8 TV Shows that I watch/have watched

1) Psych, 2) Numbers, 3) Monk, 4) Cosby Show 5) Smallville 6) Star Trek- all kinds 7) Dr. Who 8) What not to Wear

8 Favorite Restaurants

1) Souper Salad, 2) Sweet Tomatoes 3) Taco Cabana 4) Bosa 5) Burgers Supreme 6) Panda Express 7) Subway 8) Pizza Factory

8 Things That Happened Yesterday

1) We went to the Las Cruces Airport to watch the planes come and go 2) We went to the library 3) We went shopping at the mall 4) and went to the train store to read books 5) We went to hear daddy practice the organ at church 6) We bought a pressure cooker 7) I had a heart to heart talk with my hubby- it was sweet 8) We watched The Christmas Episode of Psych

8 Things I’m looking forward to

1) Hans graduating 2) Christmas 3) Finding my Drivers License 4) Finding a Gym that will work with me 5) Speaking Spanish Fluently 6) going to mexico or hawaii when we graduate 7) Our Anniversary Dec 28th 8) Russel and Michelles Baby in December

8 Things on my wish list

1) Money for clothes 2) Money for some kitchen supplies 3) A romanic weekend getaway spent with my husband and no kids 4) A day or so to do whatever I want- no kids, hubby or any other responsibilities period 5) An Awesome Home Gym with a treadwall, wall, not mill 6) My dream home 7) Enough money to visit extended family whenever we want 8) A cute flirty housewife Apron

8 Things I love

1) My husband 2) My kids 3) My family 4) My husbands family 5) My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 6) Fall Weather 7) Good Food 8) The feeling of being organized and having everything under control- which I don’t

8 Things I can’t stand

1) People that HAVE to be RIGHT no matter what 2) How much money we waste in this country 3) How much food we waste 4) How people take the easy way out because they’re afraid of hard work 5) Public restrooms- ewwww!!!!! I have nightmares of dying in a flooded public restroom and I can’t get out- ewww!!!! 6) Seafood 7) Lack of respect 8) How sex sells things

8 People to Tag (ie…you do this too)

1) Sue 2) Janae 3) Mindy 4) Christine 5) Hans – ha ha 6) Daring Young Mom 7) Kelly 8) Heather my cousin

It’s the silliest thing to, because they will answer the phone normally- like “hello, dr so and so’s office how may i help you? “  And I’ll go into my shpill of what i need help with that day.  And after I finish they will tell me “I’m sorry I can’t help you with that- could you call the office later?” And I”ll say “Isn’t this the office?”  “No, Maam…this is the answering service”

Argh! First of all, I hate phones/making phone calls.  Secondly- why bother listening to me/asking me if you can help me when all you’re going to do is tell me to call later.  I have to spend my energy wisely and I’d rather not be talking to you if I can spare it.

So, I’m sure there’s plenty of good reasons for answering services- I’m just not interested

Lately, I’ve been catching myself anytime I say “yeah” or “nope”…instead of the much more appropriate “yes please” or “no thank you” respectively. I think our mothers must have been on to something because I don’t feel quite as refined when I toss around yeps and nopes all day.

Of course there are other habits like my loud burps that would win the unrefined contest hands down…but hey I’m not supposed to be so refined overnight…one step at a time here. Besides, I heard it causes intestinal distress to hold all that gas in. Same thing with sneezing- I’m not one of those prissy women who sneeze smaller than a mouse does (if mice even sneeze). If you’re gonna sneeze, then by all means…SNEEZE!…you’ll feel a WHOLE lot better- I PROMISE! Of course if YOU are one of those prissy women, that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends ;) I just don’t get you! ;)

And another thing- what is up with the Las Cruces division of NMDOT (new mexico department of transportation- for those of you that don’t live here) They don’t require you to get a safety and emissions inspection for your car, which really bugs me, because I, for one, enjoy the relatively clean air we have here, but how are they expecting the air to stay clean if the latest “trend” is to cruise down main street sporting a billowing black exhaust cloud behind your low rider. Hans says it’s not a big deal because there aren’t that many people here in ratio to atmosphere. That still doesn’t make it acceptable in my book- even though I haven’t had a single safety and emissions done on my car since we moved here 2.5 years ago- I doubt they even offer them- as for the safety part of that inspection well- I guess they don’t really care how safe our car is- I just don’t get it.

When we went in to the local office here to get our drivers license Hans was wearing glasses and I wasn’t. Now I am pretty blind- but I prefer to wear contacts (once we get out of school though it’s HELLO lasik). The application for a license didn’t ask for visual impairment problems- as far as I could tell the only knowledge the person at the counter had of our visual “handicap” was by looking at us. So…Hans has that noted on his license- while I could get away scott free if I was ever to be pulled over. I could just say I didn’t see the stop sign when I ran through an intersection which would be true- because I literally can’t see them when I don’t have my visual aids- of course I’m not THAT stupid, but you get the point. I also have bipolar which is VERY under control, but again- I told the lady at the counter that I was diagnosed, that things were under control etc…she said, then don’t worry about putting it on there. The thing that bugs me about this is that I trust myself to not be stupid enough to neglect my health or my eyesight to the point that it would impair my driving. But then I’m SURE there are some people out there that either don’t care or can’t afford proper health care- and those people pose a risk to the rest of us. I just don’t get it.

