Time For Catch-up

Calling everyone! Take 5 and catch me up with what has been going on in your life! How are the kids? The spouses? How are YOU?

I have absolutely nothing exciting to report. I've gotten quite a bit of overtime in this summer, though I've seemed to spend it as fast as I've made it. I've used some of that extra money to hire Chris's daughter to help me around the house and I have pared down some of the clutter and am a little better organized. We also did some deep cleaning in the kitchen.

I sat down last week and made myself a budget of sorts. I'm trying to spend less and monitor where I'm spending my money. I want to increase my savings account. As a result, I've decided I can clean my own house. :::Gasp::: I let my housekeeper know that I won't need her after next week. I feel kinda bad because 3 other customers dropped her due to money crunches. I don't feel too bad though since I've noticed she doesn't do as good a job as she used to. And every week I come home to mama bitching about her. So it's time to dust off my FlyLady notebook and get organized.

I think I told ya'll I'm working day shift now, getting up at 4:30 a.m. ugh! But I like being home at 3 in the afternoon. It's all working out ok.

And that's all my excitement. I like my boring life. I'm off today to take Paige (Chris's daughter), back to college in Pensacola. Chase is coming over tonight to spend the night and do some things for me since he has an eye doc appt in the a.m. Another busy day. Oh wait!

I almost forgot. Y'all know the problems mama has been having with her stomach? All the weight loss and pain and such. Everything she eats except rice makes her stomach hurt and it's been getting worse. I had got in touch with my old college roommate a while back and she was telling me about these two products she sells. Well she finally sent me some samples. One I had already tried and it hurt mama's stomach so bad she had to take a Lortab. (It was freeze dried fruits and veggies). The other was a drink mix made from a plant. I told mama to sip it as plants usually really mess her up. She said it feels, "soothing." Weird. By day 2 her stomach pain was completely gone! She's feeling better everyday. Needless to say, I've signed up for autoship on it. She has one more packet for today and the months supply will be here Friday so she'll only miss one day. I am so excited to find something that is helping her! It's very high in protein, which is unusual for a plant. I've also noticed an increase in her energy level. I'll be taking it myself. As you can tell, we're a git excited about it!

Enough of my rambling. Your turn!

Wow, my new message alert thingy isn't working. I almost missed this post. Anywho, not a whole lot has been going on here, just life as usual. Ciannon is on the go non-stop - crawling everywhere, getting into everything. She can feed herself, pull up on things, and she's learning to drink from a sippy cup. She finally got her first tooth at the beginning of the month.

Niel's doing fine too, with the exception of hating his job. They keep moving him around between sections to the point where he's finally like "I just show up when they tell me to." He can't wait to get out, and neither can I. I like our itty bitty town, but I'm starting to itch for the next big adventure. He's got just a little more than a year left in, so we're both starting to think about what needs to be done to the house to get it market-ready. Homes around here sell just fine, as long as you're patient, so we'll be putting our house up for sale in May or June and keeping our fingers crossed that it'll be sold by October (when Niel gets out). Don't know where we'll go from here, but hey, that's part of the fun.

Not much is up with me. I've started to do FlyLady, so for the past month, my kitchen has been pretty clean. Recently I started cleaning my bathrooms regularly too. I was just so tired of not letting Ciannon have free reign of the house because it was too messy. I'm taking tiny baby steps, but I'm getting there. Hopefully I'll have my whole house in order soon.

Vacation set me back on my weight loss goals, and I haven't been able to make it up yet. I'm no longer breastfeeding, so I'm thinking of going low-carb again here in the near future since it worked so well for me before. All this week I've been doing the 10 minute ab workout I found on my cable's Exercise on Demand channel. Apparently carrying Ciannon destroyed what little muscle tone I had, so I'm trying to get some of it back. At this point, I have jelly for upper abs (or so it seems, based on how hard this "beginner" workout is). Even though I'm hurting today, I really enjoy the workout because the instructor is so peppy and encouraging. She's also fully clothed, which is nice because the rest of them depress me by showing off their stupid 6-packs. I've had a revelation about exercising. I think I'd like it a whole lot better if I didn't have to sweat while doing it. If only humans had some other way of regulating their body temperature, I'd be a lot happier. I don't think I'd mind panting like a dog if the rest of me stayed dry. Anyway, that's just a thought I had...

