Sledding

With all the snow and a 2 and a half year old what a better time than to go sledding. 

This is the reason why BJ and I had kids.  It was so we could do cool kid things where there were other kids with out looking like the creepy people without kids.  Being smart though I did not bring the camera because I did not want to kill it.  Elijah loved sledding, other than the part where the snow got all in his face. 

He wanted to stay for hours but seeing as BJ was the only one that was able to pull him up the hill we had to cut it short.  We staged some pictures after we got home in the backyard.  Even Resuce loved the snow.  I think she found something under the snow becuase for about 5 minutes at a time.  I almost thought she wsa going to stop breathing. 

Snow!

Last Friday we had snow.  Not something new for us in the northern Midwest, but none the less lots of snow in a short amount of time.  I, however, was further away from home than normal going to a continuing education class.  It took me about 45 minutes to get there around 8:00 and three and a half hours to get home.  I drove at a top speed of 20 miles per hour and a low speed of about 5 miles per hour ON THE HIGHWAY.  I found that with that much snow on the ground/road driving became a free for all and make the rules up as you go.  For example, in a place I was real sure was only 3 lanes we were driving 4 wide, semi trucks would merge as they pleased, I saw 2 people stop one in the middle of the road to clear off their car, and if a lane wasn't clear you could drive in it if your car was really an SUV.  Here are some pictures from my drive home when I reached a low low speed of almost stopped. 

Why boys are fun.

Let me tell you how my day started.

Elijah: Mommy! Mommy!
Me: (Go in to get Elijah out of his bed and find him under ALL his blankets.)
Elijah: You can't see me. (Followed by him jumping out of the blankets)

Elijah then proceeds to wake up every animal in his bed, hug them then tell me they are crying and need to go back to sleep.  He then lays them down and covers them up.  I then decide that it has been over 12 hours since his last bathroom visit so I take him in to the bathroom.  I set him on the potty but since he was wearing his pj's he is practically naked.  I leave him there for I swear 4 minutes at MOST.  In that time I was able to get a shirt, pants that match, socks, and an undershirt.  I then hear "Mommy I done."  I walk into the bathroom and find pee EVERYWHERE.  Not just a little here or there but EVERYWHERE.  We have tiles that are 1 x 1 foot.  He managed to get pee 3 feet to the left, in an area of 2 feet by 3 feet.  He had pee on his hand, all down both legs, around the seat of the toddler seat and normal seat, and the best one...on his chest and FACE.  How in the world did the child get all that pee on his body, in the room and still a bunch in the toilet.  I thought boys don't start putting pee everywhere until they were like 6 or something.  Never thought I would find all that after 3 minutes. 

Changes

Things in my life have indicated a change may be coming.  Don't all hold your breath at once, no I am not pregnant.  As I'm sure we have all experienced in some way or another the economy has affected us all.  It first started with BJ losing his job in in October of 2009, insurance deductibles sky rocketing and the unemployment rate increasing.  However, just because you have a job the limited number of jobs and finances in other business are probably affecting you too.  Well being in a job that is primarily funded by health insurance we too are experiencing difficulties.  Through discussion with almost all of my co-workers, I have decided to get my school certification and possibly take on contract work in the school district.  This means though that I have to take a test.  Yes a test.  I haven't done that in almost 7 years.  I don't even think I can remember how to work those old fashion scan tron things.  Or even how to sharpen a #2 pencil.  My biggest fear though is actually taking the test on things that I might not remember.

Wish me luck.

Finally, Snow

Today it snowed.  It wasn't a surprise that it was coming they have been talking about it for the past week.  It was supposed to start snowing Thursday morning and continue on through Friday.  (I'll let you know if that part is true.)  As I left for work today I felt like I was preparing for the end of the world.  Then I realized the end of the world I wouldn't have to prepare, I don't need to take anything with me to heaven, but getting out the door today was a different story.  Had to get Elijah in his coat and boots, grabbed his winter coat and snow pants, find a hat and set of mittens and get out the door.  Once to the car, I had to get him in and buckled.  I backed out of the driveway and realized I didn't have my hat or scarf, and I had to go back in.  What could I have forgotten you ask?  My ice scrapper, my rubber floor mats, but mainly just my ice scrapper.  How did I clear the snow from my car after work today?  Oh, well I used my fingers to scratch off the ice from the windows, but being short I couldn't reach most of the windshield. 

Don't worry, it's in my car now.  But the way the winter has been going so far it probably won't snow again until March.  Now I'm prepared though.

