11.27.2009

Black Friday Shopping Recap

I did go out today! I did NOT go out at 4 am, nor did I go anywhere near Toys R Us, the mall, Target or Best Buy. I actually did go into Walmart but not until about 7pm for dogfood!
I did shop. I went to Walgreens and Kroger! I didn't have to fight any crowds, stand in long lines and I got everything on my list! I know you're shocked! Ha!

Freeze Sucka!

Little Hauss got a sweet gift from his Papa last week and loves dressing up in it! He and his daddy are two peas in a pod now! Here he is showing off his new gear!


Securing the area!

Checking himself out! I think he likes what he sees!

11.22.2009

A good excuse

I didn't get any of the Christmas decorations out this weekend. I had every intention, but a few things got in my way.

One, a great housewarming party for a good friend Friday night. I stayed much longer than I anticipated and had a wonderful time! It was great to just hang out with a lot of the girls I haven't seen in a while! Two, delivering some glasses and hanging out with the boys on a drive around town Saturday morning....followed by a baby shower lunch! Third, Hubby and I went to see the new movie, "The Blind Side"! It was a great movie and made us really appreciate all that we are blessed with. He was the lucky guy that had 5 dates since the girls I usually go to movies with came to the same showing! And lastly, the best excuse of the whole weekend - a chubaluvin' baby!!!! Yep, I got to keep my niece all day! Well, from about 8:30 - 3:30, but anytime is fine with me.

We put together the swing and had the coffee table pushed to the side with a bouncy seat on it, blankets on the floor and stuff scattered all over the living room and kitchen! Hubby looked at me at one point and asked what happened to the house! I just said, welcome to life with 2 kids! He's still on board with the plan, especially after today! And of course, I've got baby fever bad! Little Hauss did ok. He loves his cousin, but today was the first time we had her for an extended period of time. He was a little hyper, but really sweet with her and wanting to hold her, lay with her, and just be near her. He did get a little clingy a couple of times. At one point, he had been sent to his room for frog jumping over her on the floor (giving me a heart attack), but when I went to talk to him, he asked if I still loved him! Poor thing.....he's all good now and was in tears when she left! It's too cute!

So, the plan for decorating has changed. Hubby has agreed to get all the stuff out for me Tuesday so I can work on it Wednesday when I'm off!

The best thing about putting out the decorations is that Nelson comes out too! He is our Elf on the Shelf that we got last year and its the best thing ever to keep the Little Hauss on the "nice" list.

So, even though the plan didn't stick, I had some great excuses!

11.20.2009

Just a lunch break

To treat myself for working ALL five days this week, I decided to venture out at lunch to run to Wal-mart and the Dollar Store. Yes, very exciting I know, but entertaining no less!

Wal-mart itself wasn't too bad, except for the store employee who definitely needs a talking to about personal hygiene! He had frizzy hair pulled sloppily back in a ponytail, with his over stretched out navy shirt unbuttoned clear down to his navel complete with a sweat ring around the neck! Nice!

The real entertainment didn't start until after I left Wal-mart believe it or not! I got stuck behind a red camero at the stop sign coming out of the parking lot. I was beginning to think she was turning left, because for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why she hadn't gone yet. I guess her hair was to heavy to move her head side to side that fast to check for traffic! Really, the biggest hair I've ever seen. It looked like she had a space helmet on. She finally turns and I am still stuck behind her on the street as she is taking her merry ol' time down main street (during the lunch rush on a Friday no less). She turns into a parking lot (the same one I need to go to) but I proceed to the light, wait through an entire cylce of light changes, and by the time I get into the lot, park and am walking to the Dollar Store, I see her still getting out of her car!!!! And she is all decked out with a purple velour jogging suit and her big hair! I'm pretty sure she might have gotten the door shut and her car locked by the time I entered the store! Laasssss!
I'm only in the Dollar Store for a few minutes, find what I need, hear the ladies that work there discussing how they are "so over all the drama here"! I guess there is drama everywhere, but I really don't think I want to know about theirs! I get to the checkout line and see a woman clearly not college student age in her pajamas! Really? I thought that was only an "outfit" (if you even consider it that) seen on college campuses!
Hair is about the same size except my lady had an orange color!!!
So, I guess there really are the "people of walmart" in our area. I even pulled a few images courtesy of the people of walmart website for this post!

