#252 - Balloons

Well it was a fairly productive weekend. Hubby got the shelves finished in my storage room and I got busy and started loading, poor guy wasn't even done and I was busy loading them up! I am not going to get quite as much 'stuff' in there as I had hoped but I will manage to be able to actually get stuff out of there without emptying the entire room like I had to before. Plus I will get most of the extra crap that was hanging around in the spare bedroom in there too! How exciting! Who ever new that a larger storage room could bring so much joy!

I also managed to get some mowing done today... I am using the smaller tractor right now as the big one is waiting for it's mulching kit. I don't like the smaller tractor as it 'spits' crap everywhere. It's so dirty. It's a bummer as it has a great turning radius, but one just gets to freaking dirty riding around on that thing. Uck! Oh ya and I took my IPOD out to listen to it and I guess I was dragging the ear pieces around on the ground and managed to make a mess of them :( They still work but they are a little scratched up! Arg!

After all the good stuff this weekend it doesn't explain why I am having a panic attack this evening. I suppose it's because we also got some sad news yesterday. Our friend that I have referred to as our House Pest. The guest that we had trouble getting rid of. Well he called the other night, I don't have all the details, but apparently both of his kidneys are failing. It sounds like he is not willing to go on dialysis so his doc said his days are numbered. He has no family support and he just seems to have given up. I pleaded with him last night to let it all sink in and go on dialysis but he doesn't seem to listen. I am very sad.

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- family get-togethers
- wind
- getting dirty

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- cleaning up more stuff in the basement
- having another weekend off

KIDDO NOTES
The kids were pretty awesome this weekend, they let us get some stuff done and I also spent some time with them too. They had a good time outside playing this morning too. They are so tried from being outside that they do get a bit crabby from time to time but that's to be expected.

Boy1 is really getting bad a bossing the other two around. It is driving me crazy but I suppose it's just another stage. He still refuses to use the potty, we are talking SCREAMING refusal, not just a grumpy old NO. Stubborn Much?

Boy2 is doing fairly well on the potty, sometimes I think he has accidents just because his brother does. Must be a twin thing?

Baby is now asking to go potty. She isn't doing anything yet but it's a step in the right direction. It's hard to believe she is almost 2. I can't bear the thought of not calling her Baby anymore. :(

Saturday night we took the kids out to an anniversary party. I was pretty much disgusted with my family as they pretty much ignored us. I could care less about the hubbs and I, but it made me sad that no one was interested in my kids. I guess they aren't babies so no one cares. They were all dressed up in cute outfits and I don't think anyone noticed. They were also perfect. I was so proud of my crew and they were pretty much ignored. There was a few people that said hello but it was truly sad. I took the kids out to be around other people and they ended up on their own anyway. We had supper and left I was so digusted. We made our own fun with the kids though. There was helium balloons there and they each had one. It is amazing to watch the wonder of a child with something new and interesting.

Baby would just grab the balloon and let go, then she wanted it back again. It was cute in a very annoying way! The kids each took a balloon home, baby decided she wanted to hold hers. Of course she popped hers! I was offered a few extra I guess I should have taken some. The boys still have theirs so I feel bad that Baby doesn't have one.

It is amazing to see the way they interact with the balloons. They sure have imaginations! We even had them hooking up to their cars - hook trailer up they would say! :)

Here's to no more family occasions any time soon!

p.s. Did I mention my mother bent over backwards to help out? Speaking of people that I am disgusted with!

Good Night

#251 - Exciting!

Well the last few days have been exciting.

I finished off one of my kids scrapbooks up to the end of December of 08. My goal was to have this completed by Nov 09 so I am a bit ahead. Now I hope to get my other two well on their way! Once I try to figure out what pictures I need! Ugg! :)

I also successfully installed a web server on my computer and managed to setup my own blog host on my local web server (I am trying to learn some stuff to help out at work, Job #1) I was so excited when I got it all working! Unfortunately no one I know IRL really 'gets' what I did so my excitement was only shared with my kids! :)

I got a hair cut tonight (long over due!) and I feel much better! It's amazing how a hair cut can make a person feel better! :)

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- nasty cold sore... I haven't had one in about 7 or 8 years... weird. Hubby picked up some 'good' stuff and it seems to have taken care of it
- my mother and her relatives are stupid (lets just put it this way, every time a family function is planned someone is pissed off!)

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- a good hair cut
- doing something on my computer that actually works!

KIDDO NOTES
Well the kids have been pretty good the last couple of days. I really can't complain. Well I suppose I could but really I think I will just enjoy! :)

Potty Training = I suck at it. Boy2 was doing really well, but has regressed. I thought we made a breakthrough with Boy1 the other day... nope. But it was a nice thought though!

The kids enjoy the great outdoors and they sure do sleep better so we are just enjoying the not so bad weather and getting out as much as we can!

Getting ready to enjoy my weekend off and hoping that hubby gets lots of stuff done in my storage room this weekend! He has tomorrow off so I am hoping that maybe we can get it all done this weekend!

Good Night!

#250 - My Opinion - Swiffer Dust and Shine

Product: Swiffer Dust and Shine



TESTING NOTES: Well for this one I used my very dusty house and of course I had to dust on a sunny day so that I could see if the dust was being picked up or moved around.