I know, I'm slow

I have lived in the same area for just about my whole life, minus the time I was in college.  In that time I have been to lots of places in this area.  One of those places is the Arboretum, the Morton Arboretum.  I am almost 30 years and have been to that place a whole lot and just this week was told it was part of the Morton estate, as in Morton Salt.  Yeah, I know, I'm a bit slow.  I don't think outside the box a whole lot, that's why I wouldn't be very good at marketing or inventing. 

Wendesday

Many of you must wonder what the heck I do Wendesday and Friday.  Well let me just tell you.  Wendesday is cleaning day.  I try to deep clean for 2-3 hours before I have to go to work.  The problem I run into is our dog.  She is black and sheds all year round.  So everywhere you go there is dog hair, and it sticks around for ever.  Takes so much time, I usually get half of what I want to done because I have to clean and reclean areas because of her.  I'm trying to set up some sort of cycle so I can deep clean each area of the house once every few weeks.  Hopefully that will shorten the amount of time I spend cleaning each area. 

Friday is shopping day.  After dropping Elijah off at school and I get breakfast then head to get food.  Once I get home and put away the food if there is any time left I can run the vaccume threw a room or two before I have to leave for work. 

I think I made him mad

We headed to a "vacation club" but it's not a club, meeting.  It was one of those places that you pay money to become a "member" then you can be a life time member as long as you pay more money every year to stay a member.  Then you have to pay an additional fee to actually go on vacation.  However, we went to just get the free (but not so free) airfare and cruise.  Since we knew what we were getting into before we got there, I really didn't listen to the guy talking.  Then when the guy came over to ask us where we wanted to go I told him Egypt.  After about 30 seconds, I asked if there were vacation spots that would let me sleep in a pyramid.  I think I made him a bit mad.  He actually stopped, looked at me and asked me if I was serious.  I was, but I wanted him to stop showing me just how "awesome" this group was.  But I think that would be cool to sleep in a pyramid.  FUN!

Shout out!

Dear Meijer,
You went over the top for me today.  I am going through a crazy insurance switch right now but unfortunately, it is a company I had a couple of years ago.  When the pharmacist typed in my insurance information, it came up that it wasn't an active account.  Without being asked your pharmacist called the insurance company and began straightening it up.  After hanging up on the first incompetent insurance man she called another number that she had found.  After about an hour she finally figured it out and we were able to purchase my drugs and go home and take them.  Thank goodness!!!

So thank you for your hard work.
Kelly

TRAINS

We headed to the Morton Arboretum this weekend with Brian to see trains.  For the 3 adults we came, we saw, and we were ready to go after about 30 minutes.  For the 1 child with us he wanted to sit and watch the trains for hours. 

It was actually very cute, they had it set up so there was a drive in with a a small TV screen that had a closed circuit feed from one of the trains as it drove around.  There was even Thomas and his cars Anne and Clarabelle.

We finally had to call it quits after about an hour because we were getting hungry.  What can I say my child loves Dinos and Trains.  But we stopped and had some coffee before we headed home.  Okay, Elijah really just had water but it he wanted his cup to look like ours. 

Semi-sick day

Yesterday I started to not feel awesome so I took some natural remedies to hopefully kick what I had.  Didn't sleep well last night and woke up this morning with the same symptoms.  Knowing my past I could probably make it through work today, but it would be cutting it close and I wouldn't be a happy camper most of the day.  So I made a grown-up decision and decided to go to the doctor then maybe head into work later today.  But seeing as the doctor can't get me in until noon, I'm not holding my breath to go in.  Oh well, day of sitting on the couch for me.

Shopping

I hate shopping.  I hate picking out clothes, unless it is a choice between two.  The ugly one or the cute one.  Hmm, I think I'll take the cute one thank you.  However, showing up to department store where there are about 500 different shirts in different colors that look fantastic on a manikin but look like the manikin threw up on me when I try the same combinations, it doesn't work for me.  I give each store a a time limit of 15 minutes if nothing jumps off the racks, onto my body and I love it then I'm out of there.  I do want new clothes, but I get way overwhelmed thinking about buying them.  I think I will be bringing BJ to the store and having him pick out the clothes, me try them on and I am happy.  I think I have a plan for the evening...

Pass!