Other than that, I've resumed my laser hair removal treatments, and I'll be taking the trip to CT this Saturday for one. I hate going now, because in the year I was gone, they changed staff, and the new girls aren't nearly as friendly as the old ones were. They also don't seem to understand when scheduling my appointments that I live 3 hours away, and I also don't have the convenience of a baby sitter. It's such a hassle to go there that if I hadn't already paid for it, I'd just quit. Hopefully I've only got a few more treatments (shouldn't be more than 8 or so), and then I can say "adios!"

That's been what's up with me. I know, not very exciting, but it's my life .

Well..let's seee..

Here's the news here.

Ashley and Erik have decided to tie the knot. They are doing a very private ceremony here in the front yard on Sept 5. I've made her a dress and Erik and the baby will be in Tux's ..but they are doing that only for pictures. There will only be 7 people here (per request of the bride and groom)..Me and Scott, Erik's parents and Alan, who will be flying in on Thursday the 3rd. (luckily the rest of us only have to dress 'very casual') ..my fav way!
Sooo I've been busy in the craft room for the past several days, the dress has been made and is now waiting for the final try on. We've already done the last fitting and I made the adjustments..we'll be trying it all on come this Wednesday.

Today, Scott and I cleaned out the deep freeze and reorganized that and I'm getting ready to shampoo my carpets.

Over the past several weeks (or month) I've been to the beach in NC for a week..an invitation via my brother Darrell. Had a good time and it was good to get 'away' from it all. After I came home, 3 days later Scott went to Florida for 6 days, so we've both had our vacations for the summer and are back at the grindstone around the house.

Scott is going to physical therapy 2x a week and is expecting to be back to work by mid September. This is a good thing, he's getting really bored. Of course, this is all dependent on if the doctor releases him, but so far, he seems to be doing just fine. He does get sore and stiff when he does a lot and his exercises, but that's to be expected.

I will say this, having to make the wedding dress has put me much more in the mood to be in the craft room doing things. Soooooo once the hustle and bustle of the wedding is over, I plan on being in there doing some sewing much more often. this is a good thing.

I've almost joined a quilt guild as well...went to the first meeting last weekend. Have one more meeting I can attend without joining, but I think I will join up. It could be fun and it will help me to stay in the craft room as well (not only that, I could earn some money on all this!)

That's about it with me..oh yeah, I'm giving guitar lessons now too..LOL Tony wanted to learn to play, so purchased a beginners guitar and he comes over when he can and we sit down and I teach him what I can. He's doing ok..it takes time.


LF: WOW..now that you're on day shift, I'll KNOW when I can call you! COOL! Too bad you'll have to start cleaning your own house LOLOLOL..I KNOW how much you hate it! LOLOL. I also know about 'money' woes! (we are working on a very limited income right now due to 'surgery')
Hope you like the day shift..you'll get used to it!
How are you and Chris doing?? Still 'hanging' in there??

LEASHI: Glad to hear that the Flylady is working for you..baby steps, baby steps. It'll all come with time! Kiss Miss Smiley for me..she's such a doll!!!

And..well, as you can see I did not get to work on the blogs this past weekend as I had hoped, but I'll get to it when I can. Right now..it's carpet shampooing time, so I must run and get started, or I'll get a case of the lazy ass and not do it!!

You all have good one..we have to do this more often..I need a routine! LOL
HUGS and love you all..

Wow Sage. Looks like you've had an exciting summer! I'm glad. And a wedding coming up too! Give Kat a hug for me and tell them congrats.

And my usual hours are now 7 a.m. to 3:30. p.m. your time. Though Monday and Tuesday were my days off this week, I worked 11 p - 7 a last night. Going to get my hair done and then crash since I'm working from 11 tonight until 3:30 tomorrow. That'll give me 16 hrs of OT this pay check.

Chris and I are fine. Live is good.

Good to hear all this!!

I'm glad you may have found something that doesn't bother mamma's tummy and may even help her in the long run! You go!! Let us know if it continues to work and exactly what it is..hell, we may have to invest in some!

