over to Stepping on Cheerios and join in the fun!

Just Dance: Roo gets in on the action

2010-03-06T19:44:00.001-08:00

Roo loves to play along with Just Dance. I got the game after watching how much fun these ladies were having. I'm horrible at it, but it is so fun to watch Roo try to dance along. She has started using a controller too. I'm pretty sure she'd take me on challenge mode.

The video is less than a minute long and I apologize for the camera shake at times. I was sorta giggling at how into she got - even 'singing' along and shaking those little ponies.

Friday Night Leftovers - 3/5

2010-03-05T06:22:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in Friday Night Leftovers courtesy of Sippy Cups Aren't for Starbucks - quite possibly my favorite blog.

Is it bad that when I watch dramatic TV involving guns I often critique their gun choice? For example on Southland two "bad guys" were using .22s. Really? A .22? I shot birds with one as a 10 year old girl. They "got the job done" on the show, but really? Pick a .45 or something. I also applaud choices, like when the detective went to her safe and got out her shotgun to take on the home invaders. Shot gun is a good choice.

My little girl loves going to her daycare. LOVES it. She is very excited each morning and nearly leaps out of my hands to get to her "Ra-la" as Roo calls her daycare lady. I felt bad about this for a while b/c my supermommy friend would go on and on about how her little guy would cry and cry at drop off, but the fact is, Roo also is super excited to seem at the end of the day. She runs to the door shouting "Mama" and has started to try climbing up me if I dont pick her up fast enough for her liking. She is just a little lover of life and I wouldn't want her to be sad for me to leave just so I'm less sad to leave her.

Roo's new obsession is ketchup. I think if I gave her a bowl of ketchup for supper she'd be in heaven. If we give her chicken nuggets she will use them to dip in the ketchup and then suck the ketchup off. She also uses her spoon to just eat the ketchup. I figure it's a vegetable, right?

So head over to Sippy Cups Aren't for Starbucks and check out the other Friday Night Leftovers.

Photostory Friday: Curl up toes with a good book

2010-03-04T17:53:00.000-08:00

My Roo is in a reading phase.

Sometimes she grabs a book, climbs into her rocker and curls up her toes.

And sometimes I get a good picture of it...

Hosted by Cecily and Kelli

I'm also adding this to Give Me Your Best Shot over at Better in Bulk. Hope it's okay to double-up, as this is definitely my best shot in a while.

Book #2 - Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

2010-03-02T18:34:00.000-08:00

I'm a fan of Jodi Picoult books. While I read for TV in my head, Jodi Picoult creates more of a great dramatic movie. I also don't like her books. There is never enough closure for me. I love reading them, but when I get to the end there is almost always a sense of disappointment.

I just finished Keeping Faith. It is about a mother whose husband cheats on her and she catches him. When it happened the first time she tried to commit suicide and he had her institutionalized. Turns out she was pregnant when he institutionalized her. The book picks up where he has done it again, cheated, and follows how the mother copes. The little girl, Faith, starts talking to "God" and performing miracles, or does she? The cheater files for custody after remarrying and throngs of people start to visit the little girls home. It's pretty involved as any Jodi Picoult book is. I had a hard time putting it down at night and even had to start setting a time limit so I wouldn't stay up reading too late. It was very good

I've read most of her books. I really liked, yet didn't like, Nineteen Minutes, which talks about a school shooting and why it happens and such. I loved it, but I wanted the author to take a stand, she didn't. I'd recommend it as well, but don't expect closure.

Going to the library tomorrow and hope to find a good book. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them, although my local library is a little lame, not a lot of books. But I have gotten good about inter-library loan.

Oh, and people always ask me how I find the time to read. I read every night before bed, even if it's only for 5 minutes. I have since I was a little kid. I have a hard time "shutting it off" every night unless I do. I think about my family, my students, things I need to get done, everything, unless I read or am very tired. If I don't read I lay in bed for hours thinking.

Goal Update: 30 dates will never happen...

