On the advice of a friend on a messageboard, I deciced to give pilates another chance. I found a different gym location with a different teacher. And, I'm happy to report it was a very different workout! I sweated! I stretched! I felt fantastic!
I'm really looking forward to her classes now.
The gym is starting up pilates in the evenings two days a week and three days a week during the day. During all of those times, they have child watch. I think I might also be able to squeeze in a water aerobics class during those times, as well.
I feel the best I've felt in years!
OK so I'm still moody as all get out, but physically I feel great!
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Work it, baby!
So my new year's resolution was to get in shape. I actually got a membership to the YMCA, figuring if I actually had to spend money on it, I'd use it. Surprise, surprise, but I AM using it!
It doesn't hurt that I can drop the kids off for two hours of absolute ME time. Selfish, I know ;)
I've been taking classes for about 4 months now.
Today, was my first day of pilates. I'm wholly unimpressed. I am not sure if it was just the teacher, but it wasn't enough of a workout for me. I want to be sweating and feeling my muscles ache. I want to feel like I'm actually doing something other than fancy stretching. Sure, it was difficult not to move my torso or hips or backs during certain poses, but it wasn't something that I could see getting any short term immediate gratification type results. At least with spinning, my tush hurts so bad that I know I got a good workout.
Also this morning I did water aerobics. Instead of being the warm up type workout for me, it ended up being a great workout! New teacher this time and she had us wear weights on our ankles. I can't believe what a difference it made! I'm absolutely sold on it!
So maybe I'll go back to doing spinning and water aerobics a couple days a week and change it out with some other good cardio stuff. The weights still scare me.
It doesn't hurt that I can drop the kids off for two hours of absolute ME time. Selfish, I know ;)
I've been taking classes for about 4 months now.
Today, was my first day of pilates. I'm wholly unimpressed. I am not sure if it was just the teacher, but it wasn't enough of a workout for me. I want to be sweating and feeling my muscles ache. I want to feel like I'm actually doing something other than fancy stretching. Sure, it was difficult not to move my torso or hips or backs during certain poses, but it wasn't something that I could see getting any short term immediate gratification type results. At least with spinning, my tush hurts so bad that I know I got a good workout.
Also this morning I did water aerobics. Instead of being the warm up type workout for me, it ended up being a great workout! New teacher this time and she had us wear weights on our ankles. I can't believe what a difference it made! I'm absolutely sold on it!
So maybe I'll go back to doing spinning and water aerobics a couple days a week and change it out with some other good cardio stuff. The weights still scare me.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Prayers
Like so many others across this country, my thoughts and prayers are with those who are in the path of Rita.
This weekend my husband was supposed to go to Slidell, La., to help with the cleanup effort. however, that trip has been postponed by a week or more. hopefully those families who were spared Katrina's wrath will also come unscathed from Rita. Those who have already lost everything cannot lose any more, sadly.
Part of me also wonders that maybe Katrina was some sort of blessing in disguise. How many people evacuating now would have chose to ride out Rita, had Katrina not hit, but because of Katrina being so fresh in memory are choosing to leave?
People have said "why would God have two horrible hurricanes so close together?" I am choosing to believe that if Katrina had not hit and a thousand (I'm not sure on the current death toll) people died, that when Rita hit, many many more would die. Then, maybe we wouldn't feel as if those who died as a result of Katrina didn't die in vain, but as a warning to others to be wary of these powerful storms.
Yes, my trying to find any glimmer of hope from horrible situations is rather annoying, but it is the best coping method I have.
This weekend my husband was supposed to go to Slidell, La., to help with the cleanup effort. however, that trip has been postponed by a week or more. hopefully those families who were spared Katrina's wrath will also come unscathed from Rita. Those who have already lost everything cannot lose any more, sadly.
Part of me also wonders that maybe Katrina was some sort of blessing in disguise. How many people evacuating now would have chose to ride out Rita, had Katrina not hit, but because of Katrina being so fresh in memory are choosing to leave?
People have said "why would God have two horrible hurricanes so close together?" I am choosing to believe that if Katrina had not hit and a thousand (I'm not sure on the current death toll) people died, that when Rita hit, many many more would die. Then, maybe we wouldn't feel as if those who died as a result of Katrina didn't die in vain, but as a warning to others to be wary of these powerful storms.
Yes, my trying to find any glimmer of hope from horrible situations is rather annoying, but it is the best coping method I have.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Two Peas Message Board
Shift Key and the Great Board war
I know, real mature of me to bring this to my blog, but since i already blogged about it I feel fairly justified. I know there are some really super people who aren't involved and have tried to be honest and helpful and I in no way shape or form blame you or find you in any way responsible...
But c'mon...If it were one person, that's an oversight. It's been many people and many emails and many many excuses.
The sad part is, all we (or at least I) want now is an admittance that there was a huge screw up and feelings were hurt. Accept the responsibility. It's not the fault of email, operating systems or anything else. You messed up and many really neat women had their feelings hurt. Of course, none of us would ever post at your website or probably even shop there if you ever went commercial.
