resolutions revisited

For those of you who follow me on facebook, you know that I have frantically been busting out my bathroom work so that I can cross off that goal from my 2009 resolutions.

All of those resolutions, do you remember?  I set my sights high (always) and this year was no exception.  I had 6 categories and 3 goals in each category. 
Let's evaluate how I did, shall we?

Health and Fitness

1. weigh 135 or less and get into a size 8 pant (check - and then uncheck; stupid birth control)
2. buy a blender for smoothies (check)
3. plant a vegetable garden (nope)

Spiritual

1. 100% visiting teaching (not a full check, but way better than in the past)
2. More meaningful prayer (a decent sized check but I can always improve)
3. Read and study along with the D&C (nope)

Family

1. More family time (okay, I can still improve with that one.  Cleaning with the kids more doesn't count.)
2. Quality time with kids (it's an improvement)
3. More quality time with Popeye (um, who's Popeye?)

Finances

1. Stick with debt elimination calendar (it was good while it lasted)
2. Save for trip to Utah (check)
3. Stay current on tax spreadsheet (nope)

Personal

1. Take better pictures and understand exposure (getting there)
2. Scrapbook each child a minimum of once a month (ha!  Right!)
3. Finish quilt top (no, but made progress)

Household

1. Finish bathroom (yeppers!)
2. simplify = get organized (um, kinda?)
3. paint the basement (I started...)

Okay, so I know you're thinking, "What?  The bathroom is finished?!  When?  How?  I don't believe you!"
Well, let me tell you!  You better believe it!  I just finished installing the curtain rod and shower curtain.  And just before that, Popeye finished putting in the fixtures to the tub and shower.
Want proof?  Okay!

Now, these pictures were taken before I put in the shower curtain rod.  But still, you get the picture!  And guess what I get to do tonight! That's right.  For the first time in 2 1/2 years, I am taking a bath in my own tub!

So I guess my resolutions weren't a lost cause after all!  I can officially cross this one off my list.

Next year?  Um, those resolutions will just have to wait (read, not get made).

Happy new year everyone!!!

Tuesday Tip!

Stretch before exercising.  Even if that exercise is playing your new Wii.  You're muscles and joints will thank you for it.

It's Christmas Eve!!!

Not only have I threatened to take all the presents back to the stores from whence they came, but I've had to tell the kids to stop asking to open presents early or else they'll have to wait until tomorrow to open all of them.  I know, I'm such a Scrooge.

Ever since making that last threat, I haven't heard anyone ask me if they can open presents.  I must admit, I'm pretty dang excited for tomorrow!  Through the generosity of others, the kids will have a better-than-ever Christmas!  I'm just so excited!!!

Tomorrow morning my parents, Popeye's parents & his step-sister will be joining us for the day.  So today I'm baking and cooking and cleaning.  I'm waiting for the first pie to exit the oven so I can get the next tart into it.  Grand Duchess needs to take another nap so that I can get busy in the kitchen again.  She isn't that great of a helper yet so I'm taking a break until she goes to lay down.

Last night I wrapped half of the presents and ran out of wrapping paper and tape.  So this morning led me to VoldeMart to get some more (along with the rest of the fixin's for dinner).  Santa also asked me to pick up some candy for the stockings, so I did.  I just can't wait!!!

Alright.  I'm a kid at heart.  I still love presents.  No matter how much I say I'm not going to go overboard at Christmas time, I still do it.  I'm a product of my mother, really.  Her mother did it.  My mother did it.  I'm doing it.  I'm sure my kids will do it.  There's just something about going for 3 weeks with hardly anything under the tree and then waking up Christmas morning to a plethora of presents!  I don't know how my mom & dad did it each year.  We have 7 kids in our family and each year was always a glorious "orgy of greed" (name the flick).  I have followed tradition.  I asked Popeye if we should tone it down and really just give everyone a few presents.  He was opposed to that suggestion and looked at me as if I had spewed a fountain of filth from my mouth.  I repent.  :D

Next year I have a plan in place.  It goes along with my mantra of "today I decide to be wealthy".  Each weekly paycheck will find a portion of it going straight to the holiday piggy bank and at the end of the year we will give half of it to the ward to help another family in need.  As much as I want to have a wonderfully glorious morning of opening gifts, I want to feel the Savior's love by giving to others.  After all, He IS the reason why we even celebrate Christmas.

Tonight I'll watch "The Nativity Story" (again) while wrapping presents and then go to bed and hope to get a little bit of sleep before the kids burst in at 4 am.
Do you remember that, sisters?  Do you remember staying up all night hunkered down on the bed?  And we'd get Mom and Dad up at 4 am?  Good times.  4 am wasn't early then.  But it is now.  Whooo Boy!  I hope these kids don't get up that early.  Leave it to Mr. Fantastic to do that, though.  He's at that age.  (He still believes in Santa, too!)

Anyway.  My Christmas cards are on my counter waiting to be addressed and stamped.  I don't know if it will happen this year or not.  Sorry everyone.  My intentions were good ones.  Life is so busy and it's times like this that I wish I didn't have to work so that I could stay on top of things.

But Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope 2010 brings you some great memories and you are blessed beyond measure!!!

Love you all!!!

Tuesday Tip!

You know that tip I gave a few weeks ago about candles?  You know, the one that I said if wax melts in the bottom of your votive holder to put it in the freezer and it will chip off?  Well, I'm so glad that I had that tip.  Someone (ahem, Thor) put Grand Duchess' binky in a candle just after blowing out the flame. (At least he blew out the flame first, right?)  Well, I found it and the cinnamon-smelling binky went into the freezer and I was able to chip off the wax!  Hurray!!!

On to today's tip.

Sometimes it's just better to give up.  I don't know WHAT my problem is lately.  I've botched dinner more than 2 times now (one included company coming over - oy).  I've attempted at making various candies and goodies.  One of them being fudge.
Each year I attempt to make fudge.  I'm given fool proof recipes and I try them.  Recipes that include candy thermometers.  Recipes that don't.  Recipes with sweetened condensed milk.  Some without. 
And every. single. year I botch it. 
This year is no exception.  And this year I made the mistake of trying to make a MAJOR batch for all of my clients and our friends.  And this year it was a horrible waste of sugar, cocoa, and half & half.  Horrible, I tell you.  It didn't burn (thank goodness).  I'm sure THAT smell would permeate the house for weeks.  No, I followed those instructions to a 'T' and they still turned out dry and crumbly.
Don't try to make me feel better.  I'm just going to buy my fudge from now on.

Today's tip - sometimes if giving up is an option, it might just be the one to take.

Happy holidays everyone!  I hope your goodies turn out better than mine!  (I DID make truffles today and they turned out scrumptious! - First attempt, too!)

I botched dinner

It doesn't happen a whole lot.  I'm a pretty good cook, really.  Today I even COOKED a dinner.  Not just some frozen lasagne into the oven type dinner, either.  (I'm known to do that frequently.)  I had my meat thawing in the refrigerator, got all my sides together, the kids home from school and playing happily downstairs.  It was ALL good.
I started making my meal.  I've made it before with no mishaps.  Yummy porcupine meatballs.  Say it with me, "Mmmm mmm."
I tweaked the recipe just a little (instead of using tomato soup, I used ketchup and brown sugar) thinking that the tweaking wouldn't hurt it at all.
Evidently it did.  Because the rice was SOOOO crunchy.  Eeew.
So I got the kids eating the side dishes but we were all so hungry still.  I called Popeye and told him about the ickiness of it and he agreed that burgers from McDonald's would be a good substitute.
And it was.

So, in light of the Christmas season, what is a dish you've botched and what did you do to rectify the sitch?

It's Thursday!

Why I have an exclamation mark next to that title I do not know.  I'm not particularly excited that it's Thursday, really.  I just lacked a creative title I suppose.