11.18.2009

Revived

I'm out of the funk - still a little bummed that I have to work all five days this week, but I'm almost over the hump! Next week being off 5 1/2 days is helping me get through this!

The thought of Christmas decorations being put up this weekend (yes, you read that right) is going to keep me cheerful for the next month and a half! I wish my house could stay decorated all year round! I guess it could, but then I would be that crazy lady with the year round decorations - as if those people with year round Christmas lights aren't bad enough!

I'm even listening to Christmas music - yeah, I'm that girl!

11.17.2009

Keep on Going

That is my motto for today!

Since I work part time, I don't reap any benefits (besides every Friday off and a super flexible schedule), but no real benefits. I am blessed to be covered under Hubby's insurance and what I make part time is almost as much as some full time jobs out there, but I don't get paid holidays, vacation time, or sick leave!

With said flexible schedule, I can adjust my hours in my pay period to make sure that when a holiday is near I can still work my full amount of hours in a shorter amount of time - which is great, except I'm exhausted!

I love my Fridays off (and Thursday afternoons) but when this week rolls around, I get in a funk because I know that I have to be in the office everyday all day! I shouldn't be whining, but it just brings me down! You would think that it wouldn't affect my mood until Thursday afternoon around 2 (when I should be leaving for the weekend) but I think I set myself up for a gloomy week knowing that I'll be here the whole time!!!

The funny thing is, its not the work that is the gloomy part, its the stuff that I know I can't get done because I have to work - I've been completely spoiled with saving all my errands for Thursdays and Fridays that I take for granted that all these people that work full time have only evenings and weekends for all of that.

Ok, so with that said, I'm going to start thinking positively and remember that I'm blessed to have such a wonderful job and I will get it all done....ALL of it....just like any other full time working mom!

11.14.2009

He said What - take 2!

Little Hauss has been at it again. He continues to say the funniest things and keeps us laughing.

While over at Mauggie's, he got out a ball of yarn and rolled it out along the floor. When he started putting it back together, he handed it to me and said "I can't yarn it up anymore". Huh? but too funny.

Hubby and I were having a moment in the kitchen (just a hug) and LH comes up asking if there is room for three? So sweet!

I was taking LH to Mauggie's on Saturday morning and on the way there he informs me that when we get there, he will get out of the car all by himself, walk up the sidewalk all by himself, open the door and go up the stairs all by himself, and I don't need to come with him. Ok, that's fine. We get there, he climbs to the front seat (because he can't open the back door all by himself) and proceeds to ask me how he does this? How do you do what? Open the door - I've never done that before he said. Oh, pull on the handle! Ok, bye Momma! As I'm speed dialing Mauggie to tell her he is heading in all by himself, he is standing at the front door waving me off telling me that I can go now! Already? He's not 12 yet!

We've been taking him to church with us (big church as he calls it) and getting him used to sitting there for a whole hour! Its a challenge and we usually don't remember much of anything the sermon is about, but eventually he'll be more acclimated. Yesterday, we were taking communion, and as they start talking about the bread of life, LH, grabs his tummy and said, "do we get to eat the bread next?" Yes I said. "Oh good, I'm hungry and need a snack!" Ok, not really the purpose of communion, but it'll have to do for now!

I can't remember what day this was last week, but we were putting the dogs downstairs and he helped me open the door to the basement and told me that Zeus's boy parts were wiggling (he's not fixed)! Oh my!

All in all he's really well behaved and listens pretty well, but lately, he's been giving us some attitude and arguing! It grates at my nerves when he back talks, but its even funnier when he's correcting us (but I would never let him know that it's funny)!

11.12.2009

Oishii


YUMMY in Japanese!