And, because of the way this was handled, there will ALWAYS be a stigma attached. Your group will always been thought of as cliquish and exclusionary. Whenever the place is mentioned on another board, it's always going to create problems.
I just wish I felt better about getting this all off my chest. :(
But at least I'm not posting to the monster thread which I'm sure is helpful.
I know, real mature of me to bring this to my blog, but since i already blogged about it I feel fairly justified. I know there are some really super people who aren't involved and have tried to be honest and helpful and I in no way shape or form blame you or find you in any way responsible...
But c'mon...If it were one person, that's an oversight. It's been many people and many emails and many many excuses.
The sad part is, all we (or at least I) want now is an admittance that there was a huge screw up and feelings were hurt. Accept the responsibility. It's not the fault of email, operating systems or anything else. You messed up and many really neat women had their feelings hurt. Of course, none of us would ever post at your website or probably even shop there if you ever went commercial.
And, because of the way this was handled, there will ALWAYS be a stigma attached. Your group will always been thought of as cliquish and exclusionary. Whenever the place is mentioned on another board, it's always going to create problems.
I just wish I felt better about getting this all off my chest. :(
But at least I'm not posting to the monster thread which I'm sure is helpful.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
the last to know
I always feel like the last person to discover certain things...like Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals on food network.
I've set my DVR for the shows.
although I really can't stand her voice and how much she uses her hands to talk, the recipes are actually very easy and practical. I am hoping I can see past her hands to get some good dinner ideas.
And, it's also good bonding with my oldest daughter. She has always loved to watch cooking shows. Tonight, she begged me to make the meal we watched today. Thankfully, we had the majority of the ingredients at home...just had to run to the store for fresh herbs.
I've set my DVR for the shows.
although I really can't stand her voice and how much she uses her hands to talk, the recipes are actually very easy and practical. I am hoping I can see past her hands to get some good dinner ideas.
And, it's also good bonding with my oldest daughter. She has always loved to watch cooking shows. Tonight, she begged me to make the meal we watched today. Thankfully, we had the majority of the ingredients at home...just had to run to the store for fresh herbs.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
fall...NOT
one thing i don't think i will be able to get used to living in the south is the weather in the fall. September, in my mind, is a time when the weather cools down. It isn't too hot and it isn't too cool. It's just right...
well, not here!
it's 4 p.m. and currently a toasty 94 degrees!
Last year on Halloween, it was in the low 80s. It cools down to the mid60s come winter and will sometimes dip below that, but by March and April, it's back up into the low 80s.
THe seasons here should be renamed: Hot, Windy, Hotter, Oh I'm buring in the fires of Hell, Hurricane, Hot, Who knew humidity made the cold this biting...
well, not here!
it's 4 p.m. and currently a toasty 94 degrees!
Last year on Halloween, it was in the low 80s. It cools down to the mid60s come winter and will sometimes dip below that, but by March and April, it's back up into the low 80s.
THe seasons here should be renamed: Hot, Windy, Hotter, Oh I'm buring in the fires of Hell, Hurricane, Hot, Who knew humidity made the cold this biting...
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
learning curve
Nothing quite breaks your heart like hearing your almost seven year old sobbing about school. "Mommy, will I get to learn knew things in second grade?" she asked between tears.
As her big brother went off to kindergarten, Leelee was completely jealous. She kept telling people about how excited she was to go to kindergarten and learn. As the first day of kindie approached last year, she was so excited. Her teacher was "beautiful and so nice" just like kindergarten teachers are supposed to be.
Her excitement, however, began to wane as the year progressed. "Mommy, we're learning our letters still" she'd complain. Then, she'd complain they were learning their numbers, shapes and colors. The majority of things that were benchmarks here for kindergarden were prerequisites to enter kindie in our old state. Children there generally went to preschool, so letter, number, color and shape recognition were review and not the majority of the curriculum. I asked her teacher that year when the children would begin to bring home stories to read. She informed me that it's the exception and not the rule, that children here leave kindie reading. Again, quite different from our previous kindie experience.
I had taken the time to prepare my child based on guidelines for another district and, as a result, she had mastered all the benchmarks for kindergarten before she even started! Of course, the fact that she is nearly a full year older than most of her classmates thanks to a Sept. 1 cutoff, and that she was doing her brothers kindie homework with him while she was FOUR, hasn't help matters.
Still, she loved school for the social aspects and made friends. She was happy.
First grade, it was decided, would be the year she'd learn something new.
Yet here we are halfway through the first grading period and my child is in tears because she still isn't learning anything new. She already knows how to read. She writes stories for fun and loves to illustrate them. She admits the math is a bit new, but again, it's things she's watched her brother do for the past two years so it is very familiar and comes easily to her.