Tomorrow is Friday.  Last day of work for the week.  Popeye is working the day shift so the munchkins (Princess Monkey Eyes, Thor and Grand Duchess) will be going over to play with Ladybug at Cap'n's house while I work.  (Thank you again, Cap'n!!!)  Satuday Popeye will be going to drill for the Navy and we'll be joining him for their annual Christmas luncheon!  Santa is coming and he always brings cool gifts.  Last year he dished out some cool items like toys by Vtech, Nerf guns, Barbie dolls, among other things.  Not your normal, "Here's your candy cane, Kid, now get going" type of party.  The kids are looking forward to it, as am I. 
Popeye's dad said he'd watch the kids so that we can go to the adult session of stake conference.  We'll also get to do a little bit of Christmas shopping while we're there.  I got a nice little tip from my client today (my Christmas bonus from her) and I plan on buying some yarn or fabric at Hobby Lobby.  Yay!
Sunday is Stake conference and Popeye will be at drill - so I'll be flying solo with all 5 kids an hour and half away from home.  (Yes, the stake center is a 1 1/2 hour drive - one way.) Oh boy, this will be fun, I'm sure.  I'll have to make sure I have tons of snacks and coloring supplies.  2 hours is a long time, especially since it will be Grand Duchess' nap time and cutting into lunchtime.  Just thinking about this is causing my heart to race a little.  Maybe I'll just stay home.
Christmas gifts for the neices and nephews will be cute crochet hats.  I have 4 done already, which means there's about 8 more to do.  No biggie, I can whip 'em out in an evening (or less).  I also want to make scarves for my clients with a nice hot cocoa deal.  One of the ladies at church did a cute little thing the other night that said something along the lines of, "Let this (meaning a scarf) warm you on the outside while this (meaning the yummy goodies) warm your insides."  I thought it was clever, so I might do that for all of my clients.  If I can't get around to finishing scarves, I'll just have to think of something else...  ideas?  last year I gave out wooden blocks that spelled JOY on them (in vinyl lettering) and the year before that I gave out towels with a quote attached.  So if you have any quick, inexpensive ideas, I'd appreciate them.  But quickly - time's running out!
I guess I better go start making my stuff.  I have some shirts to make for Grand Duchess and I found an UBER CUTE pattern for shoes for her that I bought off of etsy.  I'll link it once the shoes are done and I get the pattern.  I know some of you will want to make them!!!  (Even if you have little baby boys, you could make them boyish.)  I'm excited for Christmas.  I have Christmas music playing, a constant supply of treats (mainly candy canes and cookies) and the desire to exercise all those calories away but no time or energy to do it.  The kids will be going to bed soon and I was hoping to start my P90X tonight - but it's Thursday and The Office is calling.
Oh the decisions I'm faced with on a daily basis.  Why can't life be simple?  You know, unlimited money so that I can buy these things instead of making them, no calories to burn, skinniness by sheer thought, tv shows that don't appeal to me...  Oh the humanity!!!
I know!!!
I'll watch The Office while cutting out the pattern for the shirt.  Then I'll exercise during the news (because THAT is SO DEPRESSING).  Then I'll shower and go to bed.
Yeah, that sounds good.
So - um - bye for now!  Have a great weekend everyone!

with a twist

Listening to a talk on Sunday gave me an idea.  Time to be thankful for the things I'm usually not thankful for.

So here it goes:

I, too, am thankful for the mes of toys in my family room, showing me that more toys for Christmas is not necessary.
I'm thankful for 7 other people that can't seem to keep their house clean because they call and pay me to do it for them.
I'm thankful for my kids constant teasing and mocking each other because then I know they're all still alive and not choking on anything.
I'm thankful for my high gas bill because I know that my heater is working.
I'm thankful for my hubby waking me up at insane hours in the morning because then I know he is safe at home.
I'm thankful for an incomplete bathroom (still) because then I only have to clean one.
I'm thankful for Webkinz. The time spent on the computer playing with them is motivation for my kids to do their chores.
I'm thankful for my new mantra, "I decide today to be wealthy," because it's a reason for me to say no to the kids at the store.
I'm thankful that the screen on my cellphone doesn't work. I love having to talk to Popeye instead of texting him all the time.
I'm thankful for the endless hugs and kisses at bedtime from Thor.  Then I know that whatever awful things I might've said or done during the day have been completely forgotten and he still loves me.

There's more - but now it's time for me to get the kids to bed.
I had a wonderful day with my family.  My parents came to visit, bringing some food and efusjons with them.  Dad tuned my piano.  Mom taught me how to knit (well, cast-on and knit. No other stitches). The kids played outside and had a great day.
The food was yummy (like always).
I love my parents and am SO grateful that I live close enough to visit frequently.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you can find something to be grateful for amidst your everyday nuisances.  They're there.  You just have to think about it a little.

My apologies

This morning I came home from work & found that Grand Duchess had made a mess.

She got into the scented reed diffusers that I had sitting out to mail to Pezlady & the Evill Twin.  You remember - they were the ones that won my giveaway when it was my birthday.   I have no idea where all the reeds are and some of the caps are missing, too.  She might've eaten them, I'm not sure.  Maybe Thor thought they were swords & did something with them.  Again, I don't know.

So my sincerest apologies go out to Pezlady and Evill Twin for one; not getting them to you in a timely fashion, two; making you wait even longer for me to follow through and three; being a complete nincompoop.

Now I have to go and get more which totally goes against my new mantra (see post below).

I hope you two will still read my blog.  And if it makes you feel any better, I don't think I'll do another giveaway - I've proven that I'm not reliable enough for that.

Aha!

Do you ever have one of those moments when something becomes so clear that you just want to shout it to the world?
I had one of those moments today.  And because I have a sore throat (and have been yelling at the kids), I'll blog about it instead of shouting it to the world.

This morning I took Princess Monkey Eyes, Thor & Grand Duchess to the library for story hour.  After we left, I realized that I didn't fax the paper that Popeye had asked me to fax, so I ran back in & did that.  While I was waiting for the librarian, I looked at the books displayed on the counter & one of them caught my eye.
"The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me" by Richard Paul Evans.  And then sitting next to it was it's sequel, "The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me for Women".  Hmm, for women. 
Let me write out what it says on the inside flap:

"When Richard Paul Evans was twelve years old, his father fell & broke both of his legs.  With no income and no insurance, the Evans family was destitute.  At this time a multimillionaire taught young Evans the five secrets to wealth.  Evans used those five secrets not only to change his life but that of thousands of others when he wrote 'The five lessons a millionaire taught me about life and wealth'.  An international bestseller, this essential book interweaves those influential lessons with personal stories from everyday people.  Evans explains that money should not be the preoccupation of our lives, but instead our focus should be on the principles that free us to concentrate on God, family & relationships - life's true riches. Now Evans has taken years of personal research and coaching to create the perfect money book for women who want a better life.  With his classic, motivational voice, Evans offers lessons that are easy to understand and simple to follow.  Powerful, proven, and life changing, The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me for Women may be one of the most important books you will ever read."

Maybe it doesn't interest you, but it got my own interest piqued.  So I checked it out and started reading.
After reading a little through it, I've made the assumption that Mr. Evans is LDS, which makes me happy because he knows how important paying tithing is to me.  And that made me want to read even more. 

And I feel this is my answer to my prayers.  Living the principles taught in this book will give me financial security.  Let's face it, Popeye is 9 years older than me, he's in a high-risk job, he may even get deployed.  Even if we both live healthy lives, the statistics show he'll pass on before I will.  I don't want to leave my financial security to chance.

So these are some aha moments I had today while thinking about this book & our finances:

• I want to be able to stop working eventually.
• I want Popeye to be able to retire at a decent age.
• I want to have a home that I can afford and that can fit all of us comfortably.
• I want to be able to travel to grandkids' special occasions.
• I want to be able to help my children if they get into tough times.
• More importantly, I want to teach my children how to be smart about money.
• The furniture I have now (while it's old and ugly and mis-matched) will work.
• I don't need to cook extravagant meals every night, mac and cheese with ground beef will suffice once in a while.
• I want to start implementing these lessons immediately and want to work even more to help our family get out of the hole we're in.
• I want Popeye to have less stress. A lot less stress.