2010-03-01T19:33:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what I was thinking making 30 dates a goal....I should have said 3

See Mikey and I started dating when we were seniors in HS. So obviously if I'm 30 we've been together a long time. I'm thinking in those 12+ years we have maybe been on 30 dates - total. Mikey just isn't a date guy and I guess I'm probably not a date girl. We don't go out to eat much, we almost never go to movies (the last one I saw in a theater was Gran Torino - Get off my lawn..remember that one?) and pretty much any other date-ish thing we don't do or we do it as part of family trip with my sister's fam (she has 5 children...doesn't feel like a 'date-night' if you have 5 children with you when you go bowling).

Maybe my criteria for a date night are too high?

Must not involve shopping.
Must not include anyone under the age of 21.
Must be outside of our home.

I'll keep working, but I'm thinking I'll never meet the 30 date goal....*sigh*

Recipe 1 - Couscous with Turkey, Apricots and Almonds

2010-02-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

My requirements for trying a new recipe included that it was something totally new and different to me. Not such a tough requirement since I'm pretty plain jane when it comes to food. So trying this recipe, Couscous with Turkey, Apricots and Almonds, was definitely a step out of the box. I found it while trying to find a recipe to use up my leftover turkey.

It's pretty easy to make. Starts with making some couscous, which I had to google b/c I've never had it and didn't know what it was. Then you saute a red bell pepper and add in turkey, green peppers, dried apricots and toasted almonds.

I'm not the greatest cook so I need easy, and this recipe was easy. Mikey liked it, although he was VERY skeptical of the ingredient list. He noted, and I agreed, that it needed a sauce. Like it was kind of dry or something, yet tasty. It was also incredibly filling. Roo had some couscous but not the mixture b/c she had already eaten and just sat with us while we ate.

I'm on the hunt for more new recipes. I've bookmarked a few I want to try, including a couple from some blogs that looked delicious.

Photostory Friday: My Favorite View

2010-02-26T07:24:00.000-08:00

I should be watching the road, but this is my favorite view.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Friday Night Leftovers - 2/26

2010-02-26T06:35:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in Friday Night Leftovers again courtesy of Sippy Cups are Not for Starbucks.

On Monday Danifred over at Sippy Cups are not for Starbucks wrote about preschool. So, I had to share this, b/c I think it's funny. Roo will likely attend "Tiny Bison" a preschool in the town that we live in, which is named after their high school mascot. She will likely attend K-12 in the school that I teach in, and our mascot is the Warriors. I think it will be funny how she'll be a "Little Warrior" among all those "Tiny Bison." I promise not to send her with any weapons.

I don't like touching people. I avoid it at all costs. I don't even like standing too near people. I don't enjoy shaking hands. I have even pretended to be sick or a germ-a-phobe to get out of any touching. Nothing traumatic, that I know of, happened to me; I'm just not a toucher. I do hug my hubs, my lil Roo, my nieces and nephews, my parents and the occasional crying teenager, but both the parents and the teenagers are incredibly rare.

We are in my favorite chapter in Econ - Price. I love this chapter. Yes, I'm a dork. But I have tons of fun using Price is Right games to get the seniors brains going in the mornings.

I got Wii Just Dance this week because these ladies look like they are having tons of fun. I don't think any amount of coaxing will get me to wiggle my jiggle on camera though.

Roo's personality is just way too funny sometimes. She has mega blocks that she plays with that are sort of like huge legos. When she puts them away they have to be loose, not stuck together. If Mikey or I play with her and put away unseparated ones she pulls them back out and separates them - yes we are horrible parents and were putting them away together just to mess with her and confirm her OCDness.

We've also been trying to decide if we should cut Roo's hair. She's rockin a mullet like no other, but we can pull the mullet up into cute little pony-tails. The problem is that she pulls out the ponies when she goes to daycare so I don't bother putting them except on weekends and weeknights if we are going somewhere. The rest of the time she looks ridiculous. She also manages to get some amazing bedhead.

Hop over to Sippy Cups are not for Starbucks and play along with Friday Night Leftovers!

Dear Visa...

2010-02-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Please stop making commericials that make me cry.

I'm having a rough week and I don't need to be doing any more crying.

Thank you.

What I meant to say on this very bad, no good, rotten, horrible day.