RESULTS: Works well! I preferred to spray it on a cloth then wipe the dust off. I found if I sprayed it directly on the furniture that the dust would blow around a bit, using a cloth it picked it all up! I usually vacuum then dust, I like this method much better! The only thing I didn't like about this product was the strong smell. It didn't smell like real lavender to me so I found it a bit chemical smelling vs a natural smell. I liked that the scent lingered for quite some time after I was done, I would just prefer a different scent. (scent: Lavender Vanilla)

THE BOTTOM LINE: Works well for picking up dust, if you don't like strong smells you may not like this one. I really want to try another scent as I am not to keen on this one. (Although it's not bad enough that I won't finish the container! :) )

#249 - It's good to be at home!

Yet another day with no worries, not work, lots of yard work and house work is finally getting done around here. Not to mention I am sure I am providing the neighbours some good entertainment. Picture this, we live on approx 3 acres and I am walking the 'front yard' with a little dandelion weed bar! Back and forth, back and forth! I am sure we are the talk of the subdivision! Well the boys wanted to play on the front drive way and I can't stand just 'hanging out' and watching them without doing something! Well I have the weedbar (left-over from the old house I think?) and I am going to use the darn thing up before I throw it out! p.s. I am not doing the entire yard, just a bit of the front and the back where I can see those nasty yellow flowers! I hate dandelions! Ugg!

I also managed to spend my morning getting some stuff written up for my scrapbook! Woohooo... I am going to be all up-to-date to the end of last year in one of my albums very soon!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- dry lips
- dry weather, we need some rain
- humidity
- broken nails

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- getting up in the morning and finding boy1 on the potty, not doing anything mindue, but one has to start somewhere!
- my yard
- finally getting the kiddy pool all setup
- getting some yard clean-up done, hubby took all the branches to the recycle station after work (a full car trailer load!)

KIDDO NOTES
I have a bit of a fashion girl here. This morning she hollered Pretty Baby (which apparently means get me dressed RIGHT NOW!). I have been trying to clean out her closet, what a job, still have 6 month stuff in there. (A little attached to clothing am I?) Then I needed to try some stuff on her. She is amazing she just keeps trying things on, then she had to go show them to one of her brothers! What a little card!

The kids were really good today. I think that getting out of the house is the way to go, they get some of their energy out and it tires them out for a couple of days. They actually play quiet nicely when they are in the house now so I am enjoying that! To top it off the whining has really seemed to have gotten better too! It can only rain at night now! :)

The boys each have a wagon and they love to 'hook trailers' up so I had to get creative and devise a way to 'hook' their wagons up to their little cars. So I got out some twine and found some clamps in the garage and we could 'hook' their trailers us!

So you know you are loosing your mind when you write a blog post before bed and forget to publish it! I think I am just going to blame it on being tired! :)

#248 - Wow a weekend off!

It's amazing how much hubby and I can get done when we are both home all weekend. (Of course Hubby's priorities are TOTALLY different than mine! But whatever at least we got stuff done!)

It was a lot of yard stuff this weekend. Watering the Garden (to which we need a pump so I can use a water sprinkler instead of waiting for gravity to help out! Ugg! :)) We also got our little pool setup. It's 12' across and 30" deep so it's not to big, but it should be fun for the kids! (I want a nice solar heater now to keep us WARM! I am a woosey when it comes to cold water! Not to mention we are in Canada here! :)

I also managed to get a pile of tree branches cleaned up too. Hubby got his 'stuff', whatever the heck that was, done too! So everybody was happy! The kids were beat so they drifted off to sleep in a matter of minutes! Life is good! It was nice that it wasn't snowing for a change! :)

I really could get used to this being home on the weekend thing. I had to give up a shift this weekend so I guess I will really get a chance to hang out and live the life! LOL (Hopefully hubby will get my shelves put up in my storage room this weekend! Then I will be really happy! Although I am not sure that is possible given his anal retentive tendencies with measuring!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- being dirty, the one thing I hate about going outside is feeling so dirty when I come in
- heat.. I am not good in the hot sun!
- trying to water the garden with a teeny little pump and a water tank on the back of the truck (never ever send hubby to buy a water tank... he came home with a 125 gallon tank. Our teeny tiny pool takes 1,400 gallons... Good thing we live two acreages over from the water station! Idiot! LOL) Can you tell I am all about go big or go home! :)
- dirty kids... yuck! (gee I wonder where they get their need to stay clean?

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- living on an acreage (still don't like the house, but loving the great outdoors!)
- going for a ride on the lawn tractor... round and round.... (too bad I forgot my ipod) By the way why do they make those seats out of stuff that makes your bum sweat? YUCK! I think I have to get a towel to sit on next time! TMI!

KIDDO NOTES
I hate potty training... well at least it is going good with Boy1. Boy2 still screams if we even mention potty. I think I am going to give up for a while and when it is nice out put him in underwear and throw him outside. I think cleaning pee off the floor is disgusting! Baby is next on my list. I want to be done with the diapers and poop in the diapers.

The kids are loving being outside, although I don't think they are ready for all the fresh air. Talk about grumpy and tired in the evening. I have actually cut the boys back to just in the afternoon, anything more seems like to much!