There are more reasons, but don't you think those ones are pretty good?

So my new mantra is:

TODAY I DECIDE TO BE WEALTHY. (Not become wealthy but BE wealthy.  Using the word 'become' makes me feel like it's a far-off, possibly attainable goal.  But using the word 'BE' makes it a positive, motivational goal.)

I've written it down and placed it in places where I am tempted to spend money or that I look at frequently.  One on my nightstand.  One in my wallet on top of my driver's license. One on my computer monitor. One in my crochet wallet. One on the refrigerator next to my shopping list. One in my van. And one on my bathroom mirror (I typically peak there before I leave the house).

And mark my words, I've already started getting my butt in gear and this time next year, I'll have a nest egg started & working my way towards attaining those goals listed above.

It's a wonderful feeling.  A wonderful, liberating, hopeful feeling.

I thought I would buy the book, but I think I'll just keep checking it out of the library instead.

Tuesday Tip!

I love the smell of fall scented candles.  I have a box of autumn spice votives that I use during this time of year.  But I always run into a problem of the wax spilling into my votive holders & causing an awful mess.

To nip this problem in the bud, put a small amount of water in the bottom of your votive holder and put your candle on top.  When the candle melts, the water will keep the wax from melting to the bottom.

Too late?  Stick your holder in the freezer for about an hour and the wax will chip right off.

News

Mr. Fantastic has fasted and prayed (along with Popeye and myself) to know if getting him a second cochlear implant is a wise choice.  We went to the doctor for a consult, talked with the surgeon, had a CT Scan, talked with the audiologist & went away with the knowledge that while operation isn't completely optimal, it is possible for the surgeon to get in there and get everything hooked up.

Below is a picture of how the implant is set up, courtesy of Advanced Bionics.  The doctor will make an insiscion (spelling?) behind his left ear, drill a hole, scrape out any remaining bone inside the cochlea, thread the tubing that houses the wires through the cochlea and attach it to the auditory nerve.  He will also carve a small area out of his skull so that the implant will lay flat under the skin.  The procedure takes about 4 hours and the risks are there.  Facial nerve damage and meningitis are two of the biggest ones.  And since Mr. Fantastic is a 'meningitis patient', those risks are higher.

But he wants it. And he wants it bad.  So here we go.

Pretty cool stuff, huh?  Isn't technology amazing?

We've been very blessed since the very beginning.  I learned sign language when I was just a child.  I taught that sign language to Mr. Fantastic as an infant and toddler.  Before his 3rd birthday is when he lost his hearing from meningitis.  The insurance company didn't want to pay for the surgery (neither did I) because it was a new insurance company and they thought it was a pre-existing condition.  While we were at Children's Hospital they did a hearing test and it came back normal.  That was our proof that he was hearing.  We were approved for a CI and the rest is history.  He was told that he wouldn't have balance.  He can do headstands better than most gymnasts his age.  His speech is better than some with no hearing impairment at all. 

He's a special little guy and I'm so excited for him to have this opportunity to learn directional hearing, music, and having the capabilities that we all take for granted.

So I got a call from the surgeon's nurse today and we discussed it.  Now I'm waiting for Insurance Lady to call me and give me the okay from the insurance company (which hopefully won't be a problem since he's now on Medicaid) and then we schedule the surgery & then do it!

Maybe by Christmas he'll be hearing in both ears.  Won't that be exciting!

Quote of the day from Mr. Fantastic himself: "Mom, now I'll have FOUR ears!" 

He's so funny!

Random Stuff

Yesterday Grand Duchess pulled herself up at the couch.  She's growing too fast.

I had parent/teacher conferences for the boys Thursday.  Mr. Fantastic (3rd grade) is doing well with no concerns.  Optimus Prime (1st grade) is an exceptional student.  His teacher gave me a paper that he wrote and on it said, "I had a monkey at home.  He granted me 3 wishes. My first wish was that I could zoom. But he turned me into a tyranasaurus rex. My second wish was to rule the world. But he turned me into a school instead.  So I didn't give a third wish.  Instead I gave him a wedgie." (And drawn above the story was a picture of a boy holding a monkey by it's underpants.)  We laughed so hard for a few minutes - it was great!

Mr. Fantastic, Princess Monkey Eyes, Grand Duchess & myself took the 6-hour trek to Omaha to visit the ear surgeon.  It was an eventful day and now we have the tough decision on if we should implant Mr. Fantastic on his left side...  Tough.

Popeye was out of town for this week and then he'll be gone all of next week, also.  He's taking a class in Lincoln to become a Drug Recognition Expert.  Just may come in handy with the kids' friends later in life (OUR kids will NEVER do drugs...).  I'm excited to see his manual and notes.  It's a tough class.

I have to give a talk on Sunday about forgiveness...  I'm having a hard time writing it.

Life is kicking my butt right now.  I'm hoping my mother will come for a visit this week to help me with my trim and we're going to make some homemade laundry detergent.  Or even just some help while Popeye is gone...

I cleaned for a friend today.  She bought a new home & needed her condo cleaned.  It was the best move-out job I've ever done - hands down! 

There's this song that Mr. Fantastic used to sing in Kindergarten.  It goes:

'I don't feel so good.  I don't feel so good.  My nose is all runny. My tummy hurts, too.  My mommy says that I have something called flu.  I hope Dr. Smartstuff will know what to do 'cause I don't feel so good.'

Yep.  The flu is running rampant through our little town (along with many other illnesses) and I'm thinking I'm coming down with something. My throat is starting to hurt and my head hurts.  bad.  Popeye felt inspired to give the kids all blessings this morning and I'm thinking that sounds pretty good for me, too. 

I'm glad I finished my book yesterday - I don't think I'd be able to focus with my head hurting this way.
And thanks again to Julie who was giving away that book!  I really enjoyed it!

Anyway.  I hope I can keep this at bay because I can't afford (literally, monetarily) to miss anymore work this month. 

I know.  Jump on in, Her Royal Highness, everyone's in the same boat. 

Tuesday Tip!

Pie season is upon us! The air is getting colder (freaking freezing if you live near me), the leaves are falling, the thrill of Halloween is filling our veins & the stab of fear is grabbing us as we realize that Christmas is literally just around the corner.

Having made 6 banana cream pies last week for our cub scout fundriser, I came upon a tip that worked beautifully!

I love banana cream pie. ANY pie that has the word 'cream' in the title is yummy. And any pie that has the potential of making a crust soggy has my name on it! But I'm pretty much opposed to soggy crusts. Never liked them, really. I like the contrast between smooth, creamy filling & a crispy, flaky crust. I've never known how to keep a pie crust crispy when being combined with a filling. I found out just before filling my pie & I'm going to spread this special secret with you!!!

For a flaky, crispy crust: melt some chocolate (milk, white, whatever 'goes' with your filling), melt it in the microwave & then brush it onto your pie crust and let it harden. Stick it in the freezer for a few minutes if you want. Then you can add your cooled filling. The chocolate acts as a barrier between the bananas (or coconut or mousse) and the crust.

It's amazing!

Happy Pie Season! And don't forget to call me to come over and share your spoils!

Yesterday I went to Cheyenne with a new friend. The Navy Ball is this weekend and I had NOTHING to wear, so I went shopping to see what I could find.
My new friend kept me company and was a joy to be with! The kids had a good time running through the clothes racks, Grand Duchess did well for the most part & we had some yummy burritos from QDoba. Mmm! Mmm!
First we went to JC Penney (because that's where the dress was and I have a JCP card). After buying my dress, we went to lunch and then off to Once Upon a Child which was closed for inventory - of all days. Bummer. So since I couldn't go looking for some pants and tops for Grand Duchess, we went to Hobby Lobby where I picked up some great fabrics and yummy yarn and New Friend got some cool home decor stuff!
We got home in time to find our own consignment store locked (weird) and with just enough time to pick up the kids from school!
I'm so glad I found this new friend. She's super nice and I hope that everyone here is able to find out how truly awesome she is!
Thanks New Friend!!! Let's do it again sometime!

