I need suggestions for good workout music. The weather is warming up and I might get a chance to go out for a walk with my trusty iPod.
Go on then…. What do you listen to when you need to get your booty in gear?
March 14, 2011
Whatever, Eva Longoria will always be older than me.
Today, I had to check a different option on a survey when it came to age. Today is my 35th birthday. I am now in the next age bracket whenever I do those silly surveys for MyPoints. 35-49 I don’t know why that depresses me. Maybe because the next time I get to change brackets I will be 50.
I shouldn’t really say it depresses me. I just feels weird. It shouldn’t feel weird either since my 12 year old daughter has been reminding me for several weeks that I will be 35 in X days. Oh how I remember those days when I was young and my parents were old. Now she is young and I am old. I am not as old as my mom was when I was Emma’s age. When my mom was my age I was a wee little one year old sprite. So, when I teased my mom I was justified. Right?
I scored big time when it came to gifts this year. A Wii Fit Plus from the kids and gift cards from James and my mom – one just for me and one I have to share with James since our birthdays are 2 weeks apart. My mom totally cops out on that. It’s like having a birthday right near Christmas. We need the gift card though since it’s to our most visited shop… Home Depot. James got me an iTunes gift card which I used to buy Adele’s 21 and instantly fell into a total girl crush.
To top off the gift extravaganza, James had flowers and a balloon sent to me. It sorta makes up for him not being here on my birthday. There is good news on that front. He is starting a residency field service job for his current company over here at the beginning of April. The kids and I have been here without him for 7 months now. Seven months is a long time. Of course I’ve gotten used to sleeping alone and it’s going to take some massive sleeping pills to get me to sleep next to Kung-Fu sleeper.
Emma is asking me what I want for my birthday dinner. It’s a sweet idea, but the only thing she can make is macaroni and cheese. Not really my idea of birthday dinner, plus that’s what the kids had last night for their dinner because I am still battling the massive cold that has plagued our house and put a damper on Spring Break last week.
So, yeah. Thirty-five now.
Posted in Getting Older Comments closed
February 19, 2011
Tighten that Belt!
Like most people, we’re always looking for ways save money. The triplets wear Target brand diapers (which are awesome, by the way!) and you will find our cereal is kept in Rubbermaid plastic containers instead of boxes.
One of the biggest ways we saved money was by shopping at WalMart. I thought buying the Great Value version of Fruit Loops was a great idea until the color of the triplets’ poo started coming out in colors that one’s poo should not come out in. You couldn’t beat the prices, but I still felt guilt shopping there. I have heard of problems with not paying over time and they are very anti-union (it seems like there’s a lot of that going around… Wisconsin’s new Governor is at the helm at the moment).
Still, I shopped there and brought in my reuseable shopping bags to lessen the sting in my subconscious. It wasn’t enough. I kept seeing a tweet by Erin aka the Queen of Spain where she vowed not to shop at WalMart this year. I started to wonder if I could make the same promise.
I don’t live in a big city. We’ve got your run of the mill Walmart Supercenter, a regular Target with an expanding (slowly) grocery department, and 2 grocery stores (well, 3, but the third one is owned by one of the other 2). Options are limited and money is tight, but optioned were even more limited and money was tight when I was growing up and my mom managed.
Last night, I went into one of the family owned grocery stores. I picked up a few things that were on sale and that I had coupons for – BONUS! Wrong. When I went to check out I was told that they no longer took coupons printed off the internet since they have so many fraudulent ones in the past. I stood there with my mouth hanging open repeating “you’re kidding me” over and over again. Out went the beloved Toaster Strudel and my business tot hat grocery store. The old granny in me wanted to call up the guy who is running the joint and let him have a piece of my mind while calling him Davey, the name I called him in Kindergarten until High School when he grew into Dave.
Today, I finished my shopping trip with James in tow. He hates WalMart more than I do. Not for ethical reasons, but because of the people who shop there. People who stand in the middle of the aisles conversating with other people standing in the middle of the aisle along with their entourage of 15 teenaged kids. I can feel the anxiety seeping out of his pores whenever we step through those automatic doors.
First we went to Target to do as much shopping as we could there. I could spend all day and then some at Target. This coming from someone who once worked at Target and quit abruptly because my manager was a bit of a witch.
When we finished I hemmed and hawed saying we didn’t HAVE to go to WalMart but we went anyway. I needed to get those damn Toaster Strudel dammit. We made it out in one piece and spent just over $100 which is half of what I usually spend in the place. So I am claiming victory!