We have been eating lunch and supper outside. We don't have our lawn furniture out so we all sit around the kids picnic table. Hubby and I sit at the ends with our chairs and use the table for our plates. I am sure it is quite a site. But it is definitely a family dinner! I really must get a photo! (I thought it was stupid to put our lawn furniture in the top of the barn that requires a ladder and some tools to get the stuff out, but hubby thought it was a good idea! I wonder when/if we will get our lawn furniture out this year?:) )

Baby has started counting she sometimes makes it to ten. She won't count if she thinks you are listening though! I was trying to get it on video tonight! Good luck with that! Not too bad considering she isn't quite 2 I figure! :) She is my little wandering soul, it's hard to get anything done outside with her around one has to watch her like a hawk. I am sure she would go right for the middle of the road if let go on her own. I need one of those things that you screw into the ground for puppies and tie her to that so I always know where she is! :) I really wish this property was fenced then there would be no worries, urm I mean less worries. (Needless to say there is a fence going up around the pool in the next few days!)

Good night!

#247 - Just Rambling!

- Anniversary passed... check
- kids still whining... check
- went out for supper with friends, had fun... check
- hubby grumpy... check
- planted all 45 trees... check
- hubby still grumpy... check
- kids stillllll whining... check
- have the weekend off, first in a couple of months.. check
- mother is still a beaatch... check
- still love my mac.... check
- had an online chat fight with my internet service provider today... check
- mother pissed off because I didn't get the magazines she wanted at work... check
- cleaned the bathrooms today... check
- kids still stinky... check
- potty training still sucks... check
- working for a living still sucks... check
- fixed the backup on a computer at work... check
- still tired... check
- kids growing up way to fast... check
- should be in bed already... check!

Good Night!

#246 - So much to say...

OK so much to bitch about is really what I should have titled this post!

- Monday it snowed... hello mother nature it is SPRING here not winter? Or did I fall asleep for to long? What a lovely day for the end of a Long Weekend. This traditionally is the first major camping weekend in these parts, there was a fire ban due to the fires we have been having AND it was snowing! LOVELY!

- I am teaching today and tomorrow, so my rotten arce mother called at 8:30pm on Monday night to let me know that she won't be able to come on Tuesday because... wait for it... my DAD is sick. He has flu like symptoms so she had decided that it has to be the swine flu because she looked it up on the internet! Hmm the last time we were in Mexico I was 11 years old, that is some kind of long incubation period! (Oh and Dad isn't allowed to do anything but work and no one at work has even been sick, so I am thinking that it is probably due to the effing migrane that he had on Sunday night?

- Once again my mother cannot help out tomorrow... because my Dad is sick and she can't leave him home alone for a few hours (did I mention that my husband would be home at 11am to relieve her of her duties anyway?) The man is sick, I am thinking that he won't be out of bed until about noon anyway? She is just to effing lazy to drive out here... it is at most 20 minutes from their house. I am impressed by the fact that my mother has more excuses than I ever thought was possible, just when I thought she couldn't possibly top the last one she comes up with another one!

- My search for an actual babysitter is totally sucking right now... I need to find one before September as Grandma is useless and I would rather not see her in the morning not to mention EVER! Why the heck can't people just be happy instead of being miserable just for the sake of being miserable?

- I got an email message on my phone from my other job. The 'weekend' gals all go together and 'filled' in the weekend schedule for June. (The gal who is doing the 'fill' in scheduling SUCKS! So under the direction of one of the owners we decided to fill in and see what works for all of us. The 'fill' in scheduler has been asked several times to switch between Saturdays and Sundays. So for the last 2 months I only work Saturdays... it was starting to piss me off to say the least). Well today I checked my voice mail on my cell phone and guess what. Fill in girl said she changed it as I (it should have been 'we'... it wasn't a solo job here) miss a whole bunch of people (that would be her (who only works one Sunday a month) and one of the owners, who doesn't want to work every weekend anyway!) Needless to say I didn't talk to her I phoned the other Owner and mentioned what we had done under the direction of the other owner. She was quite happy that we had done this and said if 'fill' in girl has an issue she will straighten it out with her! I guess I am ruffling feathers and I am not even trying. It has been my experience over the years that folks that don't like to work hard dislike those who are hard workers anyway! So whatever girly, when you want to pick a fight you better pick on someone who hasn't been around the business world almost 20 years more than you have! (frig now I feel old too! :) )

- Where do you sit when you attend a class? Why is it that the most annoying people always go to the back? Never do they sit at the front (at least not in my classes). I usually sit near the front (I guess that means I am a keener?). It drives me crazy when people 'gab' when I am talking then they don't have an effing clue what we are doing. If you would shut your trap and listen MAYBE then you know what we are doing. When others are talking I usually STOP and wait until it's quiet, If they don't get a 'clue' then I ask if they have a question. Two of the gals at the back are having issues following and one of them doesn't want my help, she told me it makes her nervous. She wants help from her friend sitting beside her that doesn't have a clue what she is doing. *insert me going cross eyed!*

*this is where I let out a big sigh after getting that all out*

So to end with the GOOD STUFF!

Hubby finished the mudding(as in drywall mud), sanding, and cleaning up the storage room in the basement on Monday (two days off together in a row it was a treat!). He did this while I played with the kids... umm that is fell asleep on the couch in the same room as the kids! (I was really tired after all the outdoor work on Sunday!)