Musings from Popeye

(In the midst of watching 'COPS' on tv: scene: a really unattractive, homeless hooker has been abused by her john)

"If you're gonna pay for that, why don't you shop around?"

You can never have too many hats!

Some people have asked to see pics of Grand Duchess' hats. So here you go - for your viewing pleasure!

Worn to South Dakota for the Blue Angels Air Show.

Made for Family Day at the Navy.

I like to add those pretty flower clips to the side of this one - the red stripe is easy to remove...

Sariqd sent me this pattern in the mail. I've since found the sweater that goes with it and am going to do that soon.

You may recognize this one from her 6 month pics w/ Jenni.

Grand Duchess has a couple of red dresses that this looks smashing with!

And just finished last night - her warm, winter earflap hat! I love how it turned out!

So there you have it! Which one is your favorite?

An Ode to "Former-Client"

"I appreciate the tips, the Christmas gift, the baby gift, and the flexibility of our schedules.
I'm going to miss turning around in the doorway of your home and seeing a sparkly house.
I'm glad that you've finally decided to do your children a service by making them clean up after themselves.
It was nice while it lasted. Thanks."

Really, that's all I could come up with. This morning I was let go by my client. I can't say I didn't see it coming. She gave me a brief glimpse of what was in store when we spoke on the phone yesterday. I'm not sure if she let me go because she's torqued that I added a service charge onto her bill or if she simply didn't like my work or if she really just wants her kids to learn how to clean. I am hoping it's the latter, but I don't think so.
I'm not sure how this will affect Popeye's relationship with his boss - as it was his house I was cleaning (his boss, not Popeye). I find it interesting that a woman who studies personalities and psyches could can me over something so trivial. But whatever.
I was planning on quitting anyway - eventually. Probably after Christmas. But I assured Former-Client that I wasn't going to quit until after the holidays and that I wanted to find a referral for her (them) and that I'd also give a month's notice. Evidently that wasn't good enough.
Popeye says it's a sign that I should quit.
I know I should quit. I've had this feeling for awhile. I just can't take that leap of faith yet. So if Heavenly Father wants me to quit, then maybe all of my clients should let me go.
My fate just may be sealed because Former-Client is connected to a lot of my other clients. In fact, she referred 1 to me. And I clean the "Catholic Circuit" so they all know each other...
Yeah, I may just be jobless by the end of the month.

In other news: Popeye's out of town half of the month, Princess Monkey Eyes turned 5 yesterday (happy birthday Sweetie!), Mr. Fantastic has a meeting with a surgeon this month to implant him on the other side, we have 2 kitties now - Kitty Hawk and a black one named TAPS. I'm missing certain friends more fiercely right now than usual and it's really bugging me.
I went and talked to the bishop last night and we spoke for an hour. As I was laying in bed last night, reflecting on our conversation, I realized that I didn't need to talk to him - I needed to talk to my mother. I think I'll give her a call later.
Anyway - time to clean my own home. Need it spic 'n span for Popeye when he gets home.

Tuesday Tip!

I've said this before, but I LOVE this stuff on floors. There's the hardwood floor cleaner and then there's the hard surface floor cleaner. I have both. And I've found a new use for the hardwood floor cleaner.

I use it to wash my kitchen table. It's non-toxic (aka healthier than 409) and dissolves the stuck-on food way more readily than soap and water. I don't want to leave out that it also shines up the table instead of leaving those water streaks and keeps the finish ON instead of taking it off. LOVE IT!

Another use that I've found for this product is to use it on my dirty walls. It doesn't work so well on the black streaks, but just your plain, run-of-the-mill dirt - it works great. I don't like using the Mr. Clean magic erasers just because I'm a naturally-born "hard scrubber" and it takes the paint off of what I'm cleaning.

Anyway. If you haven't picked this stuff up, you may just want to. Eliminate the multiple steps of washing and then shining your table and chairs and stick with one product!

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty... Hawk!

We went south on Saturday to the Home Depot to pick up some tile that we ended up not using. While there, we went to VoldeMart to get a binky for Grand Duchess because I left hers sitting on the kitchen table (and her spare was removed from my purse previously in the day).

So as we were leaving the parking lot, we saw a van with a sign that said, "Free Puppies". No thank you - even though they were UBER cute!

But then, parked to the side of that van was another van. IT had a sign that said, "Free Kittens". We were intrigued. So we turned around.

And 20 minutes later we were on the road home with this...

His name is Kitty Hawk. He's about 10 weeks old and Princess Monkey Eyes will NOT put him down. It took everything inside of me to get her to leave him home during church. Can you imagine it? Our family sitting on the back row, all of the kids with their church bags filled with pens, paper, scriptures, and ... kitties? Mew.

Anyway. We love Kitty Hawk. He is used to us now and comes out of hiding more readily. There has been only one poop accident on the first evening, but no more! It's pretty nice. He's furry and soft and playful and sweet. We like him.

A funny story to finish this post: tonight Princess Monkey Eyes was pretending to be a kitty; wandering around the house, mewling and jumping onto laps. Well, she jumped up onto Popeye's lap and curled up. Popeye: "Are you a kitty?" Princess ME: "Meow." Popeye: "Will you purr for me?" Princess ME: *fart*

It was the funniest thing and I'm still laughing about it!

Tuesday Tip!

Brain freezes and migraines don't mix. Avoid these at all cost!

Change is good, sometimes

I wanted to dye my hair. I've been a brunette my whole life and lately I've been wanting a drastic change. But what color? I've gone auburn before - the closest I've been willing to go towards the red tones. I've highlighted my hair with blonde before and really liked how that was.
So why not go blonde all the way? See what it's like for a change. If anything, I can go back to brown if I don't like it, right?

I don't like it. Basically the blonde didn't turn blonde, more of a coppery-orange hue. BLECH. Next time I'll use a bleaching kit instead of a highlighting kit. But that may be towards summertime before I attempt that.

So this morning I went back to brown - well brown with orangey highlights. It's the best I could do.

And Princess Monkey Eyes thought she'd like to go brown, so I used the remainder of the bottle on her.

She makes a beautiful brunette! Pictures might follow. But just know that we are bobsy-twins today. Sporting "brown" hair pulled back into a ponytail with a flower holding it together, white shirts and jeans.

It was a fun bonding time with her. She turned out beautiful. Me, not so much. :D

Knowledge is power

But some things I wish I didn't know.
For example:
I don't need to know if your husband wears boxers, briefs or boxer-briefs.
I don't need to know that you (or someone who lives in your home) is a total lush and that your liquor cabinet is too small to hold all your liquor.
I don't care to know what you had for dinner last night by way of your commode.
I'm glad that you're having a good time in the sack and keeping from procreating, if that is your wish, but please discard of the birth control accordingly.

Please keep these things in mind the next time I come by.
Thanks.

Still alive

Our internet has been down for the past few weeks. Okay, so it hasn't been down because of weather or anything like that. I didn't pay our bill and it got shut off. Oh well.
Today, though, I got it turned back on! YAY! So here I am, posting to my blog that no one reads anymore because I don't go and check anyone else's blogs because I'm too dang busy with life to spend lots of time reading (as much as I want to). I am bound and determined to check all blogs tonight, though, because I'm caught up on all of my housework & will have nothing to do after the kiddos go to bed.