I've approached her teacher to get a feel for how she planned to handle students who were working above benchmarks. She said she'd give her extra work if Leelee started to get bored. Great, busy work is really going to help. *sigh* This is a child who is eager and thirsty to learn. She reads at home and enjoys it, but expects to LEARN in school...not be kept busy with worksheets and coloring projects.
The only good part of this, I suppose, is that she's not a behavior problem. That honor goes to our oldest ... who incidently was also bored in school. Turns out he is gifted and this year is starting in the gifted program.
As her big brother went off to kindergarten, Leelee was completely jealous. She kept telling people about how excited she was to go to kindergarten and learn. As the first day of kindie approached last year, she was so excited. Her teacher was "beautiful and so nice" just like kindergarten teachers are supposed to be.
Her excitement, however, began to wane as the year progressed. "Mommy, we're learning our letters still" she'd complain. Then, she'd complain they were learning their numbers, shapes and colors. The majority of things that were benchmarks here for kindergarden were prerequisites to enter kindie in our old state. Children there generally went to preschool, so letter, number, color and shape recognition were review and not the majority of the curriculum. I asked her teacher that year when the children would begin to bring home stories to read. She informed me that it's the exception and not the rule, that children here leave kindie reading. Again, quite different from our previous kindie experience.
I had taken the time to prepare my child based on guidelines for another district and, as a result, she had mastered all the benchmarks for kindergarten before she even started! Of course, the fact that she is nearly a full year older than most of her classmates thanks to a Sept. 1 cutoff, and that she was doing her brothers kindie homework with him while she was FOUR, hasn't help matters.
Still, she loved school for the social aspects and made friends. She was happy.
First grade, it was decided, would be the year she'd learn something new.
Yet here we are halfway through the first grading period and my child is in tears because she still isn't learning anything new. She already knows how to read. She writes stories for fun and loves to illustrate them. She admits the math is a bit new, but again, it's things she's watched her brother do for the past two years so it is very familiar and comes easily to her.
I've approached her teacher to get a feel for how she planned to handle students who were working above benchmarks. She said she'd give her extra work if Leelee started to get bored. Great, busy work is really going to help. *sigh* This is a child who is eager and thirsty to learn. She reads at home and enjoys it, but expects to LEARN in school...not be kept busy with worksheets and coloring projects.
The only good part of this, I suppose, is that she's not a behavior problem. That honor goes to our oldest ... who incidently was also bored in school. Turns out he is gifted and this year is starting in the gifted program.
Monday, September 12, 2005
los ninos estan muy loco
please excuse my spanish, but it is relevant to this entry. You see, my crazy children are playing hide and go seek...all four of them. It's very cute. What makes it crazy is that the "rule" is you have to count to ten in spanish. Even my little 2 year old is covering her eyes and counting: "uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, sies, siete, ocho, nueve, ocho, diez"
edited to fix my spanish...thanks jess!
edited to fix my spanish...thanks jess!
Sunday, September 11, 2005
while dh was out...
I am so tired! I managed to get the faux finish done and my friend put together the shelving for me. i rearranged furniture and ended up disappointed. our bed is just *this much * too big to go anywhere than where it is now...unless i get a different dresser.
DH was so tired and sunburned after a hard day cleaning up debris that I really don't think he cared or noticed the room. He said he appreciated all my hard work, but just wanted to sit down. poor guy. he managed to lose his voice, too!
He also got home about 2 hours earlier than I expected, so I wasn't able to get the room in *perfect* shape. He wanted to go to sleep early; I ended up having to take everything that was staged on the bed and put it in a big pile on the floor.
One of the kids I watch is sick, so I'll have tomorrow to get things in order.
Oh and one cool thing, we have this decorative wall hanging from his mission to Okinawa, Japan. It's really dark colors but along the bottom is this green grass border...DH really wanted that piece in the bedroom...and i'm quite happy to report, it really pops against the paint that i used :D it will look so awesome with the other black accent items i'll be picking out later.
DH was so tired and sunburned after a hard day cleaning up debris that I really don't think he cared or noticed the room. He said he appreciated all my hard work, but just wanted to sit down. poor guy. he managed to lose his voice, too!
He also got home about 2 hours earlier than I expected, so I wasn't able to get the room in *perfect* shape. He wanted to go to sleep early; I ended up having to take everything that was staged on the bed and put it in a big pile on the floor.
One of the kids I watch is sick, so I'll have tomorrow to get things in order.