Pop was in town for the day and took Little Hauss and me out for dinner to a sushi restaurant (one of our faves) and then to get ice cream (even though it was 42 degrees and windy). Well, since they didn't have a children's menu, we got LH some teryaki chicken skewers and rice while Pop and I ordered a sushi boat for 2.
So, as our salads and miso soup were brought to the table, LH was practically crawling over me to get to the ginger dressing soaked lettuce with his very cool "special" chopsticks! I started putting some salad on a plate for him and our sweet server brought him his very own salad! He had so much fun picking at his salad and slurping the rest of my soup!
She brought the skewers first and he was very excited about them (probably because they were on a stick - a four year old boy loves anything you can eat off a stick) until our sashimi/sushi boat came out! He almost dug his chopsticks into a blob of wasabi before I caught his arm!
I kept trying to talk him into eating more of his chicken, but he couldn't seem to take his eyes (and chopsticks) off the sushi!
I gave him a california roll thinking he would like that best - WRONG! He practically spit it out! Then he wanted a salmon roll - which I just assumed he would dislike because of the wrap. He asked to just have the "middle" (the fish). No rice, no wrap, just fish! Ok, why not - suuuureee.
He LOVED it!
So, needless to say, Pop and I shared some chicken skewers and rice along with sushi while LH snacked on some shrimp, tuna (ahi and yellowfin), and salmon. No rice, no soy sauce - just fish!
We thanked Santiago (the chef) personally and told him we would definitely be bringing daddy back with us next time for a family dinner!
This is so much fun that I have another sushi partner!

***I did check to see if eating sushi would affect LH at his age, and it won't - he just shouldn't eat tuna more than once a week due to higher mercury levels!***

11.10.2009

When you're hurt and can't work...

Or part-time, knocked up and have no maternity leave benefits, Aflac is your insurance of choice!

Ok, to clarify, I'm not preggers, but we are working on it!

Seriously though, we are getting Aflac to cover me for that moment when I'll need it the most! I am part time and hubby has wonderful health insurance, but it doesn't pay me for my time off work. I mean, they love me and all, but they aren't going to pay me for having a baby! I'm lucky they will keep my position open while I'm out (when that day comes).
We needed to have a plan - because I love a plan! And this plan pays me!!! Can't beat that. We sign papers tomorrow and the policy will be in effect as of then. The catch is you have to have the policy in place for 40 weeks (9 months by any OBGYN's calendar, but 10 months by any pregnant woman's calendar) before reaping any benefits!
The cool thing about this coverage, is it isn't only for maternity, but for any accient or hospital stay! So, heaven forbid I puncture a lung or break my back, I'm covered! Nice!

I wasn't sure about this, but after talking to my agent (and friend) I'm sold! Also, it's fairly inexpensive! Gotta love it!

11.09.2009

Win a Flirty Apron from Second Time Around

I love to cook and since I spend so much time in the kitchen, I was excited to enter this giveaway at Second Time Around.
Check it out for a chance to win!
My favorite is Women's Original Chic Pink - even though this was a tough decision!

Thankfulness

Christmas is 44 days away!!!!!

But, we can't forget about one of the most important Holidays that hits right between Halloween and Christmas - yes, Thanksgiving!
It is actually one of my favorites. Maybe because it isn't over commercialized - the only hoopla you see is at the grocery store! It is a perfect holiday to focus on family and what we are truely thankful for! I love that I get about 5 days to be off work, spend time watching the Macy's Parade, spends hours and hours in the kitchen with my mom (yes, I live in the kitchen, but LOVE it), playing outside or watching the boys play outside, start getting Christmas decorations out and just relaxing!
This morning, I was discussing how wonderful Thanksgiving is and asking LH what he was thankful for. He said me, daddy, and the dogs! Tonight we will work on more things and see what he comes up with. I told him that we would go through some of his toys and books this weekend so he could pick out things he doesn't play with or want anymore and we could donate it to children who don't have any toys! He was really excited about that! =)
Every year, our Sunday School class provides meals for 2 needy families in our area and this year we will help deliver them. I'm excited that LH will be able to go along and meet these special people that we are helping. I know he's only 4, but he's so perceptive, that I'm hoping he starts to understand just how blessed we are! But again, because he is only 4, and he doesn't necessarily see any differences - which is a blessing in itself! They just see people and love them no matter what! Love experiencing things through a child's eyes!

11.08.2009

He said what?