A few years ago the mall closest to me did some remodeling. This was not just one shop closed for business- but it was a MAJOR overhaul. I’m SURE they spent half a million dollars or so just to spiff up the place. When it was through it did look REALLY nice, and I’m sure it improved sales and whatnot, but one day as I was driving by the thought occurred to me “what a waste of money- do you know how much of that money could have been used to help “the starving children in africa” or whatever” It really put things into perspective for me. The mall was doing really well, it was in one of the busiest sections in town- got plenty of business…the only reason I could figure for them to want to remodel was to stay up with the times. That kind of spending I just don’t get.

What don’t you get? Any comments or thoughts? Please share- I’d love to know what irks you.

My 3 year old is yet to be potty trained! (Queue the onslaught of rotten tomatoes and raw eggs)

Since my last post we really haven’t made much progress, if any. I have been ‘blessed’ with a child that is very strong willed, and right now (as in,for the past year) he has no real desire to use the potty. I am beginning to think he will not be the one to come up to me one day and say “mommy, i want to wear underwear” and really mean it. (like one of my lucky friends had happen to her)

We…I mean I…have tried several times and various methods to get him to go. We’ve tried the “Potty training in less than a day” method, the 3 days of ONLY underwear, where he and I cleaned up his MANY messes together and he thought it was the funniest thing to tease about “I pee on the floor” giggle giggle giggle, “I pee on the book” giggle giggle giggle when he knows full well where the pee pee is supposed to go. And then I tried waiting it out for him to come to me ( my FAVORITE method- cuz I don’t have to do anything) and then most recently the stickers, M&M’s and toys bribe chart.

Needless to say, we are no closer to being potty trained now than we were a year ago. I think this is one of the big things I dislike about motherhood. It has been so frustrating for me because Jonathan KNOWS how to use the potty he just does not care to. It has also been hard, because most if not ALL of the kids his age are now potty trained, and he’s still in pullups.

The thing that got me to start thinking that maybe I should step in,once again, is that I have been reading a lot lately about cloth diapering and how it’s safer for baby, safer for the environment, cheaper, healthier, blahbitty blah, yadda yadda…you know the deal. So I was getting all excited about it as I have been reading blogs of people that ACTUALLY use this method nowadays and meeting someone first hand last weekend that did it, and thinking possibly that I can do it too. As I pondered the work it would involve, the thought came to me- if I’m going to put baby in cloth- doesn’t that seem a little odd to still be putting the 3 year old in diapers.

So I’m really depressed about this. Changing a 3 year olds diaper is not a lot of fun, but it sure beats dealing with all the mess everywhere, and the inevitable power struggle with him, and having to stay home for eons until he decides to do it for fear of having him pee and poop in public.

So I don’t think I’m going to put baby in cloth until Jonny is potty trained for fear of being labeled a hypocrite. I just really don’t know what to do and I really have no desire to go through all that. But we cannot afford to keep buying diapers for two- urgh! I want to send him to a potty training camp…does anyone volunteer?

As I’m walking to check out, I ask myself if I want to self-checkout or go to the register. It’s always such a dilemma. If I go to the self checkout there is the inevitable struggle with the silly machine saying- “you didn’t bag this item, i’m calling security”, “please get someone to help you, you moron” and “unidentified item, the F.B.I. will be along shortly”….GRRR!!! It is so frustrating- they say it is “Speedy checkout”, but inevitably it takes twice as long as if I had just gone through the line- and yet more often then not I choose the “speedy checkout”. EVEN with a grumpy kid and a full load of groceries. Something must be seriously wrong with this lady you might be saying to yourself. Bear with me and see if you aren’t more willing to side with me on this.

Yesterday, I chose to go through the cashier because I was aching and tired all over, but I wasn’t about to relinquish all control as to how my groceries were bagged. The thing that irks me about going through the cashier is you never know what you’re going to get, because everyone is different. At least with the “speedy checkout” you know what you’ve got to deal with. Every time I go the cashier route I tell them politely “Can I get as few bags as possible please” Some of them give me crazy looks and comply, some of them bag exactly how they’ve bagged their last 200 customers- with a whopping TWO items per bag. GRRR!!! That bugs me so bad.

First of all- do they think I’m a wimp? I mean, my toddler is almost 40 lbs and I carry him writhing and screaming to the car many times. I don’t know about you, but my groceries are a LOT more compliant than that.

Second of all, it depletes our natural resources- come on dude- save a tree! I don’t NEED that many plastic bags- I’d rather breathe, than risk suffocation with the extra bags floating around.

Thirdly, I always line up my groceries in an organized fashion to perhaps suggest to the mind of the cashier that “this is how I want my groceries bagged” Cans with cans, cold things with cold things, cleaners and other household items with similar things…you get the drift.
Half the time the light goes on in the cashiers head, and the other half it doesn’t.

