I am ashamed to admit the following: My house looks like a pig sty. Three piles of laundry have found permanent residence on my couch. Hubby and I brought home a new-to-us barbecue on Sunday, and since then the pieces have been scattered about my entry area and dining room (we had to take it apart for it to fit in the car). I am so very grateful that my floor tiles are gray, providing camouflage for the dirt I haven't found the time to mop. In other words, no visitors allowed!
I really, really want to decorate for the fall season, but I can't do that until the house is clean, and I'm so overwhelmed by the nastiness everywhere that I just keep postponing it. So now it's a vicious circle: look around the room, try to figure out where to start, become discouraged, give up on that room, leave to another room. Do you see where this is going? The good news is I'm reaching that point where I just can't take it anymore, and I'll break down and go on a cleaning frenzy. It's definitely not tonight, though. It won't be tomorrow, either, as I'm partcipating in my very first Twitter Party, plus I've got Grey's and Private Practice to watch. I don't usually plan the frenzy ahead of time, but it looks like Friday will be the day, so that I can lift the ban on visitors in time for the weekend.
I'm considering making this a weekly feature...
This week's sentences:
1. I bet you can't bite me. (No, he's not influenced by my vampire obsession....he meant beat!)
2. I'm getng a dog.
3. Let's go home!
4. I saw the sunset.
5. I fret when I saw the dinosaur raid. (ride)
6. My mom has a pen.
7. Men is a group of big boys.
8. Ten is a number.
9. I did this then I did that.
10. When where gong home?
11. I have camouflage shorts. (bonus word)
I'm in the middle of a very delicate balancing act. You see, this is the week I've been dreading (and stressing over), all month. I've got three bills due, including one that is set up to automatically withdraw from my account, before getting paid on Friday. These happen to be bills that cannot be delayed or ignored until next month, so I'm hoping That some juggling with other financial responsibilities combined with a bit of praying will result in us avoiding $96 in overdraft fees.
I keep reminding myself to look at the bright side, at least I have a steady paycheck I can count on (whether my bills are paid on time or not), but Friday morning cannot get here soon enough. I'm so over this paycheck-to-paycheck business!
How does that saying go, feed a cold, starve a fever? Or is it the other way around? I hope it's the former, because I haven't been able to stop eating for the last three days, and that's precisely how long I've been sick. It creeped up on me throughout the day Wednesday, and by evening I was curled up on the couch, shivering underneath a blanket. I haven't had a fever, but my body feels totally and completely yucky. And today my nose decided it should get all stuffy and not allow me to breathe. To be honest, I don't mind the cold so much, it's the nasal issues that I can't stand.
Fortunatetely, no fever has come my way.. Thanks to hubby and his house-husband skills, I got some rest last night, and I get to sleep in tomorrow. I am hoping the road to recovery is not too far off.
As a side note, I have come to the conclusion that anything with chocolate should contain fat burners. It would be mighty beneficial during these cold-induced binges.
Brandon's spelling/vocabulary practice for the evening (write each word in a sentence):
1. An ox is a kind of cow.
2. My box is full of toys.
3. the fox is runing.
4. A lox is a fish.
5. Once I read a book and it had once upon a time.
6. I have a cot.
7. I do not want to go to school!
8. Theyr is a spot on my pants.
9. I got a car.
10. What do you see?
11. Take care of our environment.(bonus word)
I'm making baked ziti for dinner. I love making baked ziti; it's quick and easy, and a tray will easily last us for two days, sometimes longer.
I've been reading a few new blogs lately (those of my co-writers for snackpicks.com), and I've been inspired (yet again) to become a better, more organized mommy. I'm starting slow: I'm thinking ahead and planning dinner for tomorrow (leftover ziti!), and the boys' things are all ready to go for a new week of school.
I'm hoping this sticks....my travel time to FNJ is shorter, but getting out of the house is still crazy, and I think a bit more organization can remedy that.
I have a confession to make: I'm a hoarder. You can't tell by glancing around my house, but if you open closets and drawers you'll see what a pack-rat I am. I was lookiing for something in particular last week (and of course I can't remember what it was now), and had to rummage through four drawers in my kitchen to find it. That very night I organized the four drawers as I put everything away. One drawer was full of birthday party and baby announcements, and I put all the ones I decided to keep in an empty 4x6 album. It was a small accomplishment, tidying up those four drawers, but it made me feel so good. I've decided to tackle our hall closet next weekend. Anyone want to come over and help?