So here are a few facts at the Royal House:
Grand Duchess is finally sitting up unassisted and is attempting to crawl everywhere. She gets very frustrated because she doesn't go far and is pretty slow about it. She has my temper.
School started for Optimus Prime, Mr. Fantastic & Princess Monkey Eyes. They all love their teachers. I love them being gone.
Popeye just got home from his 2-week long training in Washington at the Navy Hospital. He absolutely LOVED it there and wishes that we can move there. Sara, I'd be so much closer!!!
While he was gone, I did a few home improvements.
- I ripped out the carpet in the boys' room (STINKY), scraped the ceiling in there, washed the walls & replaced the icky boxsprings with particle board.
- I painted the stairwell hallway
- I textured the bathroom walls, primed them & have 3/4 of the shower tiled
- I rototilled, smoothed, put down landscaping fabric & planted a tree in the front garden area.
(Thanks be to Cap'n for surprising me with it all being mulched when I got home from picking up Popeye at the airport!)
- I primed a majority of the trim outside and replaced some of the rotted trim around the windows.
- I purged through Popeye's and my clothes and donated 5 garbage bags to a local church.
And I did it all while keeping up on the laundry and taking care of 5 kiddos.
So now I'm back to work and wishing that I had a little more time to renovate. Maybe soon - they're deploying from Popeye's unit so he may just be leaving. We're not sure when they'll stop with the picking and choosing - but part of me thinks we're in the clear! (Now that I've said that, though, he'll probably get called out tomorrow.)
I know there were other things to blog about but it's hard to concentrate with Duchess screaming in my ear because she can't go anywhere and Thor wanting to lay down but won't.
So I guess I'll close for now. I'm excited to go read up on everyone else later tonight!!!

Tuesday Tip!

Here's a cleaning product that you MUST buy. My mom just bought it and she said it's AMAZING!!! I will buy one someday.

It's called a Tibetan Almond Stick. She found hers at her local Ace Hardware and it worked on any color of wood finish. It takes the scratches out. (Keep in mind this is not for major gouges, just scratches.)

If you have some furniture that is scratched up that is driving you crazy, you may want to purchase this.

Ooh la la!

Grand Duchess is 6 months old! Check out her pics that fabulous Jenni took! You can see more of her work here. She was wonderful to work with & if you live in our area, you should totally contact her for a sitting! (And Grand Duchess' eyes are THAT blue, Jenni didn't tweak those at all!)

THANKS JENNI!!!!!

Sniagrab!

The first time I heard of a sniagrab it was when I was living at home in Denver and my family went shopping for ski gear. I thought that sniagrab was another way to convey the message "ski and snowboard grab" because everything there was at a fraction of the price and it was all winter sporting goods! Much to my astonishment, it was not meant that way at all.
Sniagrab, for those of you who don't know, is 'bargains' spelled backward. And boy did I find some bargains today.
You all know how I feel about shopping at VoldeMart. Well, I found myself there this morning to grab some diapers for Thor and bread. As I was walking towards the diapers, I found myself drawn to the clearance section of the childrens clothes. Clearance signs were everywhere!!! I hate WalMart's clothes for the most part, but when you are on a tight budget, you tend to find yourself buying cheap products - especially when waiting is not an option. As I was looking at a cute little outfit for Grand Duchess, a store associate told me that all the racks with balloons tied to them were 50% off the already reduced price.
"So, you're telling me that this outfit that should've cost $10 originally and is now marked at $3 is really $1.50?"
"Yep!"
"SWEEEEET!"
Princess Monkey Eyes and I got giddy and started shopping, given it's payday today!
Here's the rundown on what I spent and should've spent:

Grand Duchess: should be $13. Spent $4.50
Thor: should be $6. Spent $2.50
Princess Monkey Eyes: should be $90. Spent $22.50
Optimus Prime: should be $26.50. Spent $9.50
Mr. Fantastic: should be $28. Spent $9
Popeye: should be $5. Spent $1.50
Myself: should be $24. Spent $8.50

With a grand total of should've spent $192.50 and only spent $58.00!!!! A grand total savings of $134.50!!!!

Princess Monkey Eyes is all done with school shopping and the boys just need pants now!
Oh, I loves me a good deal!

The Dickens You Are!

Popeye got sunburned on Saturday. We went to see the Blue Angels perform in South Dakota and he forgot to put sunscreen on, thus resulting in a severe sunburn. Not only did his face get rather toasty, but so did the top of his head because he couldn't find his hat before we left and didn't want to buy a new one.

His skin started peeling off today. That really sucks for him because I have an unusual disorder of needing to pick at things and this just gives me one more thing to pick at. Perhaps it's a nice break from my picking at his facial hair, I don't know. But what I do know is this: when his skin gets peeled off or a hair gets tweezed the wrong way, his exclamation is, "It hurts like the dickens!"

Who says that anyway? Who are the dickens? What do they do to make it hurt so bad? I'm sure Charles Dickens is in no way associated with the phrase other than the same name. So I 'bing'ed the phrase origin and found out something new today.

Dickens is another name for Devil. Huh.

I feel smarter now.

The dog gone truth

On our way to the park yesterday, Cap'n told me that she took a quiz on facebook. It's the "What kind of dog are you?" quiz. She was given the result of a dachshund. Funny, because that's what Princess Polka Dot is. I told her that I took the quiz as well and came out with a basset hound. I find that kind of interesting because I view basset hounds as a dog that an old person would have. They're mellow - the complete personality opposite of a doxie and myself.

Cap'n told me that she saw me as a Chihuahua because they're energetic and... what was it you said Cap'n? I don't remember her EXACT words. But I know I heard her say "yappy and breeding". (You can be honest with me, Cap'n - it doesn't hurt my feelings.) :D

Hmmm. I hate chihuahuas BECAUSE they're yappy and breeding.

The heat is on.

Not only is the temperature rising outside, but it's on the rise inside, too.

Here is what someone would hear in my home if they were to spend the day here.
"SHUT THE DOOR!!!"
"Get OFF my daughter!"
"Dot's coming!"
"Dot got out!"
"NOOO!"
"Go get her!"
"Mom, Dot is at that house again. The one with the big dogs."
"Mom, Dot won't come."
"I got her!"
"Sorry, Dot, back into your kennel you go."

Princess Polka Dot is in heat. She has found two rather large dogs who are more than willing to oblige her horniness. Part of me wants to let them, if only they weren't so large and I didn't want any more dogs around here.
I'm sick and tired of Dot trying to hump Grand Duchess. I'll put Duchess in her jumperoo and her fun is interrupted by this dog wrapping her paws around her legs, thus inhibiting her from jumping. It was funny the first time it happened. It's gotten old now.
I'm tired of monitoring where she is at all times.
I don't want to keep her penned up in her kennel for the next week and a half while we wait this out. But unfortunately for her, that's where she's going to be.
Yesterday I had to go get her from that one house with the big dogs & was a little scared because I had inturrupted their good time. Luckily they were wearing shock collars so I knew if I got far enough away they wouldn't follow.
Oh boy - she's getting fixed before this happens again. Luckily it only happens every 6 to 8 months.

I am NEVER having another female dog. Ever.

One word

I got this over at table for seven and thought it would be fun. I changed it just a little - but still... Enjoy!

1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Your significant other? Popeye
3. Your hair? Styled
4. Your mother? comforting
5. Your father? funny
6. Your favorite thing? peace
7. Your dream last night? disturbing
8. Your dream/goal? unattainable
9. The room you're in? dungeon
10. Your fear? lonliness
11. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
12. Where were you last night? bed
13. What you're not? satisfied
14. Muffins? blueberry
15. One of your wish list items? independence
16.. Where did you grow up? California
17. The last thing you did? crochet
18. What are you wearing? Clothes
19. Your TV? loud
20. Your pet? sleeping
21. Your computer? broken
22. Your life? busy
23. Your mood? fine
24. Missing someone? always
25. Your car? minivan
26. Something you're not wearing? rings
27. Favorite Store? Target
28.. Your summer? long
29. Your favorite color? Green
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? unknown
32. Who will/would re-post this? whoever
33. Place I go over and over: kitchen
34. Person who emails me: Popeye
35. A favorite food: Sweets
36. Place I'd rather be right now: spa

Tuesday Tip!

I got a fun new tool today! Granted, I haven't tried it out yet. But I thought that it would be worth blogging about for Tuesday Tip.

Doesn't it look cool? It's this high-powered, toothbrush-looking scrubber that comes with different size and style attachments. I've got a big cleaning job coming up next week and I was planning on spending a lot of time on my hands and knees scrubbing grout. This should cut down on the time IMMENSELY! I'm so excited to try it out! I'll probably go clean something once the kids go down to bed.

yesterday...