Oh and one cool thing, we have this decorative wall hanging from his mission to Okinawa, Japan. It's really dark colors but along the bottom is this green grass border...DH really wanted that piece in the bedroom...and i'm quite happy to report, it really pops against the paint that i used :D it will look so awesome with the other black accent items i'll be picking out later.
toolbelt diva
So DH is down in Hattiesburg, MS, this weekend working on hurricane cleanup. I figured this was the perfect time to play "while you were out" and redo our bedroom.
heeheee
We had named our bedroom the "blue sea prison of death." My SIL, when they owned this house, had sponge painted different colors of blue stripes down the walls. It felt like you were in an underwater jail, what with the blue carpet :vomit:
This morning I started with the primer then headed to home depot to get supplies for the makeover. I picked up the base coat of paint. Planning on doing a double drag faux finish. have lots of faux finishing supplies already.
picked up a couple new ceiling fans (pretty ones), some closet organization supplies, new door pulls for my kitchen cabinets, more under bed storage...phew...i actually only spent an hour in home depot. has to be some sort of record LOL
My best friend was in on this so she watched the kids for me. :D
After home depot, headed off to target to spend my gift card. Cute stuff in the dollar spot. But my real bargain...the ottomans I'd been wanting were on clearance...BUT the four left were all damaged in some way. Two had the tops shoved in so they were only good as foot rests and you couldn't use the storage. One had a rip in the fabric and one had the hinges pulled off. AFter making sure all the screws were there, i popped the latter two ottomans in my cart and asked a sales associate if she'd mark them down even further... and she did WOOHOO.
Once at home, I got on the base coat of paint.
Fixed dinner for the kids and then my best friend came over.
We then spent the next 2 1/2 hours ripping out the hideous 10 year old carpet. My friend had never pulled carpet before so I did most of the work. I'm so pooped!
I couldn't move our king sized bed or one of the dressers, so i had to cut the carpet around the dresser, pull the tack strip then move the dresser. Did the same thing wtih the bed. We had to do a couple lift the bed and yank the carpets, but we managed to get it all out!
woohooo
tomorrow, I'll be doing the actually faux finish and my friend will be back since she's never done one before. I have to teach her :D And, since I'm pretty inexperienced about putting together bookshelves and closet organizer stuff, she'll be teaching me all that!
the only thing we won't get done before DH is back are the ceiling fans. Neither of us do electric. And the current ceiling fan in our room is wired incorrectly. You can't just have the fan on without the light on...you have to unscrew the lightbulb. So, Dh will be fixing that ASAP.
I will definitely post pictures and dh's reaction on Monday :D
I told him I was doing some stuff to the bedroom and i could just hear the eyeroll through the phone hahahaha
this'll show him :D
oh the only thing i haven't budgeted for the room is new bedding and window treatments so right now the bed and the windows will remain mismatched.
heeheee
We had named our bedroom the "blue sea prison of death." My SIL, when they owned this house, had sponge painted different colors of blue stripes down the walls. It felt like you were in an underwater jail, what with the blue carpet :vomit:
This morning I started with the primer then headed to home depot to get supplies for the makeover. I picked up the base coat of paint. Planning on doing a double drag faux finish. have lots of faux finishing supplies already.
picked up a couple new ceiling fans (pretty ones), some closet organization supplies, new door pulls for my kitchen cabinets, more under bed storage...phew...i actually only spent an hour in home depot. has to be some sort of record LOL
My best friend was in on this so she watched the kids for me. :D
After home depot, headed off to target to spend my gift card. Cute stuff in the dollar spot. But my real bargain...the ottomans I'd been wanting were on clearance...BUT the four left were all damaged in some way. Two had the tops shoved in so they were only good as foot rests and you couldn't use the storage. One had a rip in the fabric and one had the hinges pulled off. AFter making sure all the screws were there, i popped the latter two ottomans in my cart and asked a sales associate if she'd mark them down even further... and she did WOOHOO.
Once at home, I got on the base coat of paint.
Fixed dinner for the kids and then my best friend came over.
We then spent the next 2 1/2 hours ripping out the hideous 10 year old carpet. My friend had never pulled carpet before so I did most of the work. I'm so pooped!
I couldn't move our king sized bed or one of the dressers, so i had to cut the carpet around the dresser, pull the tack strip then move the dresser. Did the same thing wtih the bed. We had to do a couple lift the bed and yank the carpets, but we managed to get it all out!
woohooo
tomorrow, I'll be doing the actually faux finish and my friend will be back since she's never done one before. I have to teach her :D And, since I'm pretty inexperienced about putting together bookshelves and closet organizer stuff, she'll be teaching me all that!
the only thing we won't get done before DH is back are the ceiling fans. Neither of us do electric. And the current ceiling fan in our room is wired incorrectly. You can't just have the fan on without the light on...you have to unscrew the lightbulb. So, Dh will be fixing that ASAP.
I will definitely post pictures and dh's reaction on Monday :D
I told him I was doing some stuff to the bedroom and i could just hear the eyeroll through the phone hahahaha
this'll show him :D
oh the only thing i haven't budgeted for the room is new bedding and window treatments so right now the bed and the windows will remain mismatched.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Weatherman Claims Japanese Mafia Behind Hurricane Katrina
Weatherman Claims Japanese Mafia Behind Hurricane Katrina
Weatherman Claims Japanese Mafia Behind Hurricane Katrina
POCATELLO, Idaho (Wireless Flash) – Here’s a theory that’s sure to cause a storm of controversy: A meteorologist in Pocatello, Idaho, claims Japanese gangsters known as the Yakuza caused Hurricane Katrina.