Hubby took Brandon to their first Cub Scouts meeting this evening. I called them before it started (I was on my way home from work) to see how Brandon had behaved at school.
Me: Hi baby! Did you behave at school today?
B: Yes, I did.
Me: Really? That's great!
B: Yes, and I got two stickers from the treasure box.
Me: Wow! That means you were really, really good!
B: Yeah. I think I'm getting the hang of this.
About a month ago (busy month, August!), my computer at work was replaced with a newer model. Since its arrival a few weeks ago, it has been a constant pain in the you-know-what. First, we had to downgrade it to XP because one of the software programs we use for billing isn't compatible with Vista. Then, a week and a half later, the hard drive crashed. We had to wait 3 days for the new hard drive to arrive and get installed. All ran smoothly for about a week, then last week it acted up again and does not recognize the software for my wireless internet connection.
We finally bit the bullet and decided to just get a new one since apparently this one came faulty from factory. I spent half the afternoon today looking through websites for a new tower with the right configuration for my work needs. It shouldn't have taken me that long, but one particular page I kept clicking on for "desktops and towers" kept jumping me to listings for POS systems. It was very irritating.
I finally found what I needed and tried to order it online, but the shopping cart gave me an error. Since I didn't know if it was the connection or me and my frazzled state, I picked up the phone and asked for a human so that they could take my order.
The new computer is scheduled to arrive next week, and I really hope this is the beginning of the end of all this techy drama.
At least that's what it feels like...
Just a bit over a month ago, I was contacted by a media consultant about becoming an independently contracted writer for a website featuring some products we all know and love. After repeatedly slapping myself in the face to wake up (yes, I thought I was dreaming), I said "Yes!" and sent the contact all my paperwork. That very evening, I was given my first assignment. I am now a contributing "Mom" for Snackpicks.com!
My post will go "live" in a few short weeks, and very soon you can find me in the "Meet the Moms" link within the "About Us" page. In the meantime, I ask that you browse around the site. Check out all the great features, including their new web series, Highlights of a Mom's Life. Trust me, it's funny. More episodes coming soon!
I will make a big, dramatic announcement when my first post is up. To borrow from a very dear friend: I feel so accidentally cool!
I’ve noticed that a lot of my favorite bloggers have a “100 Things About Me” (or some variation), so after almost six years of blogging, I’ve decided to join the bandwagon and make my own. My regulars know most of this stuff, as these tidbits are scattered all over the blog, but now they are in one handy-dandy place. I hope you enjoy my “78 Things” (That’s how far I got before it seemed like I was just making stuff up).
1. I’ve been married since 2002.
2. We have two boys.
3. They are my world.
4. Brandon is 6.
5. Matthew is 2.
6. They are 4 years and 19 days apart.
7. Their scheduled due dates were 16 days apart.
8. They were both preemies.
9. B was born at 36 weeks and 1 day.
10. M was born at 36 weeks and 5 days.
11. I will admit it: when I got pregnant the second time, I really wanted a girl.
12. But I’ve come to realize that boys are easier (in some ways) than girls.
13. My parents divorced when I was five.
14. Both of them remarried.
15. Consequently, I have a very large extended family.
16. My siblings include two older stepbrothers, an older stepsister, my “sister” sister, and my half-brother.
17. This would be a good time to mention that my cousin (dad’s niece) is my sister-in-law (married to one of the stepbros).
18. My oldest nephew is 7 months younger than B (to the day), and his baby brother is 4 months and 16 days older than M.
19. No, my stepsister and I didn’t plan it that way.
20. I was born in the United States, but I’m very proud of my Cuban heritage.
21. My grandparents, mom and uncle were recently featured in a documentary about the Freedom Flights.
22. It’s so very sad, but I’m so grateful to have something like that to show my kids.
23. I like to scrapbook.
24. But have been quite terrible about scrapping M’s pictures.
25. He has five pages in his book.
26. His older brother has three complete books.
27. Yeah, that’s a bit unfair.
28. I do plan on remedying that someday, hopefully soon.
29. In middle school, I was in gifted.
30. In high school, I was not.
31. But I was in some honors classes.
32. I was a band geek, and proud of it.
33. I graduated with a B average.
34. I’m smart, but lazy.
35. And I procrastinate.
36. A lot.
37. That’s why it took me five and 1/2 years to finish community college.
38. And almost six years of blogging to make this “about me” page.
39. I graduated in December 2000 and took nine months off (till the next fall semester) before pursuing my Bachelor degree.