2010-02-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of WIMTS Wednesday that I found today. I am playing along, although I will warn you that it's not very happy-go-lucky.

When my friend made the comment that I was “starting be just like her as a mom,” and I replied, “I guess in a way I suppose.” WIMTS was “Please don’t insult me like that.”

And then on a more serious note… It was a rough day today. Our school hosted an event and didn’t have school, but staff had to “guard doors.” These WIMTS were from today

When stranger-man in the hall today looked at my teary-eyed face and said, “gee is sitting here that bad?” and I said, “nope” and smiled. WIMTS was “F-you, I just found out that one of my student’s father died this morning and you should move away from me now before I get up outta this chair and beat you senseless.”

When one of the nice young men I am proud to call my student looked at my teary-eyed face in the hall today and said “Are you okay? Can I give you a hug?” and I said “I’m doing alright, thanks for asking, how are you doing?” WIMTS was “Thank you, I needed that. Kids like you are why I do this job and you mean a lot to me…now see that guy over there? Will you go kick his butt?”

Sorry to be a downer as I played along today, but I’m hoping writing about it will help me feel better. Plus I have so many WIMTS moments that I hope to play along again.

Editing to add something here: I didn't actually hug the kid...I'm not a hugger, especially not a teenage boy hugger. Plus he was sorta joking with me b/c I make it pretty clear that I don't like people touching me (only exception the hubs, Roo and my parents), I avoided the reception line at both my hs graduation and my wedding, but that's a whole nother post!

Photography - Aperture

2010-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

Since goal #8 is develop my photography skills I have been looking online for lessons and such. I found Better in Bulk which has a blogography challenge, co-hosted by Manic Mother and this one was on aperture.

I think I have a pretty good handle on aperture, but I found the info and sample pictures a great refresher. It took me forever to get in in my head that "large aperture" equals small number. I also decided to add my pics to the challenge.

So here they are:

Small Aperture Pic: F 16

Large Aperture Pic: F2.2

I'm not going to lie; I love these two pictures. Probably because I used them to try to explain aperture and depth of field to my dad, who is officially a senior citizen (self-proclaimed). He clearly wasn't listening to me as I was explaining, because he said about the second picture, "I understand, but this one looks blurry to me."

Aperture is one of my favorite things to play with when taking pictures. I have a 50 1.4, makes a great lens for low light situations and allows me to play with depth of field when I have lots of light.

In order to get the depth of field I want with my kit lens, I had to do some math. I have a 55-200 lens as well. If I have enough light, I can go to a focal length of 200 and then crank open my aperture to 5.6 and I have the same depth of field as my 50 at 1.4. You do have to have plenty of light (and hopefully my math was correct on this...). This has been really nice when taking, or maybe it is better stated as, trying to take, pictures of birds and having nice background.

Movie #2 - Up!

2010-02-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

This weekend Mikey and I watched the movie Up by Disney Pixar with Roo. Another Netflix rental. I was supposed to cancel our subscription, but I haven't yet.

Well sometimes Roo watched,

and sometimes she was more interested in TV in her head.

Up is about a older man who attaches balloons to his house in order to float it to South America where he and his wife always wanted to go. Of course on his way to South America he runs into some hiccups, namely a kid who is sort of a stow-away on the house.

I really liked Up! It had a nice plot for adults to watch and lots of interest for kids, although Roo is still too little to watch an 1 hour and a half movie. She really didn't watch much, but I could see my nieces (ages 4, 6 and 8) enjoying it.

Well 2 movies down, 28 to go. Maybe by the end my movie review skills will improve.

Our new home away from home!

2010-02-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

We bought a camper today! I couldn't believe it. We love camping in the summer and had been bunking with my parents. It will be so great to have our own space, even though their 5th wheel is really nice. I refer to it as the "Prairie Palace Wagon" because it is HUGE, which is a Donner Party reference that no one ever gets b/c a: usually no one knows who the Donner Party was and b: if they do they have no idea about this particular reference. (Which, I have to add, is exactly why I became a teacher b/c all this crap I have in my head is useless in day to day life unless of course you are a history teacher...but I digress). So anyway I'm super excited to have our own and plan to live in it as much as possible this summer. Vacay every weekend and being able to afford it is AWESOME!