We drove to a neighboring town to check out a house that's for sale. I've had my eye on it for awhile & wanted to see the inside.
It was beautiful and EXACTLY what we are looking for. And I mean EXACTLY. Many big rooms, much storage, a huge yard, 3 car garage, hiding places, built in double oven, etc...
So on our way out of town we stopped at Dairy Queen and let the munchkins play at the playground so that Popeye & I could talk quietly.
After we left the playground, Grand Duchess started crying. And then Thor started in. And then I heard from the back seat, "Eeew! Mom, Optimus Prime just puked!" And Optimus Prime started crying. Princess Monkey Eyes and Mr. Fantastic started freaking out about the smell in the back seat and Mr. Fantastic moved himself to sit on the floor by the door. And then, amidst all the crying and yelling, I heard, "Eew. Is that cheese?"
And then I stuck my head out the window for a breath of fresh air (because it really WAS nasty) and I heard, "Mom, are you sick, too? Or are you spitting booger-spit?" I was laughing hysterically the whole way home.
Oh yeah. Poor Optimus Prime.
The van still stinks.

Tuesday Tip!

Genius!!!

Not just another pyramid scheme

I did it. I became one of those people buying into what some would call a big pyramid scheme. I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "HRH, you've gone off the deep end! I always thought you were so sensible and skeptical about these things." Well, you're right. I AM sensible and skeptical about these things. Which is why I've never gotten into Pampered Chef or Close to my Heart or Amway or Nu skin. Efusjon (pronounced E-Fusion) is different. It's not a pyramid scheme at all. It may look like it but when you see how they have the matrix system set up, you'll see it is GENIUS!!! (And you know Obama will take credit for it when it gets big and successful.)
Anyway. Let me tell you briefly about it. This guy was sick of working for Amway and putting money into some upper-up's pocket and not getting much himself. So he quit. He came up with this matrix system, took it to a group of mathematicians and asked them if it would work or bust. They came back to him a week later and told him it was genius. So then his next dilemma was to find a product. He and his buddy stood there, looking at this genius system and didn't know what to market. He was holding a Red Bull in his hand and he thought, "I don't like this. It tastes nasty." (I wouldn't know because I've never had one, but I know the effects that the amount of caffeine and sugar in that drink has on a person.) Anyway. He went to chemists, nutritionists, etc... and figured out how to make an energy drink out of REAL stuff. Not the garbage that is in those other energy drinks. They have all kinds of berries and vitamins and minerals in them. One is called Efusjon Raw (it has all the natural stuff in it) and the other one is Efusjon Edge (it has all the same stuff with the only addition of 60mg of caffeine (that's less than ONE Excedrin pill.)) They're coming out with a new mango one in the next few months - can't wait to try that!!!
Anyway. They are SUPER yummy. They don't give you the jitters. My kids love them. I love them. Popeye loves them! So I decided to join the Efusjon Energy Club and buy them for us. Sure I'm in it for the money (eventually), but for now I'm totally stoked about this drink. I kid you not, the stuff is great! I'll be getting my order in by the end of next week and if you live close to me (or not) and want to try one, let me know. I'll give you one for free!!!
If you want to read more about this UBER COOL product and the company behind it, feel free to click on THIS LINK to see a video or THIS LINK to see another one. Don't feel obligated to sign up, but if you feel that this could be a cool thing for you to do (I mean, all you have to do is find 3 people to sign up - no more!) join up!
So there you go. I'm going to be rich! I know it! And then Popeye can quit his job and we can go take all of you to Hawaii!!!!
Okay, so now that I've given my plug about this, I won't bug you again about it. But you may just end up kicking yourself for not getting in on it!

Ramblings of a mad woman

I've had some stuff pent up inside of me and stuff has been going on that I haven't expected. It's getting to me. Almost enough to up my meds... again.

I hurt my back just days after my weekend getaway with the girls and it still hasn't healed. It's killing me and I find myself going slower at work, thus causing Popeye to be distempered by the time I get home. I'm getting tired of cleaning up after slobs. A majority of my clients have become accustomed to having me come clean for them and they think they don't have to clean up after themselves (especially ones with teenage boys - yuck). So that just bites.

I screwed up the finances for the second month in a row. Popeye doesn't know yet, but he will soon enough because Wells Fargo sends emails when you run out of money. I could go into his email and erase the message, but that's not honest and I need to fess up. Tonight I'll be giving him all my debit cards and tell him that I am done trying to do it. So life gets that much harder when finances don't go right. He's going to be so upset about it.

This weekend is a community activity that our ward participates in. We set up a little pioneer village and let the community members sample homemade bread, butter and candy, tie quilts, do family history, candle dipping and washing laundry by hand. This year we're not going to be so elaborate just because it's stake temple day also and we won't have the man-power for both. But since I'm activities person, I have to make sure it all gets put together and we have coverage for the booths and people to make things... I'm a little stressed about that.

Popeye is working the day shift for the rest of the week and I had to find childcare for Friday. I called in a favor to one of my visiting teachers. She didn't seem too thrilled about it (because I'm not paying her) but she promised me that since I did a favor for her, she would watch the kids for me one day. And I'm cashing in on that. I don't like having to find childcare for all the kids. Part of me thinks I should rethink some of my schedule to leave all Fridays open so I don't run into this problem anymore.

Popeye wants to move. The house is nowhere NEAR being ready for the market. There's still so much to do - finish the bathroom (still), scrape ceilings, paint the basement, paint the exterior, finish the flooring, replace doors and windows, landscape... Yeah, we won't be selling anytime soon. Even if we don't sell it, and he finds he wants to move, maybe we could rent it if we get most of the stuff done.

Oh yeah. We got a dog. As if 5 children isn't enough, right? She's UBER cute!!! Her name is Princess Polka Dot. We call her Dot. Our dear friends are moving away at the end of the month and couldn't take her with them. She's an 8 month old wiener dog. We all just love her and she is learning the dynamics of the house and the kids. She's left a couple of surprises here and there, usually when she can't get someone to open the back door for her. There's a problem, though. She doesn't like going outside to potty when it's raining. And it's been raining a LOT over the last few days. Needless to say, getting her to pee has been a chore.

Speaking of rain. Yesterday we had a tornado warning and I was forced to get up close and personal with some locals in the library restroom. After promising that I would take the kids straight home and into the basement, they let us go. The kids were all excited about it. Luckily the tornado never touched down and we're all safe and sound.

See? Lots going on. I'm sure there's more, but Popeye just got home from work, so I'm going to go visit with him and hit the sack.

Tuesday Tip!

I took a quiz on Facebook today. It was the one "Which Friend are you?" from the sitcom 'Friends'. I'm Monica. Part of me is Phoebe but really, I'm a lot like Monica. I love to clean. I have some favorite products that I use and go out of my way to take my own products to clients' homes just because I like them more than what my client has. (So far there haven't been any complaints from my clients about the products I'm using.)

Today's tip is all about towels. A specific towel, actually. I love my glass cleaning towels. LOVE 'EM!

These towels shine up glass and mirrors beautifully, leaving a clean, clear, streak-free shine in its wake. Seriously. They're awesome! Go buy some, you'll love 'em!!! If you find yourself wanting to spend some serious money on these bad boys, you can go here or you can find a distributor near you or a cheaper place to buy them is here.

Enjoy!

Wonderings and musings

Do you ever wonder things? Well, duh, we all wonder things. But what are some things that you wonder about?
The reason why I ask is because my kids wonder weird things.
Like: Do chickens have tongues? Does Yoda hold his lightsaber like this? If the bad man comes will he drive a car (near kidnapping incident still has the kids talking)?
You know, things like that.

