Beds

So to step away from the serious day to day and do some purposeful daydreaming. The ladies won't be in toddler beds for nearly as long as I would like. That being said, their room is tiny. And in our two bedroom house, that leaves us two options:

bunkbeds

-or-

finishing the attic

I'd love to finish the attic. I'd love to do it! I could raise the back half of the roof and finishing the walls and ceiling for roughly $10k. Not bad. But IF I'm going to live up there, I'll need heat. We have radiators which means I'll need a plumber. If we're getting a plumber to run one line, might as well run some more so we can have our own bathroom! So that's like $20k. And I'll need a new water tank from the plumber, $22k. And since he'll already be there, lets move the main drain in the house to the outside wall. That involves ripping out and replacing walls in the girl's current bedroom, kitchen, and basement laundry room and bathroom. $25k. Since we'll be ripping the kitchen up anyhow, might as well add in some counter and storage space since I'll free up some room moving the drain. I can also add in a custom breakfast nook, and move the radiator and back door! Functionality! $33k. 

Dreaming is expensive.

I think Ill just build bunk beds. 

I love the look of built-ins.

 So charming and cozy.

But there room has TWO windows and TWO doors that make built-ins, or bunk beds in general, nearly impossible. There is also a radiator under one window with a plumbing access next to it. How convenient!

Any bunk bed will block a window. I can't have that! To top it off, the room is around 7 feet wide, and the only long wall in the room hits the flush-radiator, window, plumbing access, and door! I can't just put it in the middle of the room!

Or can I? That doesn't look unstable. They're not swinging from the chandelier. 

Oh crap, the ceiling fan! I forgot that. 

How high are bunk beds?

I never considered myself girly. I never wanted my girls to be girly-girls. Unless they choose to and all that in which case I'll grin and bare it. This just looks to masculine, modern, grown up, etc. I do like the floating look thought. Too bad finding studs through 100 year old plaster is such a pain in the ass!

Perhaps I'll just forget the idea all together and make their bedroom solely for sleeping. I'm a such a loss. If we did this, and this is about how cramped it would be, it would force me to finish the basement. The basement would be family/play room. I would cross my fingers that this wouldn't spill over into office/craft corner/last remaining bit of man cave/storage. 

Or maybe I could get rid of the nook furniture and make that into a mini play room! We never eat in the  nook. Of course that would short me for a recycling storage area. And people can see if from the living room, not that I have people over. 

Better yet, maybe it's time to start house hunting. We would love to move to DE. I would LOVE to have a barn house! Love, love, LOVE to do that! LOVE TO! I would also love to sell my house. Period. A reasonable price might be asking too much. 

Moving to DE would mean DH getting a new J-O-B. Jobs are few, resources are limited, time is precious. 

Daydream over. 

How does everyone else do this grown-up thing?

This Weekend's Highlights

• I got to play with my new camera. *squeals*
• The girls were sickly.
• I decided to quit. Big news.

Yep, that about sums it up. 

I received my new camera and I love it. I love him. Marcos. His name is Marcos. And he sleeps next to me. I'm pretty sure my husband is jealous. So I've been shooting and playing with Marcos. A lot of it came back to me. I'm only in manual mode, I'm not sure why they feel the need for all these presets. I have a point and shoot for presets, and I never used presets with my point and shoot. I learned that in the last ten years I still haven't learned to properly use a flash. I hate flashes.

I've been searching around for some patterns for covers and straps. I desperately want to make Marcos a nice little jacket and a strap cover. Maybe something flashy and far away from my love of gray. That being said, it will most likely be gray! I can't wait to post some of my pictures. Would it be too much to start another blog as a photo dump? I wonder how high a resolution I can upload? It would certainly save some space and save me from signing up to another site somewhere. 

