She's here! She's here! Baby "Bean" has arrived!!! Smash finally has a baby girl and I have a niece! So excited, and can't wait to see them. I am headed up next week for the holiday and for some baby squeezin'.
More later...maybe.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
poor smash
Poor Smash. As expected she is is two weeks past her due date and still no baby. She went to the hospital, in labor, this morning, but things are not moving very quickly. I am anxiously waiting by the phone, not really doing anything, hoping to hear her, or her husbands, voice say "We have a baby!"
Saturday, November 12, 2011
jingle hell
I got a forwarded email last week imploring folks to boycott China this holiday season, and buy only American made. It suggested thinking outside the box, if you couldn't find products, and giving services (like a massage or lawn care) so that instead of supporting China, you would be supporting local business. I like the idea, but my wallet is pissed. I would LOVE to be able to give people a day at the spa, or lawn care for the year, or even better, a housekeeper...how great would that be? Unfortunately, I did not win the lottery last night, so that is not an option.
On one hand I think the whole season in way too commercialized, and we as Americans are being brainwashed by advertisers to think we MUST give ridiculous gifts to everyone in our lives from the post man to our mother. When did it become necessary to give everyone we interact with throughout the year a gift, and to give our children expensive electronics and designer clothes? On the other, I really do like giving, and WANT everyone who impacts me positively to feel appreciated and loved, and what better way to do that than to give them something lovely?
So I started my shopping last week, and made an effort to look at labels, and while incredibly frustrating, I did manage to find some really great American made things. I got it in my head to do an Oprah style "favorite things" basket filled with: California and North Carolina wine, Ghiradelli chocolate, Burt's Bees chap sticks, Tervis Tumblers, Yankee candles, and J R Watkins lotions and cleaning supplies. I actually got pretty excited about it and was ready to proceed. I started to compile my list, on it about 100 people or couples, and then I added up the cost, about $100...One hundred times $100 is OH HOLY HELL...and that doesn't include the kids...
Ok, back to the drawing board...I will take my ACTUAL budget, subtract out the kids stuff, the cost of cards and postage, divide it by the number of people I want to buy for, and just give them ONE of the items...just gotta get a dollar amount to figure out which one...
drum roll please..............
$2.57
Can't even buy a Burt's Bees chap stick for that...damnit.
I had two options: head to the dollar store, or get creative. So frustrating...everything at the dollar store is made in China, no one wants a toilet paper roll/cotton ball Santa. What to do?
So, The Pea and I spent all day yesterday listening to and deciding on music that we will burn onto a CD, and painting a painting that will become the cover art. It wasn't my first choice, but over the course of the day it provided a way for The Pea and I to connect and for her to take some ownership in the gifts. We talked about giving and gratitude, peace and God, and even color theory and paint technique, and when it was all done she was very proud of what we had created. It started out as a way to save money, turned into an incredible experience with my daughter, and with any luck will be enjoyed by those who receive it.
I'll still be buying wine and chocolate for a lucky few, including me, but I do that all year round.
On one hand I think the whole season in way too commercialized, and we as Americans are being brainwashed by advertisers to think we MUST give ridiculous gifts to everyone in our lives from the post man to our mother. When did it become necessary to give everyone we interact with throughout the year a gift, and to give our children expensive electronics and designer clothes? On the other, I really do like giving, and WANT everyone who impacts me positively to feel appreciated and loved, and what better way to do that than to give them something lovely?
So I started my shopping last week, and made an effort to look at labels, and while incredibly frustrating, I did manage to find some really great American made things. I got it in my head to do an Oprah style "favorite things" basket filled with: California and North Carolina wine, Ghiradelli chocolate, Burt's Bees chap sticks, Tervis Tumblers, Yankee candles, and J R Watkins lotions and cleaning supplies. I actually got pretty excited about it and was ready to proceed. I started to compile my list, on it about 100 people or couples, and then I added up the cost, about $100...One hundred times $100 is OH HOLY HELL...and that doesn't include the kids...
Ok, back to the drawing board...I will take my ACTUAL budget, subtract out the kids stuff, the cost of cards and postage, divide it by the number of people I want to buy for, and just give them ONE of the items...just gotta get a dollar amount to figure out which one...
drum roll please..............
$2.57
Can't even buy a Burt's Bees chap stick for that...damnit.