I was sitting here wondering a few things, too. I don't do too much deep thinking, strictly because I'm interrupted before I can get too deep. But some things I wonder about make me start doubting my spirituality and the things I've been taught. I'll leave it at that because if I try to explain it - it will come out jumbled and confusing. I guess I should reassure you that I don't wonder too much because of this.
Some things I wonder about are silly. Okay, MOST things I wonder about are silly. Maybe not silly-ha-ha but silly-unimportant. You know, things like: Do chickens have tongues? Or to take it a step further, can they taste with those tongues?

Anyway. I needed a post for today and this is it. Sorry that I'm non-existant these days. I'll try to be better. Thor, Grand Duchess and Princess Monkey Eyes are all sick. (Thanks Thor.) So I've been tending to them whilst trying to maintain my sanity.

This week Popeye & I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Melting Pot, here we come!!!

Um, that's it. Have a good week, everyone & check back tomorrow for Tuesday's Tip!

Tuesday Tip!

It's that time of year again. Time to clean out your house and declutter. Time to start getting rid of the STUFF that has been accumulating all year long and either donate it to your local Goodwill or try to sell your crap as someone else's treasures.

Amongst all of your cleaning frenzy, take time to clean your blinds. Today I will cover mini-blinds, since that is what most people have.

These instructions were taken from doityourself.com I haven't tried them yet, but I will soon.

I can't blame you if you've been putting off the job, but here's an easier way to clean them. For general cleaning fill a spray bottle half full with water add a squirt or two of Ivory Liquid dish soap then finish filling with water. Ivory is inexpensive and makes a great all-purpose cleaner. Spray on a lint-free towel. Turn the slats toward you and wipe down going easy so you don't bend the slats. Reverse the slats, walk around behind the blinds and wipe once more. It only takes few minutes, so clean one set every time you dust to avoid that miserable buildup.
If your blinds have reached the Cape of No Hope, removal becomes necessary. Pull up the tabs on each end and slide the blinds out. If the blind refuses to slide out, heat with a hair dryer for a few minutes. The heat expands the metal and they pull right out. Work early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid water-spotting problems. Hammer two nails into the side of your home and hang the blinds from the nails. Don't worry, it only takes a year for your neighbors to regain their composure from the laughter. Spray the blinds with a foaming bathroom cleaner (Scrubbing Bubbles is a good one). Spray the pull cords with shaving cream. When the dirt has left the scene of the grime flip the blind over, reverse the slats and spray again. Wipe with a clean very damp sponge and dry on a large bath towel.

Sounds easy enough, right? Now to find the time to do it.

Status

I have a few minutes because Thor has FINALLY crashed on the couch and Grand Duchess is sitting quietly watching Spongebob Squarepants with Optimus Prime. I thought I'd take advantage...

My weekend getaway was really great. Is it bad that I didn't miss anyone at home? I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Sara and visiting with her was the highlight of my trip. I was surprised that she couldn't hear as well as she lets on. Which was good for me because she and I signed to each other all weekend long. It was Sa-weet! Love ya' girl!

I left for my girls' weekend away with bare trees in my front yard and came home to 3 large, bushy trees casting shade on my home. Aah, glorious!

School is out. I'm not entirely thrilled about that. It's an adjustment having all the kids home during the day. Hopefully the weather will warm up and I can send them outside again to play in the sprinklers. Not to mention the house is in continuous shambles and is causing Popeye's blood pressure to rise.

Popeye has almost all the drywall up in the bathroom. Monday we'll be taping it up and (if my back is feeling better) start mudding.

My back is killing me and I'm bruising at the slightest touch. The back pain just started this week - the bruising started a while ago. My legs look hideous, not because of the shade of white (which is bad in & of itself) but because of the colorful shades of blue, purple, green & yellow that dot the fronts of them. Say it with me, "Eew. Gross."

My crocheting abilities have improved dramatically. I made a cute pair of Mary Jane shoes for Grand Duchess and a matching hat that fit her perfectly! I'd post a picture but those pics haven't been uploaded to the computer yet. I'll post those someday.

Yesterday I had the kids strip their beds and put all the dirty laundry in the laundry room. I came home from work and I walked into said room expecting to see a pile of linens and a basketful of laundry. Nope. It was as if the room had exploded - there was laundry EVERYWHERE!!! I'm down to 3 more loads left. I will spend this evening folding all of the clothes. It will take the entire evening, I know it. Maybe I'll rent a movie from Redbox.

Speaking of Redbox. Popeye rented "Mall Cop" this past week. Funny. Seriously funny. Go rent it, you'll love it!

And I haven't forgotten about my giveaway winners. Life has been throwing major loops at me in various ways and I can't get my tooshie in gear to get to the post office. Thank you for being so patient! I'm hoping to get them off soon.

*Sigh*

I hear Thor waking up. Never a peaceful moment in the Royal Household. I think that's it for the update. Oh yeah, and I have another calling in church: Ward Bulletin Person. There really isn't an offical name for it, so that's the name I gave it. I now do ward activities, lead music in relief society and ward bulletins. I'm not complaining - they're mostly cake jobs. it's just that now I have one more thing to think about. Joy.

Alright. I'm done. have a blessed weekend, everyone!

Weekend Update

When dropping the boys off at school on Tuesday, I was telling them how excited I am to be leaving town for a few days.
Sensitive Optimus Prime asked me if I was going to miss him. Of course I will - to an extent. I explained to him that I'll miss HIM, but not the laundry, kitchen, arguing, poopy diapers, etc...

Where am I going? I'm heading out to Salt Lake City, Utah. It's been YEARS since I've been there. Probably about 8, I think.

See, I'm an administrator for an LDS-moms forum. There are 10 of us. And we've all been administrators for at least a few years now. One of these sisters I talk to on the phone, yet we've never met. One of these sisters actually came to the Stanley Hotel while Popeye & I were there last year hoping to give me a birthday present (but I had already checked out). We have grown quite close, us sisters. And tomorrow I get to meet them!!!

I'll pick up Sariqd at the airport and then we'll drive (with Grand Duchess in tow) to pick up another girl. And then we'll head up to my sister's house where we'll crash for the night before we head out to SLC.

Friday evening the sisters will do a session at the temple (I won't because I'll have Grand Duchess with me) so I'll sit at the visitor's center and crochet her another hat. I want to find a Hobby Lobby or something on the way there so that I can stock up on yarn.
I'm not sure what other things we'll be doing. My guess is a LOT of talking!!!

I am just so excited!!! 4 days without the kids. 4 days without the mess. 4 days of just me and Grand Duchess (who happens to be an excellent traveller) and my girlies. 4 days of only having to clean up after myself. 4 days of being in my van and coming home with it STILL clean.

Sigh. I am so happy.

Random questions

Here's a quick shout - out to all mother's everywhere! You all rock! You all put up with more crap, kissing of boo-boos, discipline, crying, laughing, breathing, sighing, whining, etc... more than any of us expected. Thank you for your examples and love. I hope you have a wonderful day today & that you feel loved and appreciated.

Now, onto my main post.
As I was sitting in my room, crocheting yet ANOTHER hat, I thought of how well I know my friends. I was thinking that of ALL my friends in the world (online and in person), I really only KNOW a handful of them. I know what makes them tick, what makes them smile, little details that most people wouldn't know. Like, I know that Milk Maid Supreme has dreams about food storage and that in that food storage there are shelves upon shelves of chocolate candy. I know that The Dumm One collected (and maybe still does) keychains. I know that Sherrie relaxes by having her hair brushed/played with.

What do YOU know about ME? Is there something that you're wondering about me? Well, today is your day! You can ask me anything you want (keep it clean, please) and I'll attempt to answer it to the best of my ability. And if you don't want to know anything about me, well then I guess I've already put everything out there for the world, right?

Have fun thinking of questions!

Boy is he lucky

You want to know what Thor just finished doing? Do you? Well, I'm going to vent and if you DON'T want to know, then stop reading... now.