So, I guess I am weaning myself off my addiction to WalMart. It’s always better to do it slowly than to quit cold turkey, right?
After all of that I talked James into dropping me off at Goodwill where I picked up some Gap Jeans and a couple of sweaters for under $25. Still slowly shrinking and it does my mind a lot of good to only spend $5 on a pair of jeans I’ll only wear for a couple of months.
Emphasis on the slowly up there a couple of sentences ago. I seem to have plateaued and need to get my ass in gear. This cold winter has made me want to hibernate instead of exercise. I feel awful about it, so awful I haven’t made my annual appointment to see my weight loss surgeon (I had gastric bypass a year ago January 7th) because I am afraid he will be disappointed in my plateau and lack of exercise.
So, obviously I will not be eating any of those Toaster Strudel I ran all around town trying to use coupons on. These kids are lucky I love them so much.
Posted in Adventures in Parenting, Losing It - Weight That Is, Random Ramblings, Who doesn't like a good nut? Comments closed
January 30, 2011
How you doin?
There are stories to write, but they aren’t mine and so I feel uncomfortable writing about them. My life has been revolving around these things and it’s hard trying to think of other things to write about. So, i am going to write about them anyway.
My mom had her follow up colonoscopy on Friday. Polyps were removed and an appointment was made for today to have her appendix out. It had a polyp on it and needed to come out. Me, being an anatomy dummy had no clue what the appendix was attached to and what it had to do with her colon. Now I know. Thank you Jimmy Wales and Wikipedia!
She is home now and resting. Thankfully she took the rest of the week off from work. My mom is a work-a-holic and would go to work and stay at work if she could.
James has had several job interviews lately. One job he’d really love to have, but it does not provide insurance for the entire family. We need insurance and we cannot afford insurance ourselves. Another job would be a great job as far as benefits but it would be boring to do day after day after day. Another possible job is doing the same job he’s doing now with the same company. Long hours, great pay, decent benefits.
We’re playing a game of wait and see.
Right now I have this on my face: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. Scaring the crap outta my kids who should’ve been in bed an hour ago.
I made this for dinner: Chili’s Monterey Chicken. It was delicious. I don’t know if it was simple because I didn’t make it. Woo! Even more delicious!
The mask is now off my face. I am fighting a losing battle with acne. I don’t know if it’s vitamins, hormones or just an evil joke but my face keeps breaking out. I haven’t had acne like this since I was 14…. 20 years ago.
The kids are great. I think. The eldest is working on her Science Fair Project non-stop. The Kindergartener screams at me whenever I request she does something like putting on her pajamas and getting ready for bed. The triplets are getting older and more big kid like every day.
So, that’s what going on here. I need a kick in the pants to get back into writing. Swift and painful.
Posted in Adventures in Parenting, Getting Older Comments closed
January 14, 2011
You spin my head right round
I find myself chanting “I will not lose my temper” over and over again these days. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes steam bursts out of my ears and the screaming starts. Most of the time I can count to 10 and keep my cool. This parenting thing isn’t easy.
There is a bit of guilt going on in my head. See, Sunday, the triplets are going to my in-laws for the week. Giving me 5 days to work on the house, sleep in, read, do whatever the heck I wanna do with my time. Yes, I’ll have the older two but during the daytime I won’t have to be in three different places at the same time making sure Lauren isn’t putting lotion in her hair, Katie isn’t feeding her boogers to the dog and Megan isn’t climbing on a now empty diaper box to reach something on the kitchen counter.
When I joke that I live in a zoo, I am not always joking.
I have been wanting to talk about Daisy’s dog fight with the big husky down the street. Unfortunately, I have to find humor in it and the dog is still acting quite timid and won’t let me take pictures of her new hair cut that turned her from a cockapoo into a terrier. I think she’s pissed off I left her eyebrows so shaggy. I don’t blame her.
Posted in Adventures in Parenting Comments closed
December 28, 2010
Long December
December kicked my ass. It always kicks my ass. I should be prepared for it and, like, stuff rolls of Charmin in my undies to protect my ass when I finally fall. I don’t, though, I sit there staring at the boot that’s about to knock me over with my head turned and ears perked up. Just like a dog who shit on the floor staring at his owner yelling at him and he has no idea why.
Poo, Todd. Poo.
Sorry, I read an excellent book last night – it took me two days to get through it and it’s not a short book. I could not put it down. You must read the Chaos Walking series of books by Patrick Ness (The Knife of Never Letting Go, Monsters of Men, & The New World). I wanted to start the second one tonight, but I instead found myself farting around online until it was too late. See, if I started it tonight I’d be up until dawn reading it because I have no self control. None. Which is why I need someone to come over and physically take away these chocolate dipped pretzels.