Scott Stevens says after looking at NASA satellite photos of the hurricane, he’s is convinced it was caused by electromagnetic generators from ground-based microwave transmitters.
The generators emit a soundwave between three and 30 megahertz and Stevens claims the Russians invented the storm-creating technology back in 1976 and sold it to others in the late 1980s.
Stevens says the clouds formed by the generators are different than normal clouds and are able to appear out of nowhere and says Katrina had many rotation points that are unusual for hurricanes.
At least ten nations and organizations possess the technology but Stevens suspects the Japanese Yakuza created Katrina in order to make a fortune in the futures market and to get even with the U.S. for the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima.
Stevens will discuss the storm creation theory tomorrow night (Sep. 9) on an internet radio show at www.thesciencedetective.com
*************
ummmm i'm not even sure what to say about this but...you gotta be kiddin' me LOL
Weatherman Claims Japanese Mafia Behind Hurricane Katrina
POCATELLO, Idaho (Wireless Flash) – Here’s a theory that’s sure to cause a storm of controversy: A meteorologist in Pocatello, Idaho, claims Japanese gangsters known as the Yakuza caused Hurricane Katrina.
Scott Stevens says after looking at NASA satellite photos of the hurricane, he’s is convinced it was caused by electromagnetic generators from ground-based microwave transmitters.
The generators emit a soundwave between three and 30 megahertz and Stevens claims the Russians invented the storm-creating technology back in 1976 and sold it to others in the late 1980s.
Stevens says the clouds formed by the generators are different than normal clouds and are able to appear out of nowhere and says Katrina had many rotation points that are unusual for hurricanes.
At least ten nations and organizations possess the technology but Stevens suspects the Japanese Yakuza created Katrina in order to make a fortune in the futures market and to get even with the U.S. for the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima.
Stevens will discuss the storm creation theory tomorrow night (Sep. 9) on an internet radio show at www.thesciencedetective.com
*************
ummmm i'm not even sure what to say about this but...you gotta be kiddin' me LOL
Thursday, September 08, 2005
i'm kicking my husband out of the house!
He doesn't know it yet. bwahahaha
Actually, it's not really that bad. I told someone from church that hubby would be more than happy to head down to Biloxi this weekend and volunteered our 10 person tent. DH has been desperate to go camping and now he can...and chop down trees and clean up debris.
Am I being horrible if I ask him to take pictures of everyone helping? It seems almost voyeuristic. But on the other hand, years from now when our children ask what we did after this disaster, we'll have the pictures to show how despite the massive mess-up that happened in New Orleans, people did come together to help each other.
I just wish I could go down as well. Well, my sister-in-law emailed that she was hoping to go down the last weekend of the month so perhaps I can go down then, too.
Actually, it's not really that bad. I told someone from church that hubby would be more than happy to head down to Biloxi this weekend and volunteered our 10 person tent. DH has been desperate to go camping and now he can...and chop down trees and clean up debris.
Am I being horrible if I ask him to take pictures of everyone helping? It seems almost voyeuristic. But on the other hand, years from now when our children ask what we did after this disaster, we'll have the pictures to show how despite the massive mess-up that happened in New Orleans, people did come together to help each other.
I just wish I could go down as well. Well, my sister-in-law emailed that she was hoping to go down the last weekend of the month so perhaps I can go down then, too.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
she finally did it
my darling almost 7 year old daughter finally got her wish...she has short hair.
I told her the only way i'd allow her to cut her locks is if she donated her hair. her first response was "why don't those kids just get wigs?" which made me laugh. I explained that they still needed hair to make the wigs. She thought about it for a bit then finally agreed.
So today was the day. We drove down to the cheap-o hair cutter next to the wallyworld. Leelee's hair was pulled back into a pony tail and then CHOP. aaaaahhhh
I think it was more traumatic for me than it was for her!
she looks positively darling in her new haircut. Dh said he hardly recognized her she looks so different minus the ELEVEN INCHES of hair that used to cascade down her back.
it was for a good cause, tho
as an aside, while we were getting her hair done, a mother and daughter were also getting hair cuts. they were evacuees from New Orleans. The mother was upset because she needed to register her daughter for school but there was so much paperwork and she didn't know how to read well enough to fill everything out :( This just broke my heart. The hairdresser was so kind and gave the woman her phone number and told her to call her and she'd sit down and help :D I know the Red Cross in our area is looking for tutors to help in these situations. I just hope that families who were falling through the cracks before will get a chance to get the help and resources they need and get the chance to start new lives.
i'm forever the optimist. the only way i can cope with such a massive disaster is by trying to find any glimmer of hope.
I told her the only way i'd allow her to cut her locks is if she donated her hair. her first response was "why don't those kids just get wigs?" which made me laugh. I explained that they still needed hair to make the wigs. She thought about it for a bit then finally agreed.