The fevers. The snot. The whining! Dear GAWD the whining!! I know you're sick, I know you don't feel good, I can see the snot running down your face. Please don't scream this information in the most whiney and pathetic voice, thru tears, that you can muster! I'm not sure how DH survived. When I got home Sunday afternoon I found myself prepare a free sign to have Emma hold in the front yard. I was not a nice Mama. Perhaps I should have just dropped everything and cuddled her for two hours. Some mothers would have no problem with that. This mother was cleaning the house and patching the walls. This mother was helping with dinner and trying her best to not lose her head with all the noises in the house. I spoke through gritted teeth, raised my voice, and cleaned a little harder and faster. I'm not good with the whines. In fact, last night I went into their room 5 times in under 15 minutes because "Emme got snot" was being bellowed down the hall. My last visit in I chucked the box of tissues in bed next to her. I'm not a patient "sick mother" as Rebecca said, and I sincerely hope her house is on the mend. I'd die if I were sick with everyone! I did feel bad leaving them with DH, he was only half-well at best, but I had to go to work.

Speaking of work, I had a revelation. It's not worth it. Why isn't it worth it? I'm not valued. Sure bossman values me. I'm sure some of my tards also value me. I know Mary Catherine values me a little more since she had to be pick up part of my shift last Wednesday! Mwhahahaha! 

The straw that broke this camel's back is named Joanne. Joanne is bossman's boss. No one is really sure of her actual position, other than making life hell. With that said, she scheduled me for food safety and customer service class. This class holds no merit, she merely holds it justify her position. If my food safety was in question, the health department would close my kitchen. If my customer service skills were not up to par, I wouldn't be asked for by name, I wouldn't pass evaluations, and I certainly wouldn't be maintaining my current wage! Said class is held at her connivence, at her office. Both the time and location are inconvenient for those scheduled. Before informing of this class bossman tried to get me off the hook. It is truly a waste of my time. She told him it was a job requirement and implied it is was necessary to maintain my employment. My availability and circumstances were a personal problem. She went on to say that I should be willing and able to work as needed, and if I were so limited that I should work as a limited employee if I work at all. 

That really rubbed me the wrong way. I'm limited because I can't be full time. The favoritism and nepotism that runs untamed through this company is ridiculous. But I've known this. This was the first time that it hit me personally. I'm not Joanne's favorite. There is no one that can save me from her. I find it crazy that I am going to lose money to go to her 'mandatory' class, and I use mandatory loosely because it carries no credentials, to continue doing the job I have been doing exceptionally well for 8 years. My husband has to miss a day of work to watch the girls. I have to miss work to go to the class. I'm bitter. I'm upset to leave my job. I'm upset she's won. 

But I'm excited at the possibility of spending more time with my family. The though of spending time in my house cleaning and renovating thrills me. I won't feel so rushed through life. We can do story time at the library and go to the beach EVERY WEEK this summer. Sure I'll miss the money. It will put off buying a new car. In the end DH is right, my happiness will be worth it. Now on to writing the resignation letter...and perhaps an anonymous letter or two. 

Sometimes You Cave

I totally caved.

Maybe it was building up.
Perhaps it was from dealing with a house full of sickness. I'm toooooootally over everyone being sick. 
It could have been from my cousin and husband hounding me. Relentlessly! (Yes, I complained regularly.)
Most likely it was influenced by the shop calling to tell me I DIDN'T need brakes, or any services.(This never happens, I don't care who you are! And yes, I still had some other work done, I'm a sucker.)

But it happened. I caved.

I caved and treated myself.

She's on her way home. To my home. To live with me forever and take lots of pretty pictures. Together we'll pester the children and embarrass my husband. We'll document life, saving memories to hang on the wall and hand out to the gp's. I'll miss old silver, but she could never live up to this beauty.

She needs a name. I'll be taking suggestions through Monday. LOL!

She is fancy enough to make me feel special, but simple enough for me to use. I've been dragging my feet forever on buying a new camera. Well over a year for this camera, and well before the girls were born. The idea of spending so much money on something that only I'll use and get enjoyment out of really bothered me. Especially since I don't bring home the bacon. But then I started to accumulate gift cards, and I had a some money saved, and it was marked down, and I ran out of reasons not to buy it!