Hubby went into work really really early this morning got in 4hrs of work and was home in time for me to head off to my job. THEN he managed to get two coats of primer on the walls in the storage room (while all 3 kids played quietly for him??? I am so jealous!). I got home, he had supper started, then after supper he headed back to work so he could get in 7 or 8 hours and get home in time to have a little sleep before the kids get up in the morning. Am I lucky or what? (disclaimer, yup he still can be an acre too he ain't perfect! LOL) I really don't know how he does it. I told him not to get too tired and if he had to leave early he should do so as I don't want him driving in a fog! (I am not sure that he ever listens to me anyway!)

One more coat of paint and we will be ready to build the shelves in the storage room and start putting all the 'crap', errm, I mean stuff back in there! The shelves will probably take a while, my husband it a bit weird with the cut/measure thing, last time he made me shelves they fit perfectly in the closet. I am not even sure that he had to nail them in! :) Hubby figures the new storage room is around 100 sq feet so any extra junk that I have should be put in the garage sale I figure! (Actually most of that 'stuff' should probably be cleaned out. I am really trying to clean out and I have done pretty well so far... I just have to keep trying!) Man if someone told me 20 years ago that someday I would be excited about a storage room I would have laughed my butt off! How things change?

I also made use of some of my Holiday Monday time, when I wasn't napping that is, to do some more organizing in my scrapbooking stuff! I think I may actually have everything about where it is going to stay (for now anyway!). I had paper in so many places and I was keeping all these teeny tiny little pieces so I thought it was time to clean out! I recycled most of the tiny pieces, I filed away the bigger ones, that were actually useful, by colour in my 'bits' folders. Now all my paper is in the same place, and let me tell you do I have paper! The good thing is that I use it. I have completed close to 100 pages since the beginning of March. I am getting much better at using things up. I used to save things I liked for another day 'just in case'. Now I just use it because I have a few buckets of bits of stuff I never used because I was just saving it for who the heck knows what!

Once I am caught up to the end of December in my daughters book it is off to work on my son's books and get them caught up as well. That will probably take me a little longer. I have a bit of an organization mess to deal with as I didn't quite finish things off the way I like to before we moved in one of the Boys books so I Imagine that will be a bit of a challenge! I will let you know how that goes! :) This will probably be PROJECT DRIVE MYSELF CRAZY! Some day I will be caught up! That is my hope anyway!

My hubby thinks he is quite funny, usually when I go off to work the kids come to the window and wave. Well I leave before they get up in the morning so I look in the front window and there hubby is kneeling in the window waving! What a great way to start the day with a good old belly laugh!

So have you ever had toys go missing and wonder where the heck they went? Well hubby found out today. When I got home he had a photo on his cell phone to show me. He told me he pulled some toys out of the couch. I was kind of looking at him like he was nuts, I said "I know, I do it all the time". He said NO you don't! Then he showed me the photo. Half the couch was covered with toys. Stuff that had disappear a while ago and we couldn't find. So apparently our couch EATS toys? Hubby said that he was almost up to his shoulder pulling stuff out from under the sides of the couch! I usually just pull the cushions off and take what I can see. I so would never stick my arm way in there who knows what yucky things are lurking down there! LOL! Later that evening he told me he thought we needed to give the couch a c-section (only a man would say this!) and put a slit in the bottom as he figured there was more stuff hiding in there! Hmmph and I thought it was only the dryer that 'ate' stuff!

Good night!

(p.s. I am also excited that I didn't have to do any prep work for this course! YAY! What a nice change!)

#245 - Sleepy Me!

I am a wee bit tired after a busy day at work. It was a good day. I was working with two other staff members that were great to work with and I managed to slip away from the till and work on some re-merchandising (my favorite thing to do!) I cleaned up our 'sale' section so that it was all nice and neat. (Some of the gals when they put stuff on sale just 'toss' it on top of what ever is there... ugg worse than the customers!) Well it's all neat and tidy now! It was a good day!

A friend and his Mom want to come over and plant a garden for us? Wow too cool! My friends mom thinks the kids should see things grow! I agree so it should be fun. I am just praying the rain/snow (WTF snow?) holds off tomorrow so that we can get it done! My other project is to get my 45 spruce tree seedlings planted. That should keep me out of trouble too. Also I need to pull all my dead plants out of my greenhouse, from last year. I shall be busy tomorrow that's for sure!

It's hard to believe that 15 years ago this weekend we were married (our actual anniversary date is the 21st but we were married on the long weekend so close enough!) My parents were kind enough to arrive out here and then tell us they were going out for supper as they had a busy day! Ya thanks for watching the kids so we could go out for supper. They came to store their ski-doo's for the summer. They were at a friends all winter (they told us we could use them whenever we wanted, but as soon as the snow feel they took them to their buddies and left them there. Oh but they said we could go spend a day and ride them at their friends, I said what the heck are we supposed to do with the kids... duuuuhhh!) IDIOTS! I wish we didn't have to see them today, but at least they buggered off soon after they were done!

Oh and one of the other gals has been doing the scheduling at work and she SUCKS. So the owners Mom told us to go ahead and do it ourselves, so the weekend staff was all here so we went to it and updating Junes schedule for the weekends... we are soo bad and we are going to be in so much sh*t! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. At least I don't work every Saturday in June!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- crappy weather on the May long weekend

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- finally getting to do some merchandising at work
- glad to be finished my contract work

KIDDO NOTES
Well it was a whiny week but it was a good night tonight!