So yesterday, the cashier and lady in front of me were both being so considerate. I saw before I went to that particular row that there were two open rows waiting for customers, but I wanted to have enough time to organize my groceries so I chose the line that was more full. Both the cashier and the lady in front told me there were open rows…I replied, “I know, I’m fine here…thanks though.”

Then again about 2 minutes later the cashier reminded me that the line was open- so I went into my shpill about wanting to organize my groceries like with like, and wanting time to do that. It wasn’t a very long schpill, but it wasn’t premeditated- so it came out really awkward- the more I went on I saw the eyes of the cashier and the other lady start to glaze over and “back away from the psycho”. So I put a stop to that promptly and stayed put, notwithstanding.

I could tell this cashier was on the defensive because she was really quiet when I went up there. I HAD told her I was organizing them so that she could bag them a certain way. I would probably be on the defensive too. Either way, I think she did pretty good and was helpful, and my groceries and I got out of there without being arrested for “not bagging my items”

So on one hand I felt bad for the cashier, because I probably came across as slightly psycho/control freak and I told her how to do her job. On the other hand I AM the customer and customers come first right. (Of course I’m not one of those customers that oversteps the bounds of proper human courtesy that everyone deserves regardless of status.)

Now I have been a cashier/bagger and I know how frustrating customers can be- so I try and be kind and not too demanding when I approach the cashiers. I need to work on my response so that next time I don’t sound so demented and demanding- because I certainly don’t want to present that front.

Please somebody out there, tell me I’m not the only one that has such strong opinions about how her groceries are bagged. Even if no one else is like me, that’s ok. I reckon I’ll still keep on having these opinions even if it makes me a little psycho.

If I told someone I was going to a PADS meeting, they would assume I’m going to a feminine support group for that time of the month, and that’s not exactly the jibe I’m looking for in my group. On the other hand telling someone I’m going to a MADS meeting will peek their interest. ‘Why are you so mad?’ they will ask. They’ll either be sorry they asked, or they’ll agree with me wholeheartedly and we’ll be instant friends.

I think that this week, Daylight Savings is worse than this.
Before I was married and had kids, I had no real problem with the change. Now that I’m married to an earlybird and our son takes after him, it has not been so fun. The first day I was grumbly and grumpy and not much fun to be around. I was proud of myself that I had gotten up “early” (6:30…when it was really 7:30, my normal rising time) but I was just so MAD because now my son would be grumpy when I kept him up an hour later and he’s already been grumpy because he’s stopped taking naps. Bleh!

There are plenty of nice reasons why Daylight Savings is a good thing- just google “origins Daylight Savings” and you’ll find many articles that explain the reasoning. I feel, however,that the people that came up with it were probably not parents whose babies had JUST gotten into a nice routine before they change the clocks on us. I’m sure we will adjust as we have in the past and things will return to “NORMAL”, but until then you can find me here if you want to rant and rave with me at the powers that be.

RIGHT NOW I have an article of clothing IN MY HOUSE with this cartoon character on it. My son received this shirt at his birthday party as a present. I have not put it on him and I don’t intend to put it on him. My husband laughed when I told him with a sad woeful heart what our son had received. I asked him what I should do with it. I don’t have a receipt or else you could bet your bottom dollar it would be exchanged for something more worthy and OUT of my house. I go with the philosophy that if I don’t personally agree with something I should not display it as if I did agree with it. My husband suggested he could wear it for pajamas, but that doesn’t work either because then I’d have to look at his bucktoothed ugly face every night, and I couldn’t bear it. I think I would melt in a puddle of my own goo- like the witch on wizard of oz. I’m melting, melting, melting!

Can you tell how much I dislike this sad excuse for children’s entertainment. And yes, I have seen it many times (one too many I might add)- not by choice, but by circumstance. I just think he and his sad depiction of a pink starfish friend are both crude and ridiculous. Thank goodness my son does not know about him and he likes little toy cars, more than clothes at this point in his life, or I might have a harder time with this then I am presently having.

The mom who innocently purchased this for my son has never seen the show, but her boys somehow know about it, so she thought every little kid would like/know about him. So she gave it out of the niceness of her heart- how nice! Thankfully we only see them on sundays and so she doesn’t know what a dilemma this has caused in my heart. (LOL)

So for now, this shirt sits crumpled and folded up on the floor of our apartment somewhere. no way am I going to take up valuable drawer space for THIS! not this mama, you couldn’t make me, not for $100…maybe for $101, but not $100 (LOL) Because after all I COULD use the extra dollar- we are poor college students with a baby on the way. Better yet, just make a donation if you feel sad for me ;) that way we both feel good about things :-)

I think I will probably give it to salvation army for some other unsuspecting mother to think- “What a deal, a popular childrens show tee for super cheap” If only she knew. Maybe I’ll burn it. Maybe I’ll tie it to a helium inflated balloon with a warning attached “may cause stupidness and loss of brain cells”. What do you think I should do with “IT”?

I’m sure my husbands family is getting a kick out of this post. And for their sake, I’m glad I could brighten your day a little with my misfortune. Feel free to tease me about it, after all what is family for. :-)