Thor. My lovely little hurricane that can't keep his chubby fingers off of anything. He saw that I was busy cleaning the basement. So he went upstairs and proceeded to "wash his hands" in the kitchen sink. Except Popeye had some things soaking in there and therefore had it stopped up. You see where this is going, don't you?
So Thor turned on the water & got the dish soap out & began washing his hands.
And then the sink filled with water.
And then it seeped down underneath the sink.
And then it soaked through the base of the cabinet.
And then it dripped into Popeye's closet that houses some of his work gear.

And that's when I heard it, ran upstairs, dried off Thor & put him in the crib on a time out.

That little boy is SO lucky I upped my meds last week.
Cooking is out & Chinese take-out is in.

Addicted? Here's a support group for you!

I know I haven't posted in a week. I go in spurts it seems. Some days I have a plethora of things to write about and other days I just feel so ho-hum that I don't even check anyone's blogs, let alone my own.

But my being MIA for the last week is not because of the ho-hum blahs. It's not even because I've been super busy. I have to admit I have a new addiction.

I've learned how to crochet. My friend "Crochet Queen" came over the other day and sat down and taught me a few stitches. I caught on quickly and instantly fell in love with it. I promptly ran out to VoldeMart and bought some hooks and yarn of my own & a little book on how to crochet. I've been sitting in my chair since then, making hat after hat, experimenting with stitches and patterns, only going online to search how to make certain shapes.

There should really be a support group for people like me.

"Hello. My name is Her Royal Highness and I have a crochet addiction."

I'm sure Popeye is wondering how long this addiction will last and more importantly how much money I will invest in it.

My former addictions proved to be very expensive:

Paper. While it is still a passion to have these papers, something inside of me won't let me USE the papers. I want to just look at them and don't have the heart to cut them up. Silly, I know, but that's the reason why that addiction needed to be kicked.

Chocolate. An ongoing obsession for me, really. And it's not just ANY chocolate (even though I'll settle for mediocrity when necessary). I like the good stuff. It used to be Symphony bars. Now it's Dove. There's something to be said for a nice smooth piece of chocolate on those days when you wish you had a working bathtub to escape the Royal Family.

I almost got addicted to fabric. But held off on that one. If we had a fabric store here (like JoAnn's) this would probably be another one.

Cleaning products. I love to go down the cleaning aisles at the store wondering if there is any new product in that I want to try. I'm not one to collect cleaning products. In fact, I'm so environmentally un-friendly, that I'll pitch it if it doesn't work. (Ssh, don't tell the tree huggers!) But I do love me a good, clean house.

So now it's on to yarn. Luckily, yarn is relatively cheap. And crocheting can be done while nursing whereas scrapbooking, cleaning and sewing can't.

Popeye took a super cute picture of Grand Duchess wearing the first hat I made. She's pretty cute, dontcha think?




Anyway. So, I'm feeding my new addiction, which is why I haven't been over to visit anyone's blogs in the past few days. Sorry. I don't know how long this addiction will last, so please be patient.

What are YOU addicted to? Go ahead, everything written here is confidential! Only those who read the blog will know. ;D

Stuff and Tuesday Tip!

Here are some random things happenin' in the Royal house today and this week... Be prepared, there are a few. You might want to take a potty break first. I'll wait.....

Okay. I broke the tv. Well, I guess it was already broken because we couldn't really see the picture on it. So I turned the tv and tried jiggling the cable and it snapped off. Stupid old tv. So now it was REALLY broken much to the dismay of Thor. The rest of the kids have done well without it, but Thor is having a really hard time. Sometimes that's just how he needs to unwind.
Anyway. So we're out a tv. Sucks really because that's how I like to unwind, too, and face it, it's a nice baby sitter at times.

Yesterday Popeye and I got the drain for the tub put in and the tub nailed into place. Everything is level and working great! I'm just so giddy about that.

Tonight is "Girls Night Out" in our little town. All the ladies meet at the Fine Arts center for goody bags and then go shopping downtown. Local work from home moms will be setting up booths at an abandoned store and we get to shop until we run out of money or they close the shops - whichever come first. They also put on a chick flick at the theater for a discounted price. We'll be seeing "New in Town" with Renae Zellwegger. Cool. So two of my girlies are bringing their munchkins over here until their hubbies get off of work and Popeye has said he will keep an eye on everyone for us. (As payment I have to teach his class on Sunday. SOOOO worth it!)

Anyway. So I called up one of the said girlies and told her I busted the tv and I didn't know what Popeye was going to do (original plan was to put in a movie with pizza) and she called me back offering me one of hers. She's so sweet! She's always willing to watch the kids when I need it and is just a good friend all around. So I guess she's willing to part with one of their tvs. But then as I was working today I was telling my client about it and she gave me her old tv. (It's newer than ours was.) SA-WEET! So that's pretty cool. Now Popeye can turn on the tv for the kids tonight and maybe he won't lose his mind.

Tomorrow Popeye is going fishing for a few days with his dad. He'll be gone until Sunday night. I really hope he catches something. I'm excited for him to go - he needs a break. But I'm sad he'll be gone so long. Boo hoo.

Let's see... doctor's appointment on Friday for me. Duchess got her first set of shots today. Poor thing - she's out cold right now. Popeye's feeding the elders tonight, too.

Hmmm, that might be all I can offer right now as to what's going on.

Here's Tuesday's tip!
If you're broke, don't offer your son $1 per goal at his soccer game. Chances are he'll score!
(And I'm really proud of Optimus Prime for scoring 3 last night. But still... I guess it beats Dairy Queen for everyone!)

Tuesday Tip!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I LOVE my tool for hard water deposits.

What do I use, you may ask? Well, some people like pumice stones. I do, too. They get the job done. However, I don't like that you have to store it in a plastic bag to contain the germs - I'd rather just be done with it and get the germs outta my house.

So I use a piece of "plumber's screen" (aka drywall screen).

I get the medium grade (at VoldeMart) or you can go to a hardware store and pick it up in larger sheets. Go with about a 120 grit or finer.

Not only does this stuff work great on your toilet stains, but it also takes the scratches out of your porcelain sinks (you know those scratches you get from throwing pots and pans in there). I went to work today and took some of my screen with me and spent about 15-20 minutes on the kitchen sink. There is not a scratch in sight!!! It looks BEAUTIFUL!

And the added bonus of using the screening as opposed to the pumice stone is that you can tear it into pieces and then just throw them away when you're done with them. Also, you can fold it and manipulate it into small crevices (think around faucets and drains and under the rim of the toilet). And I know that if you get SUPER FINE drywall screen (and I'm talking super fine), it will work on your tubs and showers, too. I haven't tried it there, yet, but plan on it this week when I clean my own bathroom.

I just love this tool! Go get some! You'll love the way your toilet/tub/sink looks after you're done using it.

Giddy up!

I am giddy. Just giddy inside is all I can explain it as.

After several long months of waiting, Mr. Fantastic has been approved for SSI. Do you know what this means people? It means that he will be getting a check each month! But not that I care too much about THAT (it can be $10 a month for all I care). What I DO care about is that because he's been approved for SSI, he'll be approved for Medicaid, too. And that means that we won't have to pay for ear parts anymore!

Giddy!!!!

That orange circle up there with the wire? That's the headpiece. One of those is $150 each. The bottom rectangle portion? That's the battery. One of those is between $150 and $200 each. The processor (connected to the battery)? That's a good $6k. The ear hook? I'm not sure. Not to mention a charger for the battery is $200. And the cool colors are $32 each set of 4. And we won't have to pay for it anymore!!!

HURRAH!!!!!!

Pictures!

Some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

While waiting for Popeye at the cell phone store...

Grand Duchess on her blessing day

Grand Duchess is 2 months old!! (and apparently trying to wave hello!)

Easter Sunday, me & the girls

The royal children (from left to right): Thor, Optimus Prime, Princess Monkey Eyes, Mr. Fantastic and Grand Duchess

Popeye. Mmmm.

Thor saw the bathtub this morning in the living room and stripped down. He was ready for me to fill it with water.

Not only is there a bathtub in there, but a window, sub floor AND insulation! Way to go Popeye!

Some daddy-daughter time. Say it with me, "Awwwww"!