I had two options: head to the dollar store, or get creative. So frustrating...everything at the dollar store is made in China, no one wants a toilet paper roll/cotton ball Santa. What to do?
So, The Pea and I spent all day yesterday listening to and deciding on music that we will burn onto a CD, and painting a painting that will become the cover art. It wasn't my first choice, but over the course of the day it provided a way for The Pea and I to connect and for her to take some ownership in the gifts. We talked about giving and gratitude, peace and God, and even color theory and paint technique, and when it was all done she was very proud of what we had created. It started out as a way to save money, turned into an incredible experience with my daughter, and with any luck will be enjoyed by those who receive it.
I'll still be buying wine and chocolate for a lucky few, including me, but I do that all year round.
Friday, November 11, 2011
thanks
It's Veteran's Day...I am very glad to have the day off and to be, instead of at work, sitting on my couch, in ratty jeans, a hoodie, and slippers, sipping coffee and typing on my computer.
I am even more glad to have been lucky enough to have been born in this great country. America certainly has it's issues and faults, but knowing that I, and my baby girl, have the FREEDOM to do, be, and say ANYTHING is a blessing. A blessing hard fought by many men and women who sacrificed...to them I say: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU...
A million times thanks.
Happy Veteran's Day! God Bless America.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
get there
Haven't checked the mail in two days...or been to the Dollar Store for that matter, AND I did yoga tonight, so I am feeling much better. I am looking forward to the three day weekend. The Pea will be with her dad, but at least we will have all day Friday to hang out, and with any luck I will FINALLY get the house finished (haven't I been talking about that for like 3 months...oy). I am down to a smattering of piles that I know what I want to do with, I just haven't felt like dealing with had the chance. Hopefully by then we will also have another baby in the family (YAY!) Smash was due last week, and still (as we thought would be the case) has no baby.
Well, I have now sat 8 minutes without typing anything, cuz I don't have anything to say, so I think I will sign off with a little something I saw and liked.
Well, I have now sat 8 minutes without typing anything, cuz I don't have anything to say, so I think I will sign off with a little something I saw and liked.
Monday, November 7, 2011
grrrrrrrrr
Interesting day today. The morning was fantastic; I got out the door on time, and had a nice sunrise to watch on my way to work; work was busy, but not crazy; I cooked some kick ass chili AND some baked chicken with rice and mushrooms (I am set for the week!) and I got the Pea to bed with very little drama. Two things have me unsettled though, and unable to sleep.
1) A woman growled at me in the dollar store today. Well, ok, not AT me, but behind me. At first I thought maybe she was humming. Then I thought, nooooo, that is growling...definitely growling. I kept turning around and looking at her, which seemed to catch her by surprise and made it stop. As soon as I turned back to the front however, it began again. "Hmmmmpphhhhtgrrrrrr hmmmmmmmhhhhhhggggrrrrr hhhhmmmmmmggggrrrrrrrr." Not sure if the spelling is right on...
Every once in awhile she would cough, one of those been smoking for 40 years coughs, which got me thinking, "maybe she really IS humming, THAT is smokers hum." Well in addition to the hum/growl thing she had goin' on she reminded of the old lady in Snow White, and because of that damn show Once Upon A Time, all I could think about was her morphing into the evil queen...not that I could ever be mistaken for Snow White...but still. I'm not sure why this is even still on my mind, but it is, and I am a little frightened my Disney obsession has started to impact my life for the worse.
2) I have to go back and get another mammogram, because of something suspicious. Ok, fair enough...the problem TONIGHT is I had blithely assumed after not getting a phone call from my doctor that all was fine. I opened a LETTER that came from the radiology clinic today, sure that is was the one that was going to say "We are happy to report..." and just about fell over. Is this the new protocol?! I am pretty ticked, because had she called I would have at least had the opportunity to ask a few questions and go ahead with scheduling the next round. Instead, it is after hours, I am now wide damn awake thinking about it (I shouldn't have bothered with the mail tonight...now I want to growl) and even though I know it is probably just a fibroid or scar tissue, I am sitting here in the dark, furiously typing, trying to calm myself down, because I don't know what else to do. I'm also cupping the girls every so often because the thought of having them smashed again is making all three of us very sad. I wish I could go with an ultrasound, but then again, that isn't much better...been there, done that too, and having that little wand jammed into my boob hurt almost as bad as the giant masher. Worse was watching the facial expressions of the tech as she went around and around the damn spot all the while saying she couldn't comment on anything because she wasn't a radiologist...I nearly had a stroke. I liked the cheerful expression and hug I got from the mammography tech much better. Buddy The Elf should do ultrasounds.
http://youtu.be/u-C0Av5ICYw (who hasn't been the raccoon at one point or another?)
