Dreaming

It's hard not to dream about owning your own home. I go through phases of when I get really excited about it and do a bunch of house searches and then other times it makes me sad to look so I don't. But this past week has been a good week and I've been in the mood to look at houses again. We found one that we really like that's in a good price range (given we had a decent salary lol) and it's not very far from where we live. I had to drive by it the other day just to see the neighborhood and I loved it even more! Sure it would be fun to have a home and all of those fun amenities, like having a pool with a pool safety fence and a trampoline, and a garage, and our own yard. One day we will, not yet, but one day in the near future. This one house we like probably won't be on the market then but that's ok because I know we'll find the right home for us. I can't wait!

What's going to happen

Our summer is going to be an interesting one. Between my husband's school schedule and my work schedule and having a baby, yep, our summer is going to be a bit crazy. But crazy is ok right? That makes for a non-boring summer anyway lol. One of the most exciting parts of the summer is that my husband will be graduating from school! He's applying for graduate school for the fall but he's also going to be looking into getting a job and then we'll decide which direction to go. He's not looking into Technical Recruiter Jobs but geology type jobs. It's really exciting to think about him being all done and us settling into a career and buying a home and doing all those things we've been wanting to for years. So much to look forward to! Can't wait. :D

Funny children

Like most parents, we usually ask our kids what they want for Christmas. This year though, I was kind of surprised at what they wanted. One wanted drums. Yeah, drums. Never shown any interest at all in them before and now she wants a set?? I wasn't even sure she knew what drums were! But apparently she did and everytime I asked and hoped she wanted something different, she still asked for drums. So that's what she got a little drum set that came with headphones. (Genius no? Lol!) Then her sibling asked for a guitar. What?? I guess it was a musical Christmas for us and we're going to have to learn to play guitar and play the drums. Could be fun right? lol I wonder what the kids will ask for next year? Could be interesting after this year!

No snow

Where I live, snow is expected. Yet, we've only had TWO days of snow. Well, technically we've had three is you count the one day it snowed a tiny speck and then melted two hours later. That's it. Hello?!? It's January and I want snow! One snowman isn't enough. I want to build more and make more snow angels and pull my kids around in a sled and throw snowballs at my husband. Come on snow, I miss you! My whole family misses you! That one day where we got a skiff of snow was a huge taunt. I got so excited when I saw and thought "yay! I'll get to the play with the kids in the snow later!" And then it melted. GAH! I guess that's what we get for living in a valley because all around us places have plenty of snow and we have nada. Zilch. Zero. I guess I'll have to dream about it because our odds of actually getting any this winter season are looking pretty slim. :(

Preggo woes

Being pregnant is a wonderful time, it's true. But it's also a difficult time for most women, me included. I am thrilled to be pregnant but let me tell you, being preggo for the 4th time doesn't come without extra problems. You'd think by now my body would have this "figured out" and it wouldn't be so bad. Quite the opposite actually. Everything is stretched more, ligaments are more lax, pain is more frequent, and you feel everything a lot sooner. Although the kicks are fun to feel sooner, so no complaints there. :) But nonetheless, I'm happy. It's been harder but we're thrilled to be having another little baby. I'm not getting as much done being preggo but I'm trying. I'm considering cutting my hair because it's so long and takes longer than I have energy for to actually fix nice lol. I hardly ever wear makeup for the same reason, too much energy! Who needs eyelash growth products when I don't even put on mascara anymore lol. Well, that's not true, sometimes on Sunday I'll actually take the time to look nice. But the rest of the week, I'm going the frumpy route because it's comfortable and being comfortable while pregnant is definitely the most important thing. :)

Another good one

We had another great Christmas! We were so blessed this year and have been very grateful because there are so many who go without or go with very little during the holiday season. I am thankful I have a job that pays all our bills and helped pay for my little family to have a good Christmas. It was fun having some time off work to be home and play with the kids and see my husband more. We all got a few surprises for Christmas and that's always fun to see everyone's reaction. My husband didn't get a utility knife or anything like that but he did get a tablet and a bunch of books he's been wanting. The kids loved everything they got too and have been playing with their gifts everyday. We went to my inlaws for dinner on Christmas day which was nice because I wasn't up to cooking a whole dinner. I made a few things which tired me out plenty. So grateful to my MIL for fixing everything else, she's awesome! Like I said, we've been very blessed and that makes me very happy. :)

Oh that darn weather outside

Actually, I haven't minded the weather personally, but my body tells me otherwise. I've still been freezing to death and wear a sweater almost every day. Now that I got some new bubble bath for Christmas, that means I can warm up that way too. But the worst part about the cold weather, is when it makes you sick and we're pretty sick. We all have colds and nasty coughs. Not very fun around here. True, it's not the flu and we're not so sick we can't get out of bed but it's lingering and kind of a pain. Not to mention it's kind of a pain being at work and you're trying to give someone a massage and all you can do is sniff and cough into your shoulder. Not very relaxing for that person I imagine. :P Hopefully we don't have it too much longer. The cold will probably go away first but somehow I think the cough will take longer. The kids especially darn it, I feel so bad for them. They cough so hard at night it's hard for them to sleep despite the humidifier and medicine. Hopefully not much longer though!