On to the camper...We drove about an 1 hr and 1/2 to a place b/c I found one online that I liked. It had a queen bed that slides out and then twin bunks in the back. Well we got to the place, found the one I liked and it was a dud. It was used and not in good shape and the queen bed must have been exactly six feet long b/c laying down my feet were flat against one wall and my head was touching the other (yeah, I'm ridiculously tall). So I was dejected, but we decided to look around and found a few we considered and then found another one where the bed slid out, but was more like 6'3, was new, not used and quad bunks in the back. We went to ask prices and it was actually cheaper! So exciting. So we pulled the trigger and bought it.

Some pics that I 'borrowed' from the dealer webpage...

The Floor Plan

The "Front" which I kept saying was the back and Mikey and my dad kept correcting me.

The back - you can see the queen bed slide out.

The inside looking toward the queen bed.

The bunks in the "front." Yes I only have one child, but I hope to have more someday and if not she's got lots of room to play in the event of bad weather.

Best part? Mikey hasn't gotten buyer's remorse and he always gets buyer's remorse. He buys a pack of gum and doubts himself; he also got it about our house and all of our vehicles. Sooooooo annoying. I hope he doesn't get it b/c this camper if perfect for us.

I should also add that we are not "real" campers and do not "rough it" at all. Our new camper has a huge Air Conditioner and a nice little place for a TV and we already have read how to take our DVR with us. It also has a bathroom with a shower and has a huge refrigerator and a microwave. We have also discussed getting one of those things that gives you internet access anywhere, but sure what the coverage would be here in Nowhere, particularly as we go farther from Somewhere to camp. We do spend most of the time camping outside our camper, but we like to have options in case it is too hot or raining.

Now if the weather will warm up enough....how long to spring?

Photostory Friday: Kidarazzi?

2010-02-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

I may have created a monster. If she see that camera she says "pick-ure, pick-ure." Unfortunately being a kidarazzi doesn't make her any more inclined to pose or even smile for her mamarazzi.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Friday Night Leftovers

2010-02-19T17:34:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in Friday Night Leftover's put on by Sippy Cups are Not for Starbucks.

Roo seems to be on the mend, but I might take her to the doctor tomorrow anyway. Stinks to pay the copay, but at least I'll know that nothing has settled into her lungs and that she doesn't have ear infections or anything. Mother's doubt sucks!
I can't tell my left from right well. In my post for Photostory Friday, I noted how we think Roo'll be a lefty b/c she uses her left hand to color and the proceeded to post pictures of her coloring with her right hand. She really does use her left more though. I do have trouble with the whole left/right thing. My kindergarten teacher had me convinced I'd fail and be in K forever if I didn't correctly tell her left/right, which led to me cheating to pass that little test. I also think it created some kind of mental block over left and right.
I *LOVE* the Olympics. I didn't get into them too much last time up, but this year I have been tuning in every night. What's weird is when I was younger I loved to watch figure skating and that is one of the events I am not really following this time. With exception of the Russian men's skater who is a jerk and a poor loser.
Jillian Michael's and her 30 Day Shred is still killing me, but I have to admit has been getting slightly easier every day.
Mikey and I are hoping to look at a camper tomorrow. We both enjoy camping in the summer, but only 'fake' camping with a little home on wheels that includes air conditioning, showers, innerspring mattresses, etc. I really like the looks of it online, but we'll see. Mikey and I are not always the best at agreeing on things like this and unfortunately he is not one of those "anything to make you happy" kinda guys.

Book #1 - Finger Lickin Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

2010-02-18T18:43:00.000-08:00

I should probably have clarified some things when writing my goal about reading 30 books. First of all I won't be counting pictures books, because I will probably get somewhere in the neighborhood of a 1000 of those read in a year as part of the nightly bath, book, bed routine. Secondly, I should note that I also probably won't read anything with much substance. When I read I am mainly looking for TV in my head. Nothing that makes me work to get the meaning of the sentences or anything like. It's not that I can't read 'sophisticated' books, I just don't want too. Third, if anyone out there is looking for a great place to find reviews on current books you probably won't get them here. I'm a library junkie. I go once a week-ish to pick up new books with/for Roo and to get a new novel.