I thought I would feel more guilty. I do still hate how much I spent but I know I'll love it. So I'm counting down the days until Tuesday. I'm browsing lenses for a possible birthday present. I am searching fabric to make a cover. I am psyched! I'm hoping the girls are better so my first pictures aren't of snot, whine, and tears. I've also decided I deserve it, if for nothing other than having someone else's poop on my hand today! Thanks HAM!

What have you done for yourself lately?

The Deeeeevil!

It's been a while since we visited with the Devil. She is down living her life, or lack there of, in North Carolina. She has no job, she has no life. She seems to be a housewife, only without the kids and I'm sure her house isn't much cleaner than her room used to be. I'm not sure how she spends her days, especially since she let out that her husband takes all the keys to work and she is left prisoner in her own home. Such is military life I guess? This is all she hoped and dreamed for, right?! 

Bwhahaha!

She also leaves other gems on the internet for all to see. 

Here's your legend: 

Elephant: Devil (sister)

Stars: HAM's mom (cousin)

Looming Black Clouds: ME!

In interest of full disclosure, my cousin was trying to gentle prod information out because the Devil loves attention! Usually she'll spill her beans and well all splash around in her puddle of tears for a bit. It's free entertainment, and during nap time, entertainment is needed! Sure my comment was mean. But who posts things like this for all the world to see? That's crazy. Please note this happened on the 17th.

Yesterday, the 23rd of January, my father calls. He asks me if I "posted something mean on the internet" and requests that I stop. Whoa! Back up! Am I going to be punished? Are you going to send me to my room? Take away my car? Better yet, take away my mortgage, you can have! I'm not 12!! WTF? See the Devil calls the parentals daily, sometimes multiple times a day. She has nothing to do with herself. She left school to move away, get married, and sit on her ass. She called to cry to Father about big, mean Mandy and I was cautiously asked to refrain from such behavior.

To that I say HA! He went on to say she has an inferiority complex, she will never be me. Why she wants to be me I'm not sure. I argued that she shouldn't post such things in the open, he agreed. I countered that she should be confident in herself and not care about my opinions, whatever she thinks they maybe, and he agreed. Furthermore, she should be prepared to handle whatever come her way when she chooses to post such things. Again, he agreed. Then he added he was tired of hearing her cry. At that point I was suddenly very busy with three small children and had to get off the phone that.very.minute! 


This is reason #4839 that I loathe the Devil. Anything for attention, then dragging out the attention. It's like a circular horror story where you can't tell who the killer is, but you really knew all along. What I really want to do is ask her why she is seeing a psychiatrist and when she really starts to open up about how unhappy she is in life I want to kick her in the face with "so did you tell them how great I am?" It's sad that she has to call and cry to my parents every day. It's more disturbing that she needs to now pay someone to give her attention. It's infuriating that my parents are still coddling her.

Parenting Note: Sometimes it's not a phase and the best thing you can do is push your kids to grow up.

P.S.
She is now hidden. Life is too short. And as hard as it is to be the bigger person, I think it's time to let this free entertainment go. I'll always play second fiddle to her and all her needs, but I think my parents respect me more. I'll settle for respect over love.

Saturday Happiness

I just posted a comment stating my bit of happiness for the day was waking up to snow.

This is a lie.

I've thought of something that brought me far greater happiness today. Something that made me giggle, to the point of snorting. It was a simple text that said "That was awkward." But there is always more to that!

Rewind to this morning. I wanted to give DH the gift of time. I arranged to have my parents take the girls so he could have some time alone. I know that is SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE and is usually a scares commodity. I gave him no to-do list. UNHEARD OF! He chose to run a few errands, look for shoes, and start the laundry. Yes he is almost trained!


Back up farther to the beginning of the week. I took Claire's diapers away. As in stole them. I forced her to go naked. She wasn't pleased. She got over herself. She is 93.742% potty trained. HOLLA!!! I have used, with great success, the naked potty training method. I go from naked, to just pants, then once trained they get big girl panties which is a pretty big deal. The panties don't enter the house till training is finished. Needless to say, Emma loves her special big girl panties. With Claire all but trained she needed her own panties, since Emma hold ownership of all existing panties. Yes I am totally separating panties, don't judge me. 