So today was the day. We drove down to the cheap-o hair cutter next to the wallyworld. Leelee's hair was pulled back into a pony tail and then CHOP. aaaaahhhh
I think it was more traumatic for me than it was for her!
she looks positively darling in her new haircut. Dh said he hardly recognized her she looks so different minus the ELEVEN INCHES of hair that used to cascade down her back.
it was for a good cause, tho
as an aside, while we were getting her hair done, a mother and daughter were also getting hair cuts. they were evacuees from New Orleans. The mother was upset because she needed to register her daughter for school but there was so much paperwork and she didn't know how to read well enough to fill everything out :( This just broke my heart. The hairdresser was so kind and gave the woman her phone number and told her to call her and she'd sit down and help :D I know the Red Cross in our area is looking for tutors to help in these situations. I just hope that families who were falling through the cracks before will get a chance to get the help and resources they need and get the chance to start new lives.
i'm forever the optimist. the only way i can cope with such a massive disaster is by trying to find any glimmer of hope.
amazing!
Amazing mother/child reunion
wow. i couldn't let the day go by without blogging this. The internet is truly a wonderous invention. Who knew a scrapbooking messageboard could bring such joy as to help reunite a mother and child separated by the hurricane and flooding. This is so freaking awesome!
wow. i couldn't let the day go by without blogging this. The internet is truly a wonderous invention. Who knew a scrapbooking messageboard could bring such joy as to help reunite a mother and child separated by the hurricane and flooding. This is so freaking awesome!
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
consignment vs ebay
there's a big consignment sale in town. i'm supposed to be dropping my stuff off there in about 15 minutes but i'm not.
a couple issues that are hindering me from going. the first being this is a colossal pain in the butt!
when i signed up to do this, in the mail i received a piece of paper explaining i needed to print my tags on a certain weight paper, fill in the info and attach the items.
what i didn't receive were instructions on WHERE to drop the items off. i headed to the website to see where they were located. The location? At the old "some store" building. Well, that's just grand! I have no idea WHERE the old store even WAS. I called the number. It's the owner's home phone and she's not answering.
As i scrolled through the website looking for possibly more helpful information, I stumbled across more information about how to attach the items...specifically with little safety pins, hangers going a specific direction, shoes must be ziptied together and all items need to have your specific seller number located on masking tape on the inside as well.
What i want to know is WHY this information wasn't sent in the original packet? Wouldn't this be helpful to know?
Honestly I was planning on stapling things on to the tag. I don't even have masking tape in my house and hadn't even considered doing anything to the shoes besides tying the laces together.
This is way too much effort on my part.
seriously, at this point, I'm going get out my digital camera and list everything on ebay. I'll probably get more money out of it, too. and, i won't have to waste my precious gas driving all over town trying to find this place!
i'm bummed tho because i could REALLY use the money. ah well.
a couple issues that are hindering me from going. the first being this is a colossal pain in the butt!
when i signed up to do this, in the mail i received a piece of paper explaining i needed to print my tags on a certain weight paper, fill in the info and attach the items.
what i didn't receive were instructions on WHERE to drop the items off. i headed to the website to see where they were located. The location? At the old "some store" building. Well, that's just grand! I have no idea WHERE the old store even WAS. I called the number. It's the owner's home phone and she's not answering.
As i scrolled through the website looking for possibly more helpful information, I stumbled across more information about how to attach the items...specifically with little safety pins, hangers going a specific direction, shoes must be ziptied together and all items need to have your specific seller number located on masking tape on the inside as well.
What i want to know is WHY this information wasn't sent in the original packet? Wouldn't this be helpful to know?
Honestly I was planning on stapling things on to the tag. I don't even have masking tape in my house and hadn't even considered doing anything to the shoes besides tying the laces together.
This is way too much effort on my part.
seriously, at this point, I'm going get out my digital camera and list everything on ebay. I'll probably get more money out of it, too. and, i won't have to waste my precious gas driving all over town trying to find this place!
i'm bummed tho because i could REALLY use the money. ah well.
Monday, September 05, 2005
ooo i'm cool
i'm soo cool that i've attracted spammers to my blog.
too bad i know how to check the delete button and delete the friggin spam from the comments area!!!!
bwahahhahhahaa
i have the POWER OF DELETE
too bad i know how to check the delete button and delete the friggin spam from the comments area!!!!
bwahahhahhahaa
i have the POWER OF DELETE
gas
ok someone posted this on 2peas
and i hope i don't get in troubel for borrowing it for my blog. I didn't steal bandwidth, either.
Doesn't really need any additional comments from me other than...it's soooo flippin true!
We were excited to pay $2.89 today for regular! I never thought I'd see the day...
I remember ONCE about 7 years ago, we were driving up to my mom's house and stopped in Vancouver, Washington, for gas and paid 97 cents/gallon. We were so stinkin' excited because it was a whopping $1.10 in Portland, which at the time, seemed like highway robbery. *sigh*
word association
I stole this from Dawn...