What I want

My husband keeps asking me what I want for Christmas. Well, first I would love a Nook Color. Or the Kindle Fire. I haven't decided between the two. But either one won't happen because $200 is an INSANE amount of money for ONE present. So then I told my husband I wanted some socks because I needed some. We were at the store and I found a set I liked and told him he could give those to me for Christmas. He said no, lol. But really, I can't think of much else I want. A nice blood pressure cuff would be good. My husband chuckled at that one. I haven't thought about baraka jewelry or any clothes. Maybe a new pair of pants. Maybe some movies? I don't know. Pretty sure I was this same way last year now that I think about it. It worked out last year so it will work out this year too. My husband is pretty good about gifts so he can surprise me and I'll be happy. :)

Freezing

I have been freezing the last month. I usually don't have a problem during the winter time. I've lived in this state all my life so harsh winters aren't unfamiliar. But this year, I can't shake the cold. Usually my body takes a week, maybe two, to get used to the decline in temperature. Seriously, I can go without a coat in 20-30 degree weather because I get used to it. Not this year, I've been freezing when the inside of my house is 74 degrees. 74!!!! How un-normal is that?? I feel like I need a couple of heated mattress pads to keep me from shivering. I've almost had to wear a sweater everyday. Lots of hot chocolate too. Lots of blankets. More warm baths. Thicker coat. Warm socks. All those good things. Then at least I stop shivering lol. Hopefully I start to get used to the cold because it's only going to get colder!

I feel behind already

It's the 5th of December and I don't have more than a few gifts for Christmas. Usually I'm about done now but not this year. I want to go get more gifts but we have been INSANELY busy that it hasn't been at the forefront of my mind lately. I see all the magazines on my couch waiting for me to pick through them but I just don't have it in me to do it right now. We don't get a ton of presents, only a handful for everyone but still, I need to get on this. And for the most part I know what we need to get. My kids never asked for an xbox 360 controller because we don't have an Xbox. But one of my kids did say she wanted the Kinect. I asked her if she even know what that was and she said "no." LOL Definitely not going to buy it them, sorry kiddo. They'll be happy with this year though I think. I've been working a little extra and we'll have enough to make it a great holiday. I can't wait! Now if only I can find the time to get out and shop lol!

Need a bath

Let me rephrase that lol. I don't NEED a bath, I need a bath. Clear as mud? lol I don't stink but my muscles need to soak and relax. My brain needs to relax. I worked three hours this morning and then another three this afternoon/early evening. My body has had it and my brain could barely function enough to make 4 phone calls lol. I saw my husband and kids all of a sporadic two hours and I hate days like that. My husband was awesome though. By the time I got home he had dinner ready and all the dishes and laundry done. And get this, he made me Jell-O. It was the only thing that sounded good today and he took the time to make me some. It made my night! (It's the small things that make me happy lol!) He did so much today taking over the household chores while I worked. He's amazing and I would be a wreck without him. Now if I can finish up a few more things on my to do list, maybe I can get that relaxing bath I've been thinking about. That's would make my day end on a great note. :)

All natural stuff

I have a friend that knows a lot about healing your body the natural way. She has learned so many things over the years it blows me away. She's amazing and I love that her family is hardly ever sick and when they are, she gives them natural remedies that heal them just like if they were to see a dr and get a prescription. It's amazing to me. I was visiting her recently and I wasn't feeling particularly well. Before I left she let me put on some oil that helped clear up my senses and I felt better, which was really nice of her. She has something for everything it seems! She has herbs and oils by the basketful. Who knows, she may even have natural seaweed to use for some type of ailment. The next time I get sick, I think I'll call her up instead of seeing a dr. Couldn't hurt right? :)

Very thankful

I need to take a minute and express my gratitude for my husband. He truly is amazing and I'm positive I would be worse off without him. He always sets me straight when I need it. He will always give a different perspective on something I'm struggling with which helps me figure things out better. He constantly helps around the house, which is I hear is a rare thing but am truly grateful for. I had the stomach flu a week ago and did nothing for three days and he completely picked up the slack. He's always helping with the kids and with dinner too. Plus, I have a new calling that has kept me insanely busy and he's been an awesome support. He is amazing and I count my blessings everyday for being able to share my life with him. I don't ever need to look up Zyngle free dating online to find me the perfect guy, I already did 9 years ago and he's definitely for keeps. I love him not only for what he does for our family but also for the man he is and wants to become. Love you babe, thanks for everything!!