Now back to the that that was soooo awkward. That was DH being a creeper in the little girls section. His last fatherly duty before turn 46 was to buy the smallest panties available. Ha! What makes it better is that he only bought one pack. So I sent him back to play Chester again and buy another pack. Bwhahahaha!

So that is my bit of happiness for Saturday. The thought of my dear husband standing in a check-out line with little girl panties. This shouldn't make me giggle so much!

Oh, and the pending excitement of knowing I will never have to change another diaper EVER is preeeeeeeetty nice too! I'm giving her two more weeks to get the over nights down.

Chocolate and Vanilla

There's a birthday this month! I had three lovely ladies who were more than eager to help make cupcakes!
Miss Emma was also eager to show daddy her cupcakes so it wasn't much of a surprise. DH's reaction was: What am I suppose to do with these?

Hello! They're cupcakes. Whether 6 or 46, people love cupcakes. They're not decorated so no one has to know it's your birthday or that your celebrating 46 years on earth. Just throw them down and people will come for free food.

So, our birthday weekend begins! Still not sure what to get the birthday boy, but at this point it will have to be a thoughtfully wrapped order page!

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Chocolate and Vanilla

There's a birthday this month! I had three lovely ladies who were more than eager to help make cupcakes!
Miss Emma was also eager to show daddy her cupcakes so it wasn't much of a surprise. DH's reaction was: What am I suppose to do with these?

Hello! They're cupcakes. Whether 6 or 46, people love cupcakes. They're not decorated so no one has to know it's your birthday or that your celebrating 46 years on earth. Just throw them down and people will come for free food.

So, our birthday weekend begins! Still not sure what to get the birthday boy, but at this point it will have to be a thoughtfully wrapped order page!

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

Just a giggle...

So I have to post that I need to spit out, but I have a case of the giggles and it's getting late.

Why am I giggling?

I had to tell my husband what a donkey punch is. It was awkward.

*giggle*

Our bedroom talk is just soooo seductive.

The He-man Woman Haters Club

Oh yes! Be jealous! Yours truly will be spending this evening on the edge of her seat, mingling with the old people and trying not to make my mother bust a gut.

Tonight my father becomes Worshipful Master.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!! I very seriously asked my mother if we could now refer to him only as Worshipful Master. Such as:

• When does Worshipful Master get home?
• Can I get you a drink Worshipful Master?
• Worshipful Master, I need a dump run!
• Worshipful Master's cover blew off is bike.
• Does Worshipful Master know he's watching the dogs this weekend?

Don't know what any of this means? Be glad. My father is a mason. You know, the people who run with government, are responsible for a variety of bad things happening, work with the illuminati and all that jazz?! He is desperately trying to become my grandfather (although Poppy was also a Shriner and no one can deny the awesomeness of a fez). He is bitter that my mother isn't also trying to become my grandmother-just what everyone woman wants to be, her MIL! So somehow I have been drug into masonic life. Lucky me! It is rather entertaining.

Tonight Father gets to sit in the special chair, say a lot of things, and pray (WTH we're not praying people).

He's also going to show me up! Don't believe me?

I have to sit through a bunch of men traipsing around in this getup. Father will don his spiffy new top hat and gavel, put on his dainty white gloves, and purrrrdy necklace. Mother will grumble about the cost  of his ensemble and the wasting of her time. I will be trying my best not to laugh aloud. This is a very serious thing. This is fathers step into the grand lodge, then maybe outer space- who knows?

I never have, and never will, be able to take the He-man Woman Haters Club seriously. I don't get this secret brotherhood thing, I don't understand they need to follow unwritten codes, and I certainly don't see why my father is trying so hard to become my grandfather. 

I will admit the lodge is very generous, although I have no idea where they get all this money. Another secret obviously. Their community productions, although under reported, are impressive and much needed. As much as I loathe it, it has been there all my life and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

That being said, there is free dinner and these men tend to really put out a nice display! Wish me luck!! Mother is saving me a seat and told me to get there as soon as I could. 