Julie:: for some reason i think of SNL
Emotional:: rollercoaster
Head of household:: taxes
Diva:: diva cup
Devastation:: sadness
Business or pleasure:: cruise
Crown:: of thorns
Eastern:: far away
Buzzed:: hair cut
Officer: and a gentleman
Julie:: for some reason i think of SNL
Emotional:: rollercoaster
Head of household:: taxes
Diva:: diva cup
Devastation:: sadness
Business or pleasure:: cruise
Crown:: of thorns
Eastern:: far away
Buzzed:: hair cut
Officer: and a gentleman
sleep
I am so tired. I feel as if all the energy has just been sucked out of me. I could go to bed at 8 p.m. and sleep solidly til 8 a.m. and still be tired. I am walking in a haze of fatique all day.
It doesn't at all help that my TMJ is acting up. I'm grinding my teeth at night again, so my jaw just aches.
We're sort of weaning Kari from the family bed. Her idea. She wants to sleep in big sister's room. She thinks it's cool. So she's sleeping most of the night in the pack n play we have set up for the baby I watch. She sleeps most of the night there. When she wakes around 5 a.m., I bring her to my bed and she sleeps til waking time. I can't believe she's ready for this step already. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised because this is the age when the other kids moved on. I guess I'm the one who's not quite ready for this milestone.
Why do they have to grow up?
It doesn't at all help that my TMJ is acting up. I'm grinding my teeth at night again, so my jaw just aches.
We're sort of weaning Kari from the family bed. Her idea. She wants to sleep in big sister's room. She thinks it's cool. So she's sleeping most of the night in the pack n play we have set up for the baby I watch. She sleeps most of the night there. When she wakes around 5 a.m., I bring her to my bed and she sleeps til waking time. I can't believe she's ready for this step already. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised because this is the age when the other kids moved on. I guess I'm the one who's not quite ready for this milestone.
Why do they have to grow up?
Saturday, September 03, 2005
is this like comparing apples to oranges?
It's well known among our family and close friends that Kari is a squirt. She always has been and probably always will be. It's genetic. Her great-grandma is only 4 foot 10. With mama a towering 5 foot 2, Kari really doesn't stand a chance...unless some freak genetic material from her great-great grandma (a staggering 5 foot 11) somehow manifests itself.
Kari, thankfully, is proportional. For a toddler her size, bringing up the bottom 1%, she is also in the bottom 1% for weight.
At the gym, my poor dear little one pitches a two-year-old EMMY award winning tantrum if she can't go to the "adventure room." The adventure room houses several giant climbers and slides that are much bigger and better than any McD's playland. It is also reserved for children two and up. It has happened more than once that I've checked Kari into the adventure room and return to find her in the nursery SCREAMING at the awful offense of being grouped with the babies and the baby toys. The workers always remind me that the adventure room is for ages two and up, and I remind them that Kari IS in fact, two.
She may still wear size two diapers (ya know, if she wore diapers) and can wear 3/6 month clotes from the Gap and Carters and size 12 month clothes are baggy and saggy, but she is TWO. She will even tell you that she's two, if you ask. Of course, she will also tell you her name is Benny, so maybe they suspect the age is off ;)
Ben, on the other hand, at age 2 was this massive child. When asked his name, he told people he was Harry Potter and he was 5 years old. He is such a dreamer!
Anyway, I know it's bad form to compare children. there has to be children below the third percent to make way for the kids in the fiftieth percent and those above the nintieth percent.
Still, it did catch me off guard when my friend called me while she was babysitting Kari wanting to know how much she weighed. "Um, around 20 pounds, I guess. We haven't weighed her in awhile. Why?"
"Oh we're just trying to figure out who weighs more, Kari or Charlie."
Charlie. Her CAT. Her MALE cat that looks like he's about to have a litter.
Nice.
Kari, thankfully, is proportional. For a toddler her size, bringing up the bottom 1%, she is also in the bottom 1% for weight.
At the gym, my poor dear little one pitches a two-year-old EMMY award winning tantrum if she can't go to the "adventure room." The adventure room houses several giant climbers and slides that are much bigger and better than any McD's playland. It is also reserved for children two and up. It has happened more than once that I've checked Kari into the adventure room and return to find her in the nursery SCREAMING at the awful offense of being grouped with the babies and the baby toys. The workers always remind me that the adventure room is for ages two and up, and I remind them that Kari IS in fact, two.
She may still wear size two diapers (ya know, if she wore diapers) and can wear 3/6 month clotes from the Gap and Carters and size 12 month clothes are baggy and saggy, but she is TWO. She will even tell you that she's two, if you ask. Of course, she will also tell you her name is Benny, so maybe they suspect the age is off ;)
Ben, on the other hand, at age 2 was this massive child. When asked his name, he told people he was Harry Potter and he was 5 years old. He is such a dreamer!
Anyway, I know it's bad form to compare children. there has to be children below the third percent to make way for the kids in the fiftieth percent and those above the nintieth percent.