The kids spent the day outside with Dad today (supposed to be the only half decent weather for the weekend). My husband was using this yard sweeper thing that hooks up to the back of the lawn tractor and he said that Boy#1 was running beside him. What are the chances that the little monkey will sleep in tomorrow (probably 0 to none!)

Everybody was happy to see me when I got home from work and I always love that! Although Boy#1 keeps saying he doesn't like mom. :( He wouldn't even give me a kiss and a hug at bed time. So I hugged the little turkey and kissed him and said I love you even if you don't like me right now. It gets Mom and Dad talking to him so I think that's why he does it. What a little turkey!

Baby is so busy babbling. Sometimes I have no idea what she is saying. It's funny because she actually is a lot better at pronouncing most words than her brothers.

Boy #2 was all excited today since he got to pee on a tree outside (remind me to thank my husband for this one! LOL). So at supper the conversation turned to pee (thanks again dear!). Part way through the conversation Boy#1 blurted out "Baby can't pee standing up". Then he decided to explain why "Baby pee through different bum, baby have no willy". So apparently Baby has two bums, a little one and a big one. Then it was back to the usual burping and farting! Gotta love those dinner time conversations!

Off to bed I go... good night!

#244 - Done!

I am done! Done the contract that I was working on! Well done testing anyway. There may be more that I have to do but I will at least get the weekend off! I can't wait to put this one behind me!

So tonight I am finally getting caught up on LOST episodes! :)

#243 - Mother's Day and other Stuff

I have been so exhausted these last few days I haven't had the energy to post. :(

As per usual my only joy on Mother's Day was spending time with my kiddos. My hubby can't seem to do anything with them for me on Mother's Day. No card, nothing. I thought maybe he could at least get them to colour me a picture or something? At least I am not disappointed as I wasn't expecting anything from him anyway. I know that when the kids are in school that I will get some kind of handmade something or another for Mother's Day. I guess I just need to be patient! :) Until then I will just enjoy my little monkeys.

I didn't get to sleep in on Mother's Day (which I could have actually used) since I made plans (stupid me) for my hubby to go dig out some trees for our yard. He was kind enough to let me sleep until the last moment since he knew that I was up late working on my contract work.

I ended up spending the day with my kids planting trees, we had fun. I also went with a buddy to fill up our new water tank so we could water our new trees. That was an adventure (as is everything around here it seems! LOL). We have a water filling station about 2 acreages over, unfortunately you need a card to use it so we had to drive all the way into the city to fill the tank! (Needless to say I arranged to get a card today!) My friend and I went and picked up supper too so we would get food. My parents 'graced' (*insert sarcasm here*) us with their presence about 10 minutes before the kids bed time. (They love to show up just before bed time and get the kids all wound up... idiots!) I think my mother was pissed that we didn't do anything for her for Mother's Day. Well if ya can't help us out with the kids then we need the time to get stuff around our own house done when we are both actually home together stupid woman! I wonder when she will figure out that the world doesn't actually revolve around her? I gave her a handmade card and a gift and she didn't even say anything nice about the card, what a waste!

I must admit I am glad that I only had to see her for a brief moment as it didn't give her enough time to ruin my day! That would have been hard though as I really enjoyed planting seedlings with the kiddos! We planted 15 trees and have another 45 to go! That should keep me out of trouble for a while!

-----

Monday was another busy day. It was the second day of my course. I couldn't believe how well it went. I thought that a Friday/Monday class would suck but it went really well. The days off in between gave folks some time to absorb information I suppose! I am really pleased with how the class went. I spent a lot of time re-arrange it and it was worth wile! I get to see the course eval comments after so I always strive to improve on things. One of the things I have noticed is that I usually don't get the highest score for presenting a clear course outline. I was trying to figure out what to do so I decided to review it at the start of Day2... wooollllaaa all of a sudden I get the highest score possible? Whatever as long as it works! Under the Instructor section all of the participants marked me at the highest score possible for all categories! It was my first time I was SO EXCITED! Day2 went well and it showed! Can you tell I was happy?

As a result of the great class and the great day with my kids I had one of those 'moments' on the way home. The one where life is truly good. The only thing I would change is working less and sleeping more other than that things are as good as they could get. It's all because of my kids and the journey through infertility. Yes infertility has changed me but the changes have made me a stronger person and my kids have helped me to figure out what's most important in life. I love these moments, moments of clarity and true happiness. I am not sure I would be able to embrace life in this way if it wasn't for the journey I have taken. Because of my children I left a job that was not making me happy and finally followed my original goal of teaching and I am starting to learn some of the in's and outs (I have a long way to go but I think I am going in the right direction). Because of my children my house is no longer the deafening quiet that it used to be, I hated that silence! Because of my children I feel more loved than I have ever felt. Because of my children I finally feel like part of a family. Because of infertility I appreciate my children more than I think I would have if I hadn't fought so hard to bring them home. Because of infertility they found ovarian cancer before it was too late. Because of infertility I now understand what emotional pain is and that I am strong enough to fight on. Because of infertility I am stronger person and have more self confidence. Because of infertility I got to experience twins (not sure if this is such a good thing! :)) Because of infertility I had to step outside my comfort zone and find out that it's ok. Because of all the changes in my life I have met the most amazing people and have been able to experience true happiness and joy...