Ok, so here goes the first review!

I started reading Finger Lickin Fifteen the night of my birthday. I love Stephanie Plum novels. They are light and easy to read books. I have read them all in order; starting a couple of summers ago when I read the first 10 or so of them. They are based on the character Stephanie Plum who is a bounty hunter, albeit not a very good one. She has an off/on boyfriend Joe Morelli and a smokin hot (well he is in my head anyway) friend/boss, Ranger. In this particular installment, Stephanie's friend Lula witnesses a murder and then the murderers are after her for witnessing it.

I really liked this book - perfect for the TV in my head thing. I also noticed that I always say the friends name in my head as Lulu, instead of Lula. Took me 15 books to notice it has an 'a' at the end.

I also wondered about the possibility of Stephanie Plum movies. So I just did what I always do when I wonder about things, I googled. Apparently Katherine Heigl has been cast to play Stephanie in One for the Money. Not who I would have suspected. Plus it says that the movie has been in the works since 1994, so I wonder if it will actually ever get made.

Movie #1 - The Ugly Truth

2010-02-17T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mikey and I have a Netflix subscription that we've actually decided to end so I'm a little worried about making my 30 goal. However, the library has movies that can be rented so I'll just have to start checking those out. I probably won't go to many current movies. I much prefer my comfy chair and my own snacks, plus the handy pause button for bathroom breaks.

So...The Ugly Truth stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler (I'm not going to lie, just had to look up his name). Has an interesting plot - Heigl plays a tv producer at a small morning news show that is struggling to get viewers. This part sorta reminded me of a local morning show here. Butler is a guy who tells the 'Ugly Truth' about love and relationships, lands a job at the morning to show to try to save it and helps Heigl's character land the man of her dreams. The rest I found pretty predictable frankly. It was a good movie, but not one I'd rate as a must see and definitely not a re-watcher.

Goal Update: Progress?

2010-02-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

So far so good on Goal 1 - Exercise 5 days a week. I have to say that doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred about killed me yesterday, so today I went for a good walk. I'm going to try to do the 30 day shred again tomorrow - we'll see if I make the whole 30 minutes without dying.

Goal 2 - Brushing teeth is pretty easy with it being a goal, which is why I made it one. I HATE brushing my teeth. I always have. I do it, b/c it's gross not to, but was down to once a day, which I know isn't good for me. But did I mention that I HATE it?

Goal 6 - De-clutter and maintain my house is going okay. I have a good solid maintain going and I plan to start doing one organize project a day at some point, probably when school slows down a bit - which may be summer. Maintain is important to me. Our main living areas and bedrooms are pretty well organized, just need to focus on my scrap/craft room and our pantry area.

Most of the other goals are a 1 at a time kinda deal, so I'll update them as I do one. I'm going to post my first movie review here in a minute and I'll finish my first book tonight and try to post a review of that tomorrow.

My first sewing project!

2010-02-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

I really wanted a sweet camera strap cover for my birthday, but I absolutely could not pick one from the sites that have them available. Then I found this awesome tutorial which was thankfully super easy to follow. My sewing skills are a bit rusty since the last time I sewed in 8th grade making a bag.

I am really happy with the results.

I used two different fabrics because I couldn't decide which one I liked better.

I really wanted a pocket for my lens cap. I have almost lost it about 100 times so I think it will be really handy.

I put two pockets on it so that I could keep a spare SD card in one.

I really love it!

Roo modeling the finished product.

The only thing I would add to the tutorial is that if you want to take nice pictures of it, and you only have 1 nice camera, take the pictures before you put it on your camera. I was so excited that I actually made something that I put it on before taking pictures.

Also, thank you, thank you, thank you to Simply Modern Mom for such a great tutorial. I am a true beginner sewer and I am so excited to sew more.

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

My hate/love relationship

2010-02-13T16:33:00.000-08:00

Poor Roo is sick. She has a cough and sometimes coughs so hard that she cries because it hurts, which then causes her to cough more. It breaks my heart. Her little eyes are all glassy and she has been refusing to eat much, presumably because her little throat hurts. It is the saddest thing ever. She won't sleep unless someone is holding her. I hate when she is sick.