So, yeah, December. I feel like shit for not posting on Ethan’s birthday or the anniversary of his death. I barely made a status update on Facebook and Twitter about it. It feels like it all was so long ago but at the same time the hurt is still seeping under the scab. Just one poke and the whole thing would come open. Maybe that’s why I didn’t post anything. I was afraid of letting it all go. Bits were let go in a very emotional phone call with one of my sisters. It drained me and, honestly, I didn’t have time to be drained.
James was my knight in diesel fuel & oil armor. He took the week of Christmas off from work and stayed here at the house. He finally saw how I was barely holding it all together and he came with his brand of duct tape. We went to Emma’s Choir concert at the new high school auditorium. Can I just say “holy shit I am jealous of the mother fucking auditorium!”? Because I am. The one we had when I was in high school was falling apart and haunted. Both of those things made it cool and I miss it each time I drive past the field where it, and the high school, once stood.
High school wasn’t all bad. I wish I felt like I fit in more but I think everyone feels that way. It’s not something that I want to relive exactly. Maybe there is a part of me that wants to go back and try to be more active and not so freaking scared. I was so damn shy and thought I was the fattest cow ever. Certain physical things kept me doubting and worried about myself – teeth and psoriasis. Hrm. Those things still make me uncomfortable with myself.
Last night I caught a replay of the high school Choir concert. They still do this song at the end of the program that involves all of the choirs. A tear or six escaped from my eyes.
While tangents abound! I am going to put this to bed along with my tired body before it goes off any further.
Posted in Random Ramblings Comments closed
December 8, 2010
and then there’s that hair on my chin
I know, I farked up the whole NaBloPoMo thing. Posting every single day for an entire freaking month. A kinda busy month turned out to be a bit busier. We all got sick on Thanksgiving. Eight puking people. One toilet. It’s like Survivor only way grosser. Really happy that’s over with.
I was doing good on the whole posting thing. I was starting to really enjoy writing again. I had things to say and I was picking up my camera again. Then I got really pissed off at someone. Really pissed off. This person doesn’t even know I am pissed off at them since I am working the whole Minnesota passive aggressiveness Nice thing. I couldn’t think about anything but the lecture I wanted to give this person for pissing me off.
Yes, I have arguments with people in my head. I dream about telling people off at night. It helped me work out a lot of anger I had toward people I am related to. I guess I’d rather scream at them in my head than start a fight that leads to one sibling not talking to another for years on end. Having personal experience with that I can say it sucks ass.
Oh, and I have this damn hair growing in the mole on my chin and I can’t seem to pluck the damn thing. I can feel it but no plucky. Sexy, I know. Meow!
Posted in Random Ramblings, Who doesn't like a good nut? Comments closed
November 18, 2010
Hi there
Guilt. I got out of my warm bed because I remembered I hadn’t posted. Here’s a picture. It makes it a worthwhile post. Yes it does. Because I said so dammit.
Megan… the baby of the family. I am in so much trouble, people.
Posted in Adventures in Parenting, NaBloPoMo Comments closed
November 17, 2010
Totally Random
I was going to write a post about premature babies since it’s write for your preemie day or something like that, but, um, I got all hung up on trying to figure out an easy way to upload pictures to Flickr. Never did sort that out. Should mention I am using Ubuntu now and am just now installing Picasa and hoping the Picasa2Flickr thingie works in Linux.
Aw, screw it. I am going to take that bath I promised myself last night and relax. I will not get sucked into reading blog posts. Yes, I am chanting this to myself. I am easily distracted.
Posted in NaBloPoMo Comments closed
November 16, 2010
Darkness
This is one of those nights where there aren’t a whole lot of laughs in the house. The kids are missing their Daddy and so am I. Only have two parents for 2 days a week takes a toll on all of us. They miss the big hairy guy they can roll around on the floor with. I miss the dude with the deep voice who can get the little ones to stay in their beds once we’ve put them there for the night.
No one knows how much longer this will go on. He’s looking for work over here, but the economy is still sucking. He’d love to stay with his current company but there is one employee who lives over here and he’s not going any where any time soon. I suggested doing a Tanya Harding on him but James nixed it. Damn him for anting to be nice and law abiding.
So I am here struggling to get 5 kids in bed on time (and failing as Abby dances around the room to Enrique Inglesias who is performing on Dancing with the Stars) just so I can go to bed myself with a good book and a cat or 5.
Posted in Adventures in Parenting, NaBloPoMo Comments closed
