Zoey is moving up to the Teddy Bear classroom in two weeks. I know.
Didn't she just become a Panda Bear, you're asking? Yes. She did. Didn't she just get acclimated to Ms. Berna and is currently in love with her surroundings at school, thriving to a point that she is basically potty trained except at naptime and bedtime, all thanks to Ms. Berna and Ms. Mybol? Yes. All true.
So, in an effort to teach my child at a young age that nothing in life stays the same, and just when you're getting comfortable with The Way Things Are, They All Change, we're moving on up again.
There are two factors driving this change: 1. She's ready. SO ready. Socially, this kid needs to be with the bigger kids. And she did potty train in record time. 2. I need to change her daycare schedule, because of my crazy-ass work schedule, the one in which I can not seem to maintain a consistent day off from month to month. And while the Teddy Bear class is not full, and has plenty of room to 'wiggle', if you will, with the days that she is there, the Panda Bear class is full up and therefore, not very accommodating.
The fact that the Teddy Bear class costs $200 less per month might have something to do with it as well.
So. Here are my main bargaining chips for talking up the Teddy Bears with my wee little Panda:
1. The BIG KIDS in Ms. Nicole's Teddy Bear class get to play on the BIG PLAYGROUND, not the tiny little baby playground. How cool is that?
2. Field trips. That's right. The prospect of riding on that short little bus is Zoey's driving force in continuing to 'get big'. As in, every day when we are leaving daycare, this is what I hear: "when I'm big, I wide the bus!", as she throws wistful glances at the short bus parked out front at the daycare.
Zoey seems to be ambivalent about her impending change, and assures me "I won't be shad! (sad) and cwy in the new woom!". So we'll see.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Hangin' with the crazies
Okay, so for the past week, I've been participating in an activity I always swore I would have nothing to do with.
I have been getting up at 5 a.m.
And GOING TO THE GYM.
That's right, people. The girl who a) maintains a short hair cut because it only requires five minutes of daily maintenance, thereby earning me that many more minutes of sleep, and b) shuns any and all makeup not because of natural beauty but out of pure laziness and lack of desire to wake up 10 minutes earlier just to apply it, has taken to working out early in the a.m. with all those other crazy people who apparently require little or no sleep.
It isn't really as bad as I thought it would be. You pretty much get your pick of the equipment, and the energy high gets me through till at least 2 p.m. every day. (Not to worry, my good friends Diet Coke and Coffee are always there to pick up the slack.) My one complaint is that the water temperature in all the shower stalls seems to be fixed at one setting: HOT. And, with our recent 100 degree temperatures during the day, a girl just wants a nice cool shower after breaking a sweat on the elliptical machine, you know? Although, if i can keep this trend going until, say, January...I'll probably be quite thankful for the scalding water. But when you leave your house at 5:15 a.m. and it's already 74 degrees out? Not so much.
I have been getting up at 5 a.m.
And GOING TO THE GYM.
That's right, people. The girl who a) maintains a short hair cut because it only requires five minutes of daily maintenance, thereby earning me that many more minutes of sleep, and b) shuns any and all makeup not because of natural beauty but out of pure laziness and lack of desire to wake up 10 minutes earlier just to apply it, has taken to working out early in the a.m. with all those other crazy people who apparently require little or no sleep.
It isn't really as bad as I thought it would be. You pretty much get your pick of the equipment, and the energy high gets me through till at least 2 p.m. every day. (Not to worry, my good friends Diet Coke and Coffee are always there to pick up the slack.) My one complaint is that the water temperature in all the shower stalls seems to be fixed at one setting: HOT. And, with our recent 100 degree temperatures during the day, a girl just wants a nice cool shower after breaking a sweat on the elliptical machine, you know? Although, if i can keep this trend going until, say, January...I'll probably be quite thankful for the scalding water. But when you leave your house at 5:15 a.m. and it's already 74 degrees out? Not so much.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
In case all that happiness was just too much for you
As I clicked "Publish Post" icon on my last very, very happy entry, the enormous welt/bruise on my butt reminded me that I had a funny although not so happy story to tell you about the weekend.
So yesterday evening as I'm soaking in a cool bath getting ready for my date with my husband and getting all excited because honestly? When was the last time I had a date with my husband? I go to heave myself out of the tub and totally ram my backside into the water spout and promptly want to die because OH MY GOD IT HURT LIKE HELL. Like having a contraction while someone kicks you in the ass.
As I limp out of the bath tub and try to contort my body in such a way that I can survey the damage to my butt while looking in the mirror situated way above the bathroom sink, my husband walks in and says "Oh my God! You have an imprint of the faucet on your ass! Wow!".