I guess I should at least try and go to bed...if nothing else I can sit and growl while I watch Elf...sooner or later I am bound to fall asleep.
1) A woman growled at me in the dollar store today. Well, ok, not AT me, but behind me. At first I thought maybe she was humming. Then I thought, nooooo, that is growling...definitely growling. I kept turning around and looking at her, which seemed to catch her by surprise and made it stop. As soon as I turned back to the front however, it began again. "Hmmmmpphhhhtgrrrrrr hmmmmmmmhhhhhhggggrrrrr hhhhmmmmmmggggrrrrrrrr." Not sure if the spelling is right on...
Every once in awhile she would cough, one of those been smoking for 40 years coughs, which got me thinking, "maybe she really IS humming, THAT is smokers hum." Well in addition to the hum/growl thing she had goin' on she reminded of the old lady in Snow White, and because of that damn show Once Upon A Time, all I could think about was her morphing into the evil queen...not that I could ever be mistaken for Snow White...but still. I'm not sure why this is even still on my mind, but it is, and I am a little frightened my Disney obsession has started to impact my life for the worse.
2) I have to go back and get another mammogram, because of something suspicious. Ok, fair enough...the problem TONIGHT is I had blithely assumed after not getting a phone call from my doctor that all was fine. I opened a LETTER that came from the radiology clinic today, sure that is was the one that was going to say "We are happy to report..." and just about fell over. Is this the new protocol?! I am pretty ticked, because had she called I would have at least had the opportunity to ask a few questions and go ahead with scheduling the next round. Instead, it is after hours, I am now wide damn awake thinking about it (I shouldn't have bothered with the mail tonight...now I want to growl) and even though I know it is probably just a fibroid or scar tissue, I am sitting here in the dark, furiously typing, trying to calm myself down, because I don't know what else to do. I'm also cupping the girls every so often because the thought of having them smashed again is making all three of us very sad. I wish I could go with an ultrasound, but then again, that isn't much better...been there, done that too, and having that little wand jammed into my boob hurt almost as bad as the giant masher. Worse was watching the facial expressions of the tech as she went around and around the damn spot all the while saying she couldn't comment on anything because she wasn't a radiologist...I nearly had a stroke. I liked the cheerful expression and hug I got from the mammography tech much better. Buddy The Elf should do ultrasounds.
http://youtu.be/u-C0Av5ICYw (who hasn't been the raccoon at one point or another?)
I guess I should at least try and go to bed...if nothing else I can sit and growl while I watch Elf...sooner or later I am bound to fall asleep.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
longest sunday ever
I wish we could stay on standard time. As much as I like getting that extra hour in my weekend...this is by far my most favorite day of the year (with the exception of birthdays and holidays)...I DETEST the Sunday we lose an hour, and I NEVER adjust to daylight savings. Never. Just sayin...
The plan for today was to bake pumpkin bread and then spend the rest of our day painting and doing art projects together, just the two of us. Well, I didn't have any eggs and was too lazy to go to the store and get some, and then the little neighbor kid showed up and now her and The Pea are upstairs playing. Best laid plans...
I am warming to the kid, but I really wanted today to be just me and The Pea. These days never end up looking like the spread out of parenting magazine like I want them to, instead there is always at least one screaming match, a few tears, something spilled, and a time out, but I'm not ready to give them up or share them...and I am sick of breaking up fights and saying no.
One six year old is capable of coming up with a few hair brained ideas, but two are capable of coming up with a never ending supply...the ideas don't double, they multiply exponentially. Not to mention the wear and tear on the house and all of the Pea's clothes. Why do they feel the need to change every 3 and a half minutes? And how is it possible to tear, ruin, or make filthy an item of clothing in the 3 minutes that it is on?
Furthermore, why do little girls scream at glass breaking pitch? And how ironic is it that in order to stop them, I have to SCREAM, at an even higher pitch and decibel level, "STOP SCREAMING!" (which I just did, btw...)