Oh, Little Hauss has been cracking us up this weekend...

We were reading a book the other night and as I started on the first page, he stopped me and told me that I never said who illustrated the book! What? I've never said "illustrated by". They must do that at school! Either way, it blew me away that he even mentioned the illustrations!

LH told us today after Church that piggy was not his girlfriend anymore, but her older sister Ricola was. I asked why and he said because when he asked piggy, she shook her head no, so he wanted Ricola! Even funnier, their mom text me and said that they were talking about how funny LH was on the way home. I told her of his decision to change girlfriends, and we were laughing that they were already fighting over boys!

We were in the car running errands and LH wanted a snack, but he said after we go to the Orange Store (aka Home Depot), can we get a bite to eat? A bite ot eat? Hubby was laughing that he said that and asked where he heard it? Mommy! I guess I say that! Who knew!

Last Thursday on our way home, Gigi and I were chatting in the car on the phone. She asked if he would talk to her....so I asked LH if he wanted to talk to Gigi. He said, um, no, but I will on Saturday! So, the next time we talked, which was probably Friday, I asked if he wanted to talk to Gigi, and he said, um, no, in December!!! The funny thing is that he is dead serious but he has no concept of time!!! He finally talked to her last night!

Today at lunch, he had 8 grapes on his plate (he counts everything) and Hubby asked if he divided them in half, how many would he have. Since LH takes everything so literally, he started biting each grape in half and putting the other half back on the plate! We were just in stitches because he was doing exactly what his daddy asked but not what Hubby meant! But you couldn't be mad at him, because he wasn't doing anything wrong! Too cute.

I'm sure there were more, but I can't think of them now! We just love him so much!

11.07.2009

Busy with New Projects

I finally got to paint some today and made lots of new festive items just in time for the Holidays! Things are going to get busy soon because I've agreed to do some open houses with a friend of mine who makes jewelry and paints beautiful art. She started doing open houses last year and invited me to join her the end of this month! We've already got 3 shows scheduled! Check out the new products at Glitzy Creations! I'm excited!
This is part of my "evalution". I was debating how much time and energy I wanted to devote to my painting. I have done it for years and always gave as gifts or did small orders for friends but now I'm thinking that I'll really pursue it more agressively. By doing the open houses, I'll get a better client list for emails and updates and hopefully a few more open houses throughout the year. I finally have time to devote to it now that I'm only working part time and Little Hauss is more self sufficient and can entertain himself for longer periods!
This should be fun!

11.04.2009

Evaluation

Maybe its the age (30 - aghh) or maybe I'm just in a phase of my life, but I am evaluating. I'm evaluating my plans, goals, objectives, calling, and purpose! I sound like a company during its annual goals & objective review or evaluation of their mission statement, but that's kind of what it is for my life.

Things have changed in my life - with friends, family, work, and just my outlook on life (some good, some not so good) but I'm adjusting. I'm determined to find what it is I'm searching for and I know that it will I will come to terms with what it is I need to focus on. So, I'm changing goals - not necessarily setting new, but just tweaking!

I don't expect changes overnight or that it will be easy, but I'm prepapred for whatever it takes to get my goals accomplished and I feel good about that! Better than I thought I would.

Possible Christmas Card Material

Still haven't seen the other hundreds of photos our friend took, but she sent this one to me!!! I am thinking it is a very good possibility it could end up on this year's Christmas card!


11.02.2009

Ruff Ruff

The pups got us in trouble with the law last week! Wait, we are the law, but not the right kind of law for this! We work in the county, but we live in the city (a very small city with notsomuch action for the local law enforcement - obviously), so we were in trouble!

The beloved pups were making some "noise" (aka barking) last Thursday evening and we got a call to please put them inside. Now, because we work for the county law, we are in tight with the city law...that's just how things work around these parts! So, that's how we got a call about the dogs instead of the oh so formal notice they will tape to your front door. Hubby's friend got the call and texted him (at the football game that I was supposed to be at too) asking if we could get the dogs in because one of our neighbors was complaining. Hubby called me and I had to leave my friend's house (right before kickoff mind you) to get my noisy dogs inside.