Oh ya and last night I got to hang out and help out with a class on the Cricut machine, lots of fun and great people too!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- when Boy#1 gets up late the days I work and extra early the day after I work! :)

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- new glasses... got them today! No more glued frames!

KIDDO NOTES
Well as for an update on potty training Boy#2 seems to be almost there during the day. It is nice to have one less kiddo that soils diapers frequently. Boy#1 is a pain when it comes to potty training. I suppose he will do it when he is darn good and ready. He won't try to do either 'business' in the potty. It is truly maddening. I think it's kind of like when you are thirsty in the desert and you see a mirage, only to find out it's just more sand, kind of maddening! :)

Hubby went and got 6 trees this weekend, two that were over 8 feet tall! Well the boys wanted to help dig holes for the trees and fill them in. Well I tell you they are hard little workers. They had their snow shovels (which they may need tomorrow as it's currently snowing... WTF?) and they were helping dig! Mostly they were just in the way but they were having a good time. They want to be just like Dad. Talk about 2 dirty little boys when we were done! Baby was just a wandering soul. She just goes, we have to watch her like a hawk as I am sure she would just wander off. She doesn't really care what anyone else is doing she just wants to do her own thing. She really liked the pine cones so she was inspecting all the ones around our yard!

Boy#1 wished me a Happy Mother's Day, it was so sweet! (According to my mother SHE was teaching them that on Friday... she teaches them everything they know apparently? Not bad considering she is barely ever here?) She had the kids out on Friday, she put Baby in the swing that was FULL of bird poop and so was the tray where she puts her hands. I am thinking that poop is not the thing I want the kids to play with. I can't believe she didn't wipe it off first. GROSS! My hubby was mortified!

With that I am off to bed!

#242 - Happy Mother's Day and thoughts on Mother's Day after infertility

Happy Mothers day to all that are mothers and those that should be but are still waiting their turn.

Mother's Day is a bittersweet celebration around here. I am thankful for making it to the other side of IF treatments but it is also a harsh reminder of the 11 Mothers' Days that passed before finding success in our IF journey.

I like to think of this day as a celebration of making it through years of infertility but also I like to reflect on the past and what it took us to get here. I also like to think of all those who are struggling with infertility and pray that some day no one has to suffer through IF at all.

As with all things infertility this day too has changed for me to become something much more powerful than just celebrating motherhood.

So to all a Happy Mother's day and if you are still waiting you are in my thoughts and prayers.


OTHER STUFF
Well I have been trying to post for three days but work has gotten the better of me.

Thursday night I worked and got home very late (there was a class and the young gal from the 'entitlement' generation would not stay for me so that I could go home and go to bed). I didn't get home until after 11pm. (Oh did I mention that 'entitlement' gal needs more money an shifts, only weekdays though, because she is done school and needs the money!) 5:30am came really early on Friday! Friday morning started out with a dead battery in my truck (good thing I just registered my car the day before). Then it was off to teach a class (in which one Lady kept complaining I was going to fast, so I explained that I would help her at breaks and lunch as I have to teach to the middle of the road). I spent a half hour after class helping her out and she still told me I need to slow down on day 2 (which will be Monday!) I told her she may want to do some review of the topics we will be covering as we will be going faster to get through all the material.

After the kids went to bed on Friday I started working on my contract work. I complied my application and it was only running 'some' code on my test machine. I was up way to late trying to figure out what the heck was going on. There really was no point going to bed as my brain would have just kept going anyway so I decided to try to be somewhat productive.

Saturday morning it was off to my other job. Guess what I forgot my key! I had to turn around half way there and come home. I usually like to be there early just to relax for 5 minutes before we start. We only had 2 people working (we usually have 3). So it was BUSY, especially since I was working with our newest staff member! To add to my annoyance I had left some stuff for the Friday people to do (more entitlement folks) and guess what it was still there on Saturday. In addition we had no paper for our printers and I needed to print instructions out for a lady. The gals had used up all the till tapes and 2 of them ran out and they didn't bother to restock under the counter so I had to go searching. They also never bothered to enter kits that were supposed to be entered (and someone wanted those too since they were in the email that went out). Needless to say I was not in a good mood to start and it just got better. Usually I don't get pissed off at that job, but yesterday was not the case.

I came home exhausted and I should have gone to bed but I was bound and determined to figure out what the heck was going on with the program I developed and would not run in the runtime version. (I was nattering nasty words at Micr.soft no wonder it wasn't working! LOL). So I was up half the night last night too! Finally I found something on-line that discusses a Mi.cros.oft BUG!) So after spending 2 nights trying to figure out what was happening I can actually blame Mi.cros.oft! AT LEAST THEY COULD PUBLISH THEIR KNOW BUGS! I started looking on-line after I tried a couple of things but it took me two days and a gazillion types of searches to find out about it, and it wasn't from MSoft it was from a news group! ARG! So I managed to get about half the system tested last night, so I am at least on my way! Did I mention how much I hate msoft today??? (and last night and the night before!) LEARN HOW TO TEST YOUR CRAP DUDES! (and dudettes!) OK I feel better now! LOL

So today I didn't get to sleep in as hubby was going to dig out trees with a friend. I am beyond exhausted so I am going to bed early TONIGHT!

Have a good day.

#241 - A little bit of fun for me!