I'm on room two of my carpet cleaning fiasco..bought my own cleaner and now I'm determined that this may have to get done once a week until I get this carpet cleaned COMPLETLY..then maybe a once a month deal. Right now..it's a quicky twice over before the wedding.

Whew..I'm tired though! LOL (it's a good cleaner I will say..but let me tell you, after pushing it around for a few hours ..and then picking up the vacuum (which I always thought was a dinosaur to push and pull) that vacuum FLIES across the room...it's SOO much lighter then the shampooer! LOL)

After I finish this job today, I have to start some cleaning and laundry (again) cuz I didn't finish it yesterday and since I won't be home all day tomorrow and Scott's friend Kieth is coming on Thursday morning, I'll be doing catch up today! Not that the house is nasty by any means, but I've been focusing in on 'wedding stuff' for a week or two, so my normal daily jobs have gone slacking. AHh well, such is life!

I think I'll be glad when this is over, I'm tempted to take a week of slugdom! (after the festivities of course)

Well, my break is over so I'm off to finish up the shampooing....wow..I need to fit food in here somewhere too!

ADIOS!!

Glad I don't have to worry about shampooing carpet anymore! Though mopping this house will take forever!

I got back home this morning and went to bed (11 a.m.) hopping to sleep until 7 or 8 p.m. Awoke at 3 and couldn't go back to sleep. Maybe I can squeeze a nap in before I have to leave for work cause I don't know if I can work 16 hrs on 4 hours of sleep. Gotta hate insomnia.

Well---- Here's my late update-- So............... We all know who I'm married to, well, Manda finally had enough. So, the game plan for now has been started- Since his loss of income due to stupidity I went back to work. Up until the 31st I have been/will be working 40 hrs a week. The 31st I start college back, switched majors to Paralegal so I could at least have an A.A.S in Paralegal in a year. So, 13 credit hours of college, 24 hrs a week (minimum) of work and I've started my "Freedom" process. I applied for HUD to cover rent for a place for the kids and myself. That is looking to take about a year, so I went to DSS to see if they could help. They offered a shelter...................... I was WAY less than thrilled so I'm going to do my best to save and if all else fails hold out until the refund of my student loans (in October) to get a place for me and the girls. I do have to file for temporary custody (NY is a "Mom" state, but also known as a "whoever files first" kind of state as well) So, the process has started sort of. It's a matter of waiting pretty much to see what can be done and how long I can hold on. We get into some doozy fights around these parts. Apparently I'm a horrible mother and a selfish bitch that only deserves to see my children every other weekend. -- We'll see what the courts have to say about me being all of those things compared to a PTSD & Bipolar former soldier with "Rheumatoid Arthritis" and who should have custody. I'm pulling OT today until friday since next week (2nd half of my hours for next pay check) will be taking such a dramatic cut in hours.

Tristan is walking all over the place (of course) and being a general pain in the tush even though he's cute and all... he's still a bratty little Prince. The girls are good... they are mad mommy had to go back to work but they are also on the wait list for preschool here.

Jason is still going through the process to get out of the army and such... and playing musical medications....

But that's it around these parts......... Sorry I don't get to update much.. its just been a bit hectic as you can see.

Sorry your life is so hard right now. It's hard to go back to school, work and raise kids, but stick with it. It'll pay off in the long run.

Wow, Manda, that sucks. Hopefully everything will work out, and it won't be too hard on the kids.

I was thinking to myself that I was a little surprised you didn't pack up and haul ass outta NY, since I know you hate it up here . Then again, I realize it's never that easy.

Yeah- Busy Bee here............ No worries LF. I'm a big girl. As long as I have awesome friends who remind me I'm tough and I can do it I've got it made in the shade.

Lea- I would love to, but I refuse to leave this god forsaken state with less than a degree to show for it.

I've got a game plan a goal I've set for myself. This is my last year and I've got only my specialized classes to worry about for the next 2 semesters (and a few tossed into the summer semester as well)

I miss you guys lots........... And i'm ready to meet miss Ciannon too darnit LOL

I'm glad you're determined to finish it. I have no idea that you can do it. You can always come here and gripe when it all starts to weigh you down.