If it wasn't for the extra hour of sleep I got this morning, I'm pretty sure I would have started drinking by now.
The plan for today was to bake pumpkin bread and then spend the rest of our day painting and doing art projects together, just the two of us. Well, I didn't have any eggs and was too lazy to go to the store and get some, and then the little neighbor kid showed up and now her and The Pea are upstairs playing. Best laid plans...
I am warming to the kid, but I really wanted today to be just me and The Pea. These days never end up looking like the spread out of parenting magazine like I want them to, instead there is always at least one screaming match, a few tears, something spilled, and a time out, but I'm not ready to give them up or share them...and I am sick of breaking up fights and saying no.
One six year old is capable of coming up with a few hair brained ideas, but two are capable of coming up with a never ending supply...the ideas don't double, they multiply exponentially. Not to mention the wear and tear on the house and all of the Pea's clothes. Why do they feel the need to change every 3 and a half minutes? And how is it possible to tear, ruin, or make filthy an item of clothing in the 3 minutes that it is on?
Furthermore, why do little girls scream at glass breaking pitch? And how ironic is it that in order to stop them, I have to SCREAM, at an even higher pitch and decibel level, "STOP SCREAMING!" (which I just did, btw...)
If it wasn't for the extra hour of sleep I got this morning, I'm pretty sure I would have started drinking by now.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
10
I just got done flipping through Parenting magazine, reading would be an overstatement, and on the last page was a cute 10 things list...ten things we wish we could say to our kids...for example "Babies are made when a man and a woman love each other very much and want to get as close as possible...or when they've had too much to drink and are feeling lonely."
A few thoughts...
1) I FINALLY stopped reading fashion and beauty magazines because they always made me feel fat, frumpy, and seriously out of style...I am going to have to stop reading parenting magazines as well. They too make me feel fat, frumpy, and out of style AND like I will never measure up as a parent.
2) Lying to our kids is obviously necessary in certain situations, but when is it not, and when do you stop?
3) I want to do a 10 things list...must work on that.
A few thoughts...
1) I FINALLY stopped reading fashion and beauty magazines because they always made me feel fat, frumpy, and seriously out of style...I am going to have to stop reading parenting magazines as well. They too make me feel fat, frumpy, and out of style AND like I will never measure up as a parent.
2) Lying to our kids is obviously necessary in certain situations, but when is it not, and when do you stop?
3) I want to do a 10 things list...must work on that.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
good
Holy crazy coupla days...
I get pretty wrapped up in Halloween, cuz I love dressing up, and HAD to create ridiculous pirate costumes for myself, The Boy, and The Pea. Now I am gearing up for the Pea's birthday (TOMORROW!) and have no boxes, bags, or goodie holders what so ever ( http://crazyincarolina.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-all-about-boxes.html )and so am scrambling to get it together, and get my head in the game. I wasn't even going to write tonight, because I need to get downstairs and get busy, BUT, I wanted to share something.
Remember my news fast? http://crazyincarolina.blogspot.com/2011/10/football-and-pixie-dust.html Well, it is still going strong, I have no idea what is going on anywhere in the world except my little corner of it, and as a result I am a happier person. Occasionally though, some good news does get reported, and thankfully HawaiiMom decided to share it (thanks!).
Here ya go: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150373441113934
Have a great night y'all...I have all things pink, princess, sprinkles, and balloons to somehow mash together into a cohesive surprise for my baby girl.
I get pretty wrapped up in Halloween, cuz I love dressing up, and HAD to create ridiculous pirate costumes for myself, The Boy, and The Pea. Now I am gearing up for the Pea's birthday (TOMORROW!) and have no boxes, bags, or goodie holders what so ever ( http://crazyincarolina.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-all-about-boxes.html )and so am scrambling to get it together, and get my head in the game. I wasn't even going to write tonight, because I need to get downstairs and get busy, BUT, I wanted to share something.
Remember my news fast? http://crazyincarolina.blogspot.com/2011/10/football-and-pixie-dust.html Well, it is still going strong, I have no idea what is going on anywhere in the world except my little corner of it, and as a result I am a happier person. Occasionally though, some good news does get reported, and thankfully HawaiiMom decided to share it (thanks!).
Here ya go: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150373441113934
Have a great night y'all...I have all things pink, princess, sprinkles, and balloons to somehow mash together into a cohesive surprise for my baby girl.
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