Well my hubby and I got our dinner out together tonight. (Now don't get too excited!) Hubby went to get his eyes checked (sans kids) tonight. We were a bit early so we sat at McDonald's and waited, since we were hungry we had some 'dinner'. (What is it with that place it always smells the same, not sure if that is a good thing?) Well anyway I guess that was our anniversary dinner. Happy 15 years hunny and thanks for buying me dinner! The sad thing was it was actually nice to be out together, even if it was McD's at Walmart! How pathetic are we? I really need to find a babysitter! (Oh ya we dropped the kids off at my parents. They are so bad when it comes to potty training, they didn't ask the kids once and they were all 'dirty' when we got there... Lovely!)

So what was my little bit of fun? When I should have been testing the application that I built I was working on the birthday invites for my kiddo's birthday! I will have to put some samples up when I am done! I was playing around with the creative memories software and as software picky as I am (trust me I am picky, it's that whole Systems Development background, everything annoys me! LOL) and I must say even I am impressed. I started making some really cool invites (I was going to do the paper ones but I figured I wouldn't have time) If I didn't have so many tools already I could sure see getting into digital scrapbooking again! This tool rocks! I had so much fun even if it only was for a little while! (Now if only they would build a MAC version!)

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- my mother
- waiting for someone at the optical and some b*tch budded in front of us so it took an extra 20 minutes! I really need to use my OUTSIDE voice when this happens and speak up. There is a dude at this place that can pick glasses out. He knows his stock and he knows what looks good on you. I made him check out the ones we picked for my hubby! LOL
- installing the run time version of an application I built and finding bugs that don't come up in the development version. ARG! :)

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- having great kids today (hmm they must have been possessed by aliens for the day... oooo mr. aliens please come back tomorrow)
- finding out they screwed up my schedule for the next semester teaching... I get one lonely excel course and I no longer have to teach in July. (the bad thing is I have to teach 4 weeks in a row in September! Yikes!)
- Mr. Aliens please come baaaaack tomorrow I rather like what you did with the kids today!
- Getting all the photos 'stuck' in Baby's album up to the end of December... this was my plan to have done by this November so I am so excited!

KIDDO NOTES
Yup it was a good day! Potty training with Boy#2 has been going so well (until grandma's house) so I guess tomorrow we will get back at it. Boy#1 still has no interest, he doesn't even want to sit on the potty, I have to figure out what motivates that child!

Our ex-house pest(guest) stopped by today and Baby didn't freak out... the boys were happy to see him too (It's much more enjoyable to visit when we know he isn't staying! LOL)

Off to bed I go. Good night!

#240 - My Opinion - Mr Clean Disinfecting Wipes - With Febreze

Product:Mr Clean Disinfecting Wipes - with Febreze




TESTING NOTES: I used this product in the bathroom and on the change table and other miscellaneous handles and door knobs in the house.

RESULTS: Well I did not test the disinfecting effectiveness, since I don't have a lab at home! :) But I do love the smell of these wipes. I used them to clean the change table in the kids room and the door handles. I am so not a fan of cleaning the bathroom fixtures so I give them a dust and wipe them down with the wipes, makes me feel like everything was nice and clean after. I enjoyed the fresh scent as well (Lavender Vanilla & Comfort™)!

THE BOTTOM LINE: When we ran out we bought some more! These have become my favorite disinfecting wipes!

#239 - Re-evaluation needed!

Well it looks as though I am going to need to reevaluate my job situation. Too much work is starting to take a toll on me. I 'quit' my career to me more available to my kids but is seems as though I am exhausted all the time and don't have the energy they require. Hopefully I can figure something out soon. On a good note though I am ready for my next class on Friday and I am almost done my contract. Maybe things will get easier soon?

HA!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- The job that makes the most sense to quit (money wise) is the one that I like the most! :(

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- getting through my latest course prep!

KIDDO NOTES
Well Boy#1 had me up at 4am (I went to bed at 1am - due to work not fun!). Boy#1 went back to sleep, I did not!

The kids were really good for their father when I passed out for a couple of hours this afternoon. Hubby even managed to get some work done in the storage room (currently at the Mud stage). The boys were a little concerned about putting Mud on the walls. They told their dad that he wasn't allowed to put mud on the walls! (I guess they do listen to something)

They weren't too bad in the morning, except I am having some issues with Boy#1. As with everything else this too shall pass!

Oh yes and 'the mother' arrived, unannounced, at noon. When I was trying to get the kids fed. She told me I should go lay down as I had really bad bags around my eyes (duuh they have been there since I had the boys! LOL). I told her it depending on the hubby and the kids. She said she should stay and help out, just before she left??? What a PITA!

Off I go to bed... sleep while I can!

#238 - Is it Monday?

Man the days are flying by so fast I am having trouble keeping track!

I was up late this morning as I was beat! I really need to try to get to bed earlier!

Well I went and got my eyes tested today. They haven't changed much in 4 years so that's not to bad. I ordered some new glasses too since I broke the frames on my current ones. (They are currently glued together, I avoided the NERD tape so far but I am not sure how much longer they are going to last) I got some nice new trendy ones (only cause I liked them). Too bad I am one of those home types that Oprah likes to make over due to their clothing! I say what's wrong with Jammies if they are comfy? LOL
(yup no queen of fashion here! LOL)

The whole go to get my eyes tested thing cut into my time to work on my course. Arrrg! Well I did manage to get most of it done tonight. I had to get my exercises finished so they could be printed so at least I got them done! :) I have everything printed, now I just have to do a 'once over' and I think I will be ready for Friday! Now it's back to testing and finishing my contract work. Then maybe I can spend some time with my kids!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- being to busy
- how fast the time is flying by
- broken glasses

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- seeing the light at the end of the work tunnel (I am sure it will be smashed out again but for now we are good!)