I get home, barely get dogs inside (which by the way were not barking when I pulled in the driveway), and the door bell rings. This sets off my baby girl and she is pretty much through the front door to get at the nice officer standing on the other side. Well, hello officer *** (yes I know him - like I said, small town), oh, really? my dogs were barking? (as Zoey is still growling on the inside of the door). That's unusal as they don't bark unless something or someone is in the yard. Uh huh, yes, I know the neighbor you are talking about because he's complained on our next door neighbors in the past. He's got nothing better to do! Yes, they are inside. Oh, you are going to go talk to him now, ok, well thank you!

So, down in the basement they go and I quickly change into my pajamas because I need to get comfy to watch the game - since its already started and all! Ding Dong.....really? So, I check the peep hole and can barely make out another officer at my door as he is standing to the side. Well, this time I open the door and chastize him for not standing where I could see him (and swear at him under my breath as I'm standing on the front porch with mismatched pjs on). He laughs and I tell him that he's lucky I even opened the door because he knows that Hubby works at night and I am home all alone and wouldn't answer the door without knowing who was on the other side! He coulda been shot (yes, we have guns and yes I know how to use them). So, officer *** (he used to work with Hubby and me), I just told officer *** that the dogs don't bark unless someone is in the yard. I know the neighbor and he's a piece of work. He probably had nothing better to do, heard some dogs, and for all I know walked up here in the yard and they barked at him. So, what can he do? I mean, how many times did he call? Twice? really, in a 45 minute period? Insane! Well, it's only 8:00 pm and he has no valid complaint until at least 10pm when then noise ordinance goes into effect (because I know the city ordinances like that). Yes, I understand he could take a warrant out and take us to court. Yes, I know he's a retard! Yes, I know he complains on a lot of people. Thanks so much for your time...have a nice night! Oh, and by the way, I'm so glad that you and officer *** got to spend the tax payers money on this important situation and there wasn't something far more serious going on in the city that you might have needed to attend to! Thank goodness for no real emergencies!

So, I see the neighbor driving up the street with his window down on Friday afternoon, and as I glare at him, I almost, really almost, barked at him! If LH hadn't been standing right beside me, I would have!

11.01.2009

Family Pictures

We had family pictures scheduled today. This morning I woke up to rain! Our pictures were to be outside on the Blue Ridge Parkway! I was freaking out! I had a cooler packed and the picnic basket ready to go and coordinated outfits all laid out!

Well, we made it! And they turned out to be great! We drove up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and had some portraits done then let LH run free! He scared me half to death because he was standing at the edge of the overlook - I was certain he was going to end up down the side of the mountain! Thankfully, our photographer is a mother of a very active 3 year old little boy herself, so she was great at getting him in "action"!

Our best friends went with us as well and we got some pictures of the kids together! This is LH and baby Tater! SOOOOOOOOOOO sweet!






Halloween Rounds 1, 2 & 3

This Halloween has been nothing short of a whirl wind! Saturday morning, I took Little Hauss and his precious piggy downtown for the Fall Festival. It was fun, crowded, hot and a big fat mess! I will probably sit it out next year! The kids had fun trick or treating on Main Street and enjoyed some games, then we finished the morning off with a lunch at McDonald's!

Later in the afternoon, we headed to Piggy's neighborhood Halloween bash for some pizza, crafts, games, a pinata, and then trick or treating. Hubby and I would love to live on the street with such great people and wonderful kids, but for now we'll settle for being the adopted family from a block or so over!
Thought the fun was over? Notsomuch! Our Church had their annual Trunk or Treat tonight, so we loaded up the kiddies once again for a fun filled night! LH was kind of over it! He even got to the point where he stopped taking candy!!!!!

He's happily tucked in bed for the night thanks to the time change and I'm not far behind! Hopefully he won't be asking for candy for breakfast!!!!

Hair Gel

Not the best, but you get the idea! This is what happens when we have a wait at the hair salon and there is stack of books with hairstyles to browse through. He wanted a mohawk, so I guess this is better! We had to go get hair gel today to make sure we could style it as good as his hairdreser did! He's loving it and I'm loving it too!