Still, it did catch me off guard when my friend called me while she was babysitting Kari wanting to know how much she weighed. "Um, around 20 pounds, I guess. We haven't weighed her in awhile. Why?"
"Oh we're just trying to figure out who weighs more, Kari or Charlie."
Charlie. Her CAT. Her MALE cat that looks like he's about to have a litter.
Nice.
pondering potter
We're rereading Harry Potter with the kids. We have to read 20 minutes a day for each child, so we figured we ought to read something everyone can enjoy.
I know it was questioned on other blogs, but I am wondering, after reading book 1, is Dumbledore really dead?
Snape, on the first day of potions, talks about the sleeping death potion...so strong that it mimics death. Dumbledore's portrait is sleeping. We all know JKR loves to drop hints and pull things from the past that we barely realize are important. So, now, I'm hoping that our favorite headmaster is still alive.
If he is dead, I have to agree with those who are theorizing that in the moments of silence before Snape did the avarde curse that dumbledore asked him to do it. it does make sense.
and honestly, i know that dumbledore is dead...i jsut don't want him to be!
I know it was questioned on other blogs, but I am wondering, after reading book 1, is Dumbledore really dead?
Snape, on the first day of potions, talks about the sleeping death potion...so strong that it mimics death. Dumbledore's portrait is sleeping. We all know JKR loves to drop hints and pull things from the past that we barely realize are important. So, now, I'm hoping that our favorite headmaster is still alive.
If he is dead, I have to agree with those who are theorizing that in the moments of silence before Snape did the avarde curse that dumbledore asked him to do it. it does make sense.
and honestly, i know that dumbledore is dead...i jsut don't want him to be!
Friday, September 02, 2005
not so quiet riot
We spent a couple hours in our ER this afternoon. hubby was trying to help break up a 20+ student "riot" at the middle school where he teaches. A "he said/she said" gone bad. DH injured his elbow.
After nearly three weeks of school, DH is seriously reconsidering teaching the middle school/junior high age group. These kids are loud, obnoxious and many do not respect authority. Plus, at five foot ten, DH isnt' exactly towering over these kids. Many of them are already bigger than he is! This has been a concern of mine all along, so I'm pleased he's considering moving to the lower grades for next year. Heck, I'm really hoping he applies at our neighborhood school so he can walk to work!
After nearly three weeks of school, DH is seriously reconsidering teaching the middle school/junior high age group. These kids are loud, obnoxious and many do not respect authority. Plus, at five foot ten, DH isnt' exactly towering over these kids. Many of them are already bigger than he is! This has been a concern of mine all along, so I'm pleased he's considering moving to the lower grades for next year. Heck, I'm really hoping he applies at our neighborhood school so he can walk to work!
Thursday, September 01, 2005
pooh
as much as i love Pooh, this Heffalump movie is driving me BONKERS. My four year old has decided it is the most wonderful movie in the world and whenever he gets movie time, this is what he wants to watch. ARG And it doesn't help that there's this ONE song that is so catchy and I just love to listen to it, but then it gets stuck in my head.
I will admit, though, that Heffalump movie is vastly preferrable to Thomas the Tank Engine. Alex only recently has softened his obsession with the number one engine. It has been probably a year since I had to suffer through one of the obnoxious videos or even buy a train. A year of complete bliss!
i really do not understand why they must make children's movies that drive the parents insane. it truly seems as if how much the children love the movies is directly proportional to how crazy it makes the parents.
Props have to be given to the creators of Veggie Tales. I can actually WATCH veggies tales and sing the songs without feeling like I need to gouge my eyes out with a screwdriver.
The producers of Backyardigans need to be taken into the street and shot. While the children do love this program, the music gets stuck in my head and I am absolutely unable to sleep. The music is far too catchy and I find myself singing along...and then I can't STOP singing!
Hubby said one of his most embarassing moments in front of his students was when he was caught singing one of the songs from mothergoose rocks. There is nothing like singing "little miss muffet" to the tune of a popular rock song.
I will admit, though, that Heffalump movie is vastly preferrable to Thomas the Tank Engine. Alex only recently has softened his obsession with the number one engine. It has been probably a year since I had to suffer through one of the obnoxious videos or even buy a train. A year of complete bliss!
i really do not understand why they must make children's movies that drive the parents insane. it truly seems as if how much the children love the movies is directly proportional to how crazy it makes the parents.
Props have to be given to the creators of Veggie Tales. I can actually WATCH veggies tales and sing the songs without feeling like I need to gouge my eyes out with a screwdriver.
The producers of Backyardigans need to be taken into the street and shot. While the children do love this program, the music gets stuck in my head and I am absolutely unable to sleep. The music is far too catchy and I find myself singing along...and then I can't STOP singing!
Hubby said one of his most embarassing moments in front of his students was when he was caught singing one of the songs from mothergoose rocks. There is nothing like singing "little miss muffet" to the tune of a popular rock song.
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