Snow

I've been so antsy waiting for a good snowfall. The ladies have gotten very excited over the snow showers and slight dustings we've had. I just can't wait to dress them up and toss them into a snow drift!
And consequently comfort Claire as she as a small breakdown over getting dirty.

But today we settled for the next best thing and made some snow flakes.

I can honestly say I really enjoyed this. It wasn't too messy, too time consuming, and didn't require much effort. They followed directions, aside from the whole stirring the toilet water with toothbrushes while I was gathering supplies, and seemed to really enjoy being able to freely use markers and water bottles! They didn't take long to dry and I had fun cutting them out.

Miss Claire T. Bear immediately invited me to a "pic-pic" after hanging out snowflakes. This girl loves to have picnics and she will go to the trouble to set out a blanket and line up the animals, each with their own bowl. It is so adorable. I can't resist her requests. Also notice that she is by herself. She is my loner and I wonder if because of this she enjoys pretend play more. I also wonder if she is going to have an imaginary friend, because that will freak me out and I can easily see it happening. So this was out snowy Monday picnic.

However, this is only the 9th of January. Unlike the fall months with their bountiful craft ideas and activities, January's activity calendar is preeeeeetty barren.

I NEED IDEAS!!

I can't wait till they are old enough to make snow candy or appreciate a good snowball fight. Of course you need snow for those and 50 and 60 degree days in January just isn't working for me.

Who else is missing Old Man Winter?

In other news...

• Husband took me to dinner last night, 10 points DH! 
• He also let me roam around Lo.wes for a bit, 27 points! 
• I think I've lost the battle I've been waging with a cold. DH says it's because I wear flip flops and no coat in winter.
• We restocked the house this weekend (unplanned), goodbye monies!
• I've almost completely stuck to my menu for the first week in January!!
• Pot roast and veggies from the slow cooker are waiting for me at home and I'm pretty excited!

How's your Monday?

Word, word, word!!!

I have one. I've settled on it. I'm not thrilled with it. But it works.

I like it better than discipline, the opposite of procrastination and pure laziness. Discipline reminds me too much of obedience and I am just not the obedient type.

Where does action come from?

My own laziness and lack of concern. The same things I regularly blast my dear husband for. His ears ring regularly as I curse his laziness. Why can't he throw the trash in the can instead of the sink? The same reason my basement has sat unfinished for a year. I'm to lazy to do it, just as he is too lazy to throw the trash away.

Things I've been to lazy to spring into action with:

• Finishing the basement
• Re-patching walls
• Painting
• Finishing the baseboards off
• Fixing the sink
• Building a shed
• Working in the yard
• Finishing the trench
• Building a headboard/footboard for my bed
• Going through my clothes
• Cleaning the attic out
• Fixing the basement door
• Bathroom and kitchen upgrades

And on and on. Things that I have continually put off. Things that need to be done. Many are things I have started and never finished, others are things that need to be done and I just have put them off. These are the things I do around the house, my responsibilities if you will, and notice laundry is absent.

So my word is action. I need to spring into action. I need to follow through, set plans and stick to them. Most of all, I need to stop dreaming and start doing. Browsing BHG and home design blogs isn't going to make my house pretty! I wish I could say that it was just limited to the house, but you know it's not. I haven't had an eye exam in over 2 years. I cancelled my 6 month dentist cleaning, in October!!!!, and still haven't rescheduled. It's the little things that I just let slide by, and then they pile up around me.

So 2012, you've been warned!

January Goals

I was so proud of getting my 2012 goals together that I nearly forgot January's goals. I'm linking up with Marcia as soon as she comes around for the monthly goal link up!

So from December....

Finish Christmas shopping

Wrap, address, and group together all my gifts

Plan out a surprise Mother totally blew the surprise factor

Year end finances (yes I have to do!)

2012 budget I'm partially there, still trying to find the perfect balance!