As I am sitting waiting for my first kid, who no showed by the way, one of our new hires came in and he looks exhausted.  He was waiting to see if he had passed his exam to get his licence.  About 5 minutes later he comes bounding back in because he just found out he passed.  I then started thinking about how I found out I passed my test.  Oh wait, I blogged about it way back when.  But 6 years ago it was not done electronically and I had to wait almost 6 weeks before I found out.  But that feeling was the best once I knew I passed.  All that hard work and studying paid off and now I never had to study again.  Not only did our current new grad pass, but the OT starting next week also passed.  She's also my step-sister.  Wahoo!  No more studying for her either. 

Dino's at daycare

What a great month to start this daycare.  It's dino month at daycare.  So far in two days he has been on a dino dig, and made a dino hat.  What else could be perfect for a child who loves dinos, than a new school with dinos.  Today he did nap, and he did great with potty training. 

Daycare

Well Elijah and I both survived yet another day of first day of daycare.  Yes I know, my child is 2 years 6 months and yes I know we are on our 4th daycare.  But in all fairness only two of them I chose to remove him from.  They were not the best environment for Eli.  The last place he was at closed on me without much warning.  But today we started yet another daycare.  I like this one just like I liked my last one.  Let's hope that I continue to like them.  Elijah had a good first day.  He only had one little accident, was bit by a kid, and didn't nap because another new kid did not want to nap and cried the whole time.  Elijah apparently fell asleep less than a block away for school and didn't wake up until about 6:30.  Poor kid.  But like always, he was a great kid.  The teachers were impressed with his eating ability and his ability to stick with the structure.  I can't wait to see what things he creates. 

THEY DID IT!

You know how you hear about all these people that are participating in all different kinds of plastic surgery?  I have always thought I would love to look that great but why would I want to put all that non-natural stuff in my body. I mean botox is poison.  Implants are plastic and not that natural of stuff.  But now, now they have found a way to take extra body fat and put it in places that you want it like wrinkles and boobs.  FINALLY!  I have a reason to gain weight.  If I gain an extra 3 or 4 pounds and move them from my tummy and legs to my boobs I would look hot. Wait, I will just move the fat I have now and look even better.  Next step will be to save up the 12-20 thousand dollars to get this all done.  HAHAHA yeah right, if I had access to that kind of cash that is not what I would do with it.  Oh well, just an FYI for all of you that have that money and want to look like a model.  

Tales from a potty training mother

Here is another one of those moments when before you have children you don't know the whole story, even after you have a child you still don't truly understand what you get your self into or how to handle it.  Now I have entered the stage of parenthood called potty training.  Anyone you ever talk to who has kids tells you this about potty training. "Oh well when Jr. was little he was potty trained in 5 days.  I just let him/her run around for a while without pants."  What they don't tell you.  In those 5 days you spend every waking moment listening for dripping water, your eyes are glued to your child's crotch making sure their undies are not getting wet and all you can think about is when the last time they peed, when they need to pee next, and how much laundry you will have to do.  They also fail to mention that during that time you can't do anything because of the above statement.  But at the same time what they don't tell you is during your waking hours with your child because you have to be within arms reach of them at all times to run them to the potty in case they start going is you have some great bonding time.  Yeah the anxiety of pee makes you forget about the rest of life and focus 100% on your little child.  The last time I was able to do this was during maternity leave but then I was sleepy, crabby, and frustrated the child didn't do much but sleep, cry, eat, and poop. 

What I have learned though was that PMS and potty training should not go together. 

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2012. We made it through last year even though the end of the world was supposed to happen about 3 times.  Well as we all know 12-12-12 is supposed to be the end of the world, so lets hope we see 2013.  If we don't I'll see you on the other side.  But if we do make it to 2013 I do have a couple of resolutions that need to be met before then.  I think our 10 from last year was a bit much.  This year we will:

Save Money
Have fun
Be secure
Be small

Resolutions of 2011

With the end of 2011 I am sure you want to know exactly how I did on my Resolutions for the past year.  So here we go...

Blog more (than 2010) Nope.  Didn't get this one done.  I blame it on my new work hours. 

Eat less (sugar), Sort of.
Clean more (during the week), YES! Again blame it on my new work hours but still a yes!
Watch TV less (decrease # of shows I follow), Again yes! I know I'm kinda awesome.  DVR helps a lot.
Save more ($$), NOPE.  Guess we will work on that again next year.
Weigh less (than ???), Definitely yes.  down 10 pounds from last year.  Wahoo.
Work hard (at work) Certainly feels like it.
Play harder (at home and on the weekend) Yes.  I love my family and we have had a lot of fun together this past year on the weekend.
Read more (books) HAHAHA, enough said.
Clean car (inside and out) Better than 2010 but still not the best.