Animal lovers

My kids love animals especially our youngest. The older ones, at first, are intimidated when they see an animal. At least when it gets up close. Then they warm up and fall in love. The youngest will hold and hug anything that moves. Well, except small bugs and then she freaks lol. I know the kids would love having an animal and keep wishing we could get one. Sometimes, I wish we could get maybe a small animal. Maybe a small dog or something. But other times, I'm glad we don't have a pet to take care of. The girls would love a horse and would love for me to buy them riding boots so they could learn to ride. There's no way we could have a horse anytime soon but it's fun to think about it. I've always thought it would be great to have a horse ranch but I doubt it will happen. Who knows though! :)

I think I can...I think I can...

Sew. I think I can sew. I don't have any idea how to use my sewing machine perfectly yet but hopefully I can figure that out. My goal is to make some cute ghost costumes for my kids. I've sewn a pillowcase. That's it and that was hard enough. (I know, a pillowcase should be easy but sewing doesn't come naturally to me. :P) I have plenty of time though. If you think 7 days is enough time lol! I've been so busy with work and school and church and everything that I haven't had time for this little adventure until now. Really though, how hard can it be to make little ghost costumes? Probably more difficult than I think. I wish sewing came naturally to me like it does to many people I know. I have a friend that changed a maternity outfit into a dress recently. It was awesome! No pattern, just figured it out. Here's to hoping I can "figure" these ghosts out. I hope it does go well because I only spent $12 on enough material . Compared to $15 per costume from the store. I like saving money and I like even more when something I've made works out lol!!

Grateful

I've been feeling extremely grateful to have a job. I've known many people who have been without a job for months and years. There comes a time when they are willing to take a job, any job, they can to take care of those they love. Being without a job is hard, in more ways than one. Thinking about that makes me count my blessings that I do have a job. I may have one of those Baggage Porter Jobs and I may not work for a big company. But I do love what I do and I love being able to provide for my family. Hopefully I keep my job for as long as I need it and nothing goes wrong. Not that I forsee anything going wrong but you never know what a company would do and what cutbacks they might need to make. That doesn't mean I won't give it my all in the meantime. I'll still love what I do!

2 months!

Technically, it's just barely over two months away but it's coming! Yep, it's CHRISTMAS!!! I'm so so so so so so so excited for Christmas this year. Why? Because last year Christmas was my favorite yet and I'm sure this one will be just as great! Now, I have some ideas how we can bring the true meaning of Christmas into our holiday season this year. After figuring out the details of that, next comes what to do for presents. Hmm, maybe a psp and psp batteries? Maybe a pink scooter? Maybe some Wii games or more board games? Maybe a jetted bath tub. Oh wait, that's what *I* want lol! Of course I'd love a house to go with it but somehow I don't see that happening by Christmas. It will be a great Christmas even without a new house. ;)

Too much sugar

Have you ever had too much sugar by not eating any sugar? No, that doesn't make sense so let me explain. My day has been CRAZY and now that it's over, I still feel wired. Like the way you do when you eat a lot of sugar. (Or so I've been told. When I eat sugar I don't feel any different lol.) My crazy day started at 7am getting the kids ready. And then there's getting me ready which lately, has taken longer than usual. Then it was making and packing a lunch for everyone. Then going into work. I had to work for 6 hours today with back to back patients every hour. One cancelled but because we didn't have a secretary today, I had extra work to do and didn't even get my normal stuff done. Plus there are a lot of changes at my job so my boss and I had to take time for that. Not to mention other things that go with THAT that didn't get done. I didn't get off work until an hour past the time I was supposed to get off which was fine, but I still have a huge list to take care of. I came home and tried to grab some dinner quick, help my daughter with her homework, and had to leave again 45 minutes later for another appointment. During that appointment I went over by 20 minutes and had to rush home because my husband needed to leave for an appointment he had. Now, here I am blogging about the craziness. I've been going all day non stop. People say they go non stop and don't really mean but I do. The longest I sat down all day was the 10 minutes at dinner. Well, and now I've sat for a whole hour but I've been working, so does it really count? lol Tomorrow, Act 2 of The Day in the Life of Me. More craziness but hey, that's better than boring. :D

New tires

For me, I don't think about buying new tires until I'm told my current tires need replacing. I don't think about it because they're expensive and since they last for years (or should) it's the out of sight out of mind concept. Anyway, we were recently told that our tires were "barely legal" and needed new ones soon. As in before winter hits. As in before Christmas. Yeah, who needs money for Christmas anyway when you can buy 4 new tires! Woohoo! Not. Dang, the timing sucks but what can you do. So we bought new tires and they look great and we got a great deal. Plus, they come with emergency roadside assistance, which most do, but hey, it's still nice to have. So despite the timing, I'm glad for the new set because my mind is more at ease knowing we'll have a safer drive during the winter months. Yay for new tires!!