40. It took me just under seven years to finish that.
41. But in my defense, I got married and had two kids during those seven years.
42. I worked for a major University for almost 15 years.
43. Thanks to that job, I didn’t pay for anything except books while pursuing my Bachelor degree.
44. I might have pursued my Masters there too, but I lost my job.
45. One of the best things that could have happened.
46. I love my new job.
47. I hope to be there for a long, long time.
48. Hubby and I met in high school.
49. He was dating his best friend’s sister at the time.
50. A year after he graduated, they broke up.
51. A few months after that, we started dating (me and hubby, not me and the best friend’s sister).
52. Two years later, I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.
53. To this day, we are friends.
54. We’re weird like that.
55. Hubby and I dated for four years.
56 Then broke up for ten months.
57 We got back together, and got married less than a year after that.
58. My favoritest (yes, it’s a word) movie ever is “When Harry Met Sally”.
59. I can recite pretty much the whole movie.
60. I love the Twilight Series.
61. Team Edward!
62. I’ve read all four books four times.
63. Will probably do another read-through before New Moon comes out in November (2009).
64. I am frightfully scared of frogs.
65. I can’t even hear them croak.
66. I get chills if I do.
67. And quickly run the other way.
68. I also hate roaches.
69. And just about any other creepy-crawly thing.
70. Hubby is the designated bug squisher at our house.
71. I have never had any kind of surgery, except for getting my molars removed.
72. I’m scared of plastic surgery.
73. I know someone who almost died from it.
74. I would like to get Lasik eye surgery though.
75. Because I’m tired of contacts and glasses.
76. I sound like a commercial.
77. I’m left-handed.
78. Which means I often remind hubby that I’m the only one of us in her right mind.
79. The End. *grin*
My nephew Maxx turned 3 yesterday. Happy birthday, Maxxy!!
Saw the VMA's on Sunday. So excited about New Moon...T - 65 days!
Kanye West is an A--, and Beyonce is one classy gal! Lady Gaga is such a weirdo, what is up with all those outfits? MJ tribute had me in tears.
Had B's Open House tonight. His teacher is so nice. She says his talking does get him distracted, causing him to have incomplete work. But it's not that he doesn't know the material, he's very good at it (whatever work he does complete). We haven't quite worked out our positive
So sad about Patrick Swayze's passing yesterday.
Hubby is taking Brandon to his very first Cub Scout meeting tomorrow. Both of them are so excited! Hubby was a Boy Scout when he was a kid. He is so very eager to share the experience with Brandon, and Matty when he's older.
Oh, and one other thing: WB is running in the 2010 Disney Marathon as part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. To quote one of her recent Facebook updates: "Just because the economy is slow does not mean blood cancers are taking a break." Times are tough, but every dollar helps, so I ask that you donate what you can. Pretty please, with a cherry on top?
I saw this clip last night and couldn't stop laughing. Remember when cell phones were the size of bricks? It seems that Shaq is trying to bring it back in style. Might fit in his pocket, but it doesn't fit in mine!
He really is a reserve police officer, by the way. He trained at my mom’s place of employment when he played for the Miami Heat. It was supposed to be on the D-L, but really, he can't blend in very well.
And yeah, I'd also be a bit scared to question his Scrabble skills.
Hi. 'member me?
I'd like to apologize for the unexpected, unplanned hiatus. I have no excuse, other than I am beyond tired. I stayed late at work 3 out of 5 days last week. I even went in on Saturday to catch up on some stuff. I was there today until 7:15pm, and that does not include the time I spent after work running a couple of errands.
I love my job (really, truly I do), but days like these drain me.
What have you been up to?
The supply monster strikes again!
I packed all of B's new school supplies in his pencil bag on Sunday night. He had them all yesterday evening when we did homework. Today, 3 colored pencils, a regular pencil, and a glue stick are missing. I asked him what happened and he says, "I don't know".
They'd better turn up in his desk tomorrow, or toys are going to start disappearing again.