KIDDO NOTES
They were awesome this morning. It seems like no matter how good they are when they start whining it just sets me off. I really need to breath more! :) More sleep may help too!

Off to bed I go... good night!

#237 - Mish mash post!

1) I am very sad a long time friend moved out of province this weekend and I never heard from him. I have known him since I was 13. (His girlfriends father did some electrical work a while back that was a disaster) I did hear he was moving and attempted to contact him but all I got was the nasty girl friend, I never did really like her but I put up with her for the sake of my friend. She intercepted the email I sent, and I would guess he never got it. (Good thing I never said anything nasty about her, as far as I knew she didn't go on his email account, guess things have changed)

2)When are weekends going to be for weekend stuff? Instead of working/trying to get caught up with work stuff. I really don't seem to have enough hours to keep up with all the stuff I am doing

3)How does it go from below freezing to 20 degrees above freezing (instant summer weather)

4)The friend who was pissed about the free work that I did for her keeps emailing me to 'clarify' the points that were making me angry. What did I do... I am so bad. I bounced the email back with a message that my inbox is full. I almost didn't respond to her first email I sure as heck am not responding to anymore. As far as I am concerned if you got something to say to me then SAY it don't freaking email me! So what does she keep doing - sending it to me. She knows I have 2 accounts so she has been sending it to both. Then she created a new email address with her dogs name and started sending emails to me from there too.

Apparently she thought I may be blocking her email so she would try again! TODAYS count is 20 emails sent and 20 bounced. Frig I hope she gives up soon I am sick of sending her email inbox full messages! (she's not tech savy so I didn't have to do too much work to make it all work out! LOL) I suppose Karma will get me for this one, but a girl's gotta have some enjoyment in life!

5) It's too freaking hot in this house to sleep! Rotten warm weather!

6) I really need sleep. Yesterday I had the busiest day ever at the store. I worked my arce off and was totally exhausted. Then I worked on my course for a bit too. I just want to get it out of my hair! So Boy#1 wakes a midnight... hubby ignores it. I get up. Boy#1 just doesn't want to sleep. I ended up sitting beside him on the floor until 6:30am. Thanks HUBBY. He didn't even freaking care when I got up this morning. Not to mention that I almost froze to death! I did take a blanket with me but it wasn't enough and I was afraid to move for fear of waking Boy#2 up (I hate having lousy sleepers!) Hubby knew I was feeling like crap last night and he knew I was exhausted. It wouldn't have hurt him to help me out for a little while!

7) Did I mention how pissed I am at hubby? (Even though he picked the weeds out of the front flower bed)

8) I need to start planning Baby's 2nd birthday as it's in June! I am usually done the planning by now. I am so behind!

9) I need to finish testing the application I was working on for my contract and get it to the fella that requested it.

10) I should have been in bed 2 hours ago but I was on a roll with my course stuff!

So with that .... good night

KIDDO NOTES
They spent most of their weekend outside so they were tickled. This year the boys can actually ride their trikes (and they have both had their first crashes!). They will even pedal their little John Deere tractors that we got them for their birthday last year. Baby was hanging out on the Big Wheel today and she really likes that!

Oh yes and Baby. Baby only drinks milk. She does not like juice, water or anything else. So we have to get creative. Today she was yelling for milk so I went and got her a cup like her brothers and a straw. Well the little monster liked the straw, 3 full glasses later! I gave her the cup with the straw at the table at lunch. She tossed the straw and wanted to use the cup like her brothers. So I guess as of today she is a cup drinker! (She has a bit of a mind of her own, to say the least! She would not touch a cup before this no matter what we tried. I guess SHE was ready!) LOL

#236 - Happy National Scrapbook Day

Wishing everyone a wonderful National Scrapbook day! I worked through mine, but I did manage to get some organizing done after supper!

It was busy today at the store, so it went by really quickly. I am a we bit tired, but nothing a good nights rest won't fix right up!

Yesterday I was busy working on my course and I am almost half way through, I will be glad when it's done so I can scrapbook at night instead!

THINGS THAT BUG ME
- I don't get it, one gal complains that she needs more work but she refuses to work weekends. She also happens to be a student so you would think that she would need the cash? I just don't get the 20 something generation?

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
- coming home to all sorts of HI MOM's!

KIDDO NOTES
Well I missed a whole day with the kiddos. :( They were all happy this evening so that was blissful! They got to spend the day outside (finally warming up here... maybe we will get spring after all!) and that made them really happy!

My Opinion - Ultra Concentrated Dawn Plus - Dish Soap

Product: Ultra Concentrated Dawn Plus - Dish Soap



TESTING NOTES: For use with daily dishes!

RESULTS: Smells nice, cleans the dishes, and has nice bubbles. I like bubbles! I didn't notice much of a difference between this and other products I have used. I like the water soapy and this does do the trick. I also noticed that the bottle lasted a long time.

THE BOTTOM LINE: It works and lasts. It's not something that I would say you need to run out and buy this instant, but I definitely would use it again.