But there is a love part. See my little Roo is an independent runner of a little lady. She doesn't sit much, she doesn't cuddle - she's a mover and a shaker. The only holding I get to do of her is right away in the morning and then for the nightly bath, book, bed. Other than that I get the occasional kiss and hug, but only after begging. So call me a terrible parent, but I love that part of her being sick. I love her being snuggled against me and calling for me. Mikey likes it too, but both of us hope she feels better soon.

Poor Baby...

Photostory Friday: Color me happy

2010-02-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

I thought this looked like a fun way to blog on Fridays so I thought I'd give it a try today. So here goes my entry for Photostory Friday.

Hosted by Cecily and ???

Roo has started to color now. The first few times we gave her the crayons she mostly tried to stick them in her mouth, but now she colors. It's not much, but I like her little lines on the paper. It also looks like we might have a lefty, but I know that changes as they grow.

So far so good

2010-02-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

I know it's only been one day, but so far I've been holding up my daily goals. I need to get some kind of counter for my pepsi goals. I'll have to work on that. I'm having one today so I guess I won't have one for a while.

I was looking around to see if other people had blogged about being 30. I think my google skills failed me on this one. I did find this one which is not really what I am blogging about, but then I'm not much of an artist. This one seems a little more similar, since I am a mom and that is a major focus of mine. I added it to my google reader. Seems like I have a lot in common with her.

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My birthday yesterday was a really nice day. I started by getting Roo up and dressed and then we opened the card my mom had given me. It had money in it and played "Girls just wanna have fun," which Roo loved and was dancing her little booty off too.

We had a late start at school for a teacher inservice. The teachers sent me flowers (we pool money every year and send everyone flowers on their birthday - it's nice). Some of the kids also sang. I had one kid tell me I "wasn't that old, just middle-aged."

At home, Mikey brought home Chinese for supper and got a roll thing from DQ, which was super sweet. We ordered a sewing machine for me which was my gift from him, but as a surprise he also told me that he had taken Friday off of work. I have it off of school as well so that is a nice treat. I also got cards in the mail from my MIL and SIL, was nice. I am excited to use my birthday money to stock my sewing supplies and get some nice fabric to do some projects with. I'm hoping to make Roo some clothes and make a purse for myself.

I also have been reading more and more blogs. I love reading what other mothers write - seems like we all go through pretty similar things and can learn from each other. I also have been looking for fun sewing projects. I have been posting on several of the blogs I have on my google reader, even though the only way I know how to comment is to actually go to blog (if anyone is reading this that has a way to do it just from reader, please comment!). I still feel sorta funny when I comment - like why do they care what I think - but I hope that if anyone comes to this blog that they will comment.

Today is the day...

2010-02-09T12:06:00.001-08:00

It's my birthday. I'm 30 years old.

I’m not sure why turning 30 is having such an affect on me. I know I’m not “old,” but I’m also not “young” anymore. Something about that bothers me. It’s like I don’t have any more excuses to not be an “adult” at all times. Before turning 30 it seemed like there was always “later.” Now later is here and I want to be better 30+ than I was 29-.

To help me be better at 30 then I was before, I decided to come up with 30 goals for my 30th year (although technically it’s my 31st year as I have been alive for 30 already, but you know what I mean).

I wasn’t completely successful coming up with 30 goals. So far I only have 22, but I figure in a whole year some more will come to me.

I almost reconsidered a few just because I thought, “well this will be embarrassing if people know that I need this to be a goal in order to do it,” but the truth is the truth. For example, #2 – brush teeth daily, you might be thinking “really? She needs a goal for this? What a wackjob!” But that’s the fact, I do need a goal. I HATE brushing my teeth. Hate it. So I figured make it a goal, it’ll be come a habit and I’ll be set.

Other goals are maybe a little too easy. For example, #23 – Go to Europe might sound like a crazy dream of a goal but I already have plans to go with aunt and my cousin’s school group. I’m pretty excited about it and hope that goal #4 and #8 work into #23 nicely.

So Happy Birthday to me!