Settle myself with resigning (quitting sounds bad) Fail

Buy a pair of shoes FAIL

Schedule family pictures Almost there

Just over half, not a total failure. I did look for shoes, but I'm so picky. I did however buy BRAS! Holla! This girl is going to have the happiest boobies on the block! I did work out a budget but I'm still finessing it, and family pictures will be scheduled tomorrow. As for quitting, I did make the effort to discuss it with Bossman. He told me no. No I couldn't quit. No I wasn't ready to quit. No he wouldn't let me quit. Self-esteem booster? Not really. However I do have a tentative plan to try and quit this summer. Who could say no to more beach days? Field trips? Canning weekends? 

With the coming of the new year came a burst of energy. However I don't have the time, or the babysitter necessary, to under take anything of substance. I have been making small, concerted efforts to improve life in general. I'm trying out meal planning. Small potatoes for the rest of you, but I loathe (and am rather terrible) at cooking - in addition to a table full of picky eaters. I'm making my efforts have a snowball effect too.

 Menus=better grocery lists=lower food bills=meeting financial goals instead of eating out 12 times a month=weight loss and family bonding!

I very much want to focus on getting my family to an even better place. I've only recently start to embrace the idea that I have to be the change. This growing up stuff is rough!

With that said, and my 2012 goals in mind, January's goals are:

Finish budget

Update debt plan(ick!)

DH birthday gift

Family Pictures!!

Pick a word

3 months of menus (shopping lists would be nice)

Run cable to the living room

Run DSL to the basement office area

Start getting my taxes in order 

Vacation planning

Totally excited about taxes, the refund not the filling, and vacation planning! They will most definitely be crossed off!!

So what are you hoping to get done this month?

New Year, New Goals

Since I'm late to the party, and getting later, I think I should start my goals in some shape or form! I definitely plan on framing them a la Marcia and hoping that helps me get things accomplished. So here are my year goals, broken down into categories.

House

• New basement door
• Finish the basement
• Finish the basement bathroom
• Organize and make use of office area
• Run proper line to office to fix internet issues
• Patch and re-paint living room
• Sand and re-paint baseboards
• New/redo radiator covers
• Paint kitchen and nook
• Kitchen window coverings
• Paint and organize bedroom
• Make head and foot boards
• Make bedside tables
• Cedar chest?
• Clean out attic before it's a million degrees!

Yard

• Finish drain
• Smooth some grading issues
• Grass seed and TLC for the "dog areas" (is this even worth it?)
• Build a shed
• Seating/entertainment area
• New rug for front porch

Ladies

• Sort closet
• Potty train Claire
• Have a bonfire with old diapers!!!!
• Grow something (I'm thinking container garden)
• New dressers/clothes storage devices
• Reluctantly discuss and search for pre-schools :(

Husband

• At least monthly date nights
• Include him more in household stuff
• Monthly "talks" to catch up on everything

In-laws

• Bi-monthly dinners (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov)
• Hair cuts every 6 weeks
• Weekly yard work as necessary(despite husband's moaning)
• Weasel my way into their house cleaning

Family

• 1 proper vacation
• Better dinners/meals and planning
• More day trips/ field trips
• More beach trips!! At least 4 this summer!
• Use the family room for family time, not the bedroom!!!

Financially

• Pay off personal loan
• Remove at least another 25% of debt
• Give husband a spending account
• Maintain his spending account

Myself

• New camera
• Get a hair cut
• Clean out my wardrobe
• Learn to accept my b**bs
• New flip-flops and shoes

Now where can I put this that is noticeable but not blatantly obvious?

1/3/2012

I don't have my word for the year.
I don't have my goals for the year.
I don't have my goals for the month.

I also don't have much control left over my children!

Thankfully, tomorrow is 1/3/2012 which means I kick DH to the curb send DH back to work and our regularly scheduled program can return! As much as I am dreading 6 o'clock I can't wait to get things back on track. The holiday was lovely and the break relaxing, but now I am at my wits end!

Anyone else ready to return to normalcy?

Happy 2012!!

Starting the year off right with a beautiful view.

Happy New Year!