Trying to save

We've started getting the paper mainly because I wanted to get the weekly ads and coupons. (Ok, and the comics too lol!) I'm still not an expert at couponing and I'm a far cry from being called an "extreme couponer." But I do a little to save us, a coupon here and a coupon there. So far I've mainly used coupons for food items but I'm keeping my eyes out for ways to save money on clothes. Finding aeropostale coupons or coupons on school clothes would be awesome! I also need to work on matching coupons with sales, that's the biggest money saver. But I'm not good at it. The last time I looked through ads, I found a few match ups but when I went to the store, all the items were gone. Waited too long I guess. But I'm keeping at it and I'll get better the more I do, I know.

It's coming!!!!

Autumn is here and winter is coming!! I LOVE when the seasons change! I could never live in a place with the same type of weather all year round. I love summer, I love spring, I love autumn, I love winter. I love hot days when we can play in the pool. I love when the leaves change color. I love playing in the snow with the kids. I love when the birds and flowers come back. I love it all!! So as I see the temperature drop and the rain turn to snow I get giddy. I love drinking extra hot chocolate and snuggling in bed. I love putting up new decorations and getting excited about upcoming holidays. I love love love it! All of it! And every year I end up loving it all a little more. And every year I get more and more strange looks from other people lol. Not everyone loves the cold weather and that's ok. Seems more fun to enjoy it than to hate it for months on end. Besides, making snowmen and listening to your kids laugh while sledding is awesome!! Happy season change to everyone!!

Needs to be cleaner

My skin is usually pretty good. Not the smoothest and acne free type of skin but it's not too bad. When I got sick it got worse and that wasn't pretty but now that I'm better it's better too. I don't know how so many people get naturally blemish free skin. Genetics has to play a part. Skin care plays a part to. Maybe my use regular soap method isn't working for me. I should probably look into komenuka bijin products and see how my skin reacts to it. On the plus side, I have been better about taking my makeup off at the end of the day which is good for your skin right? I used to leave it on but now I make sure it's all off before I go to bed. One step at a time I guess. Makeup removal first, deep cleansing second. I can do that.

Do they last long?

How long are book cases supposed to last? I have two kinds. One is made out of metal and I figure that's going to last awhile. But then I have a few others made out of wood. Your classic style bookcases. But, yesterday my husband pointed out that one of the wood bookcases shelves was starting to separate from the side. Darn it! I really like that bookcase! We've had it for years, maybe 5ish? I guess I assumed they lasted forever lol. Could be that maybe there's too many books on that shelf? Or they're too heavy at least. Either way, darn! We'll have to figure out a way to reinforce it because I want them to last longer. Who knows, maybe we'll have to buy a new bookcase and we could get some of the best bookshelf speakers to go with it. It's funny how things tend to fall apart at the very same time as other things. But that's a post for another time. :P

Sluggish

I have not been feeling well today. I woke this morning and it took me 10 minutes just to get out of bed. My eyes took a long time to adjust to the light and my body ached all over. The achy part was from my run yesterday, or at least I thought it was. As the day has gone on, instead of feeling better I've felt worse. We had to get ready for 2 appointments and by the time my hair was done, I was ready to get back into bed. That's when it hit me that just maybe I wasn't feeling cruddy from not getting enough sleep and running yesterday, maybe I was in fact getting sick. Dang. So we head to our first appointment and I feel like I've been hit by a truck. Thankfully we made it ok but my head was fuzzy and I couldn't concentrate. We came home for a quick lunch and headed out to our second appointment. I tried to be a little more cheery and focusing on that helped me feel better. Then we came home and my body shut down. So glad my husband came home early so I could take a nap. I crashed. I didn't move for an hour and a half. I felt a little more human afterwards though. We ran a few more errands and then I had an activity to go to. The nap gave me enough of a boost to finish out the day. And now, here I am blogging. And now, here I am leaving.

Counting my blessings

I've known a number of people who have been in car accidents recently. Some were big accidents while others were just bender fenders. But still, an accident is an accident. I've never been in an accident, at least to my knowledge. I vaguely remember being in the car with a family member who hit a mailbox but that was so long ago I wonder if I was dreaming it or it actually happened lol. I'm very grateful though, accidents can be so scary and I'm glad I don't have to look into auto estimating software to see how much it would cost to fix something after a collision. I can't imagine what a person goes through, being so scared and then to possibly have your children in the car with you when it happens - yikes! I can't even think about such a thing without shuddering. So yes, I'm counting my blessings that no one in my family has ever been in an accident! I hope it stays that way for a long time too.