Part of me wanted to hate him, but this morning the imprint is still there and the bruise really, really hurts.
So there. Temper all that happiness and joy with the image of a faucet-shaped bruise on my tailbone. Ouch.
So yesterday evening as I'm soaking in a cool bath getting ready for my date with my husband and getting all excited because honestly? When was the last time I had a date with my husband? I go to heave myself out of the tub and totally ram my backside into the water spout and promptly want to die because OH MY GOD IT HURT LIKE HELL. Like having a contraction while someone kicks you in the ass.
As I limp out of the bath tub and try to contort my body in such a way that I can survey the damage to my butt while looking in the mirror situated way above the bathroom sink, my husband walks in and says "Oh my God! You have an imprint of the faucet on your ass! Wow!".
Part of me wanted to hate him, but this morning the imprint is still there and the bruise really, really hurts.
So there. Temper all that happiness and joy with the image of a faucet-shaped bruise on my tailbone. Ouch.
Happy Post...finally!
First of all, I need to say a big thank you to every reader out there who has left me happy, uplifting comments in the past few weeks, AND FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SENT ME STARBUCKS CARDS, well, you just need to know that you rock and you are keeping me caffeinated. And, by extension, very very happy. Second, I hope you all know that I blog about Things That Suck not because I want you to feel sorry for me, but because I always have this nagging thought in the back of my head that whispers "you can't be the only one going through this". I like to think that I blog about the whole gamut of this motherhood/wifehood/womanhood experience: the good, the bad and the ugly. So, things lately have been tilted more in the bad/ugly direction. As my mother likes to say, "this too shall pass". I have to believe this is true, and if nothing else, I have learned firsthand in the past month how unconditionally kind people can be when times are hard.
Third...do all these Starbucks cards mean you're tired of hearing me gripe? Like you're sending the message 'hey, go buy yourself a coffee and talk about something fun for once?'.
Okay!
This has been the happiest weekend I've had in, well, a month. No, not because I won the lottery and was suddenly able to run to Target and shop to my heart's content. I feel like I'm adjusting to life as it stands right now, and learning to be okay with the Almighty Budget we've imposed on ourselves. BUT, it also helps that I've had plenty of opportunity to get myself and my child out of the house this weekend.
Friday night we went to the Tacoma Rainiers baseball game. Every year my company hosts a BBQ/baseball game night and we've gone occasionally, but this year the promise of free food and fun meant we were totally the first family to sign up for tickets. We had a blast, stayed through the whole game, and watched the fireworks show afterwards. Zoey thought the fireworks were "so pwetty!" and not at all scary.
Saturday Bryan headed down to my grandma's house to start the exterior paint (his latest hired-handyman task) and my friend Carrie's daughter Jenna came over to play. Jenna is almost 10 years old and loves nothing more than to mother Zoey and play all the games with her that can only hold my interest for about 10 minutes. Jenna also brought Zoey a truckload--literally, filling the back of her dad's truck--of her old toys, including a Hannah Montana dollhouse, two buckets full of Barbies, and a very cool (and very BIG) wooden barn complete with a corral and many horses to fill the barn. It was like Zoey went from playing with Playskool and Fisher Price toys one day to suddenly looking around our downstairs playroom and realizing that the Big Girl Toys have landed and we officially have a big kid on our hands. Jenna was an incredible help all day, keeping Zoey entertained while I tackled things around the house that had been neglected all week. Then, as I was making out our weekly grocery list, Jenna leaned on the kitchen counter next to me and said wistfully "I love helping my mom grocery shop! I like to push the cart..." Hmmmm.
Next thing you know, we were loaded in the car, stopping at the Starbucks drive-thru, and on our way to Winco.
Mothers of small children should be issued a 10 year old girl at the entrance to Winco just to lend them a hand. I plan to drive to Bonney Lake every Saturday from here on out, pick up Jenna, and bring her along for the weekly chore of Winco shopping. Seriously, it cut my grocery shopping time in half. I couldn't have been happier.
After dropping Jenna off around 4:00, I then drove out to Tacoma and dropped Zoey off with my mother in law. The plan was for Bryan and I to enjoy some much-needed alone time, and just cook dinner at home. But the 86 degree heat and the past month of cooking meal after meal after meal at home had us thinking long and hard about the cheapest restaurants we knew of, and soon we were on our way to Mekong Vietnamese restaurant.
We had fresh spring rolls, Saigon salad (yummy bowl full of lettuce, rice noodles, mint, carrots, chicken, and I'm sure other delicious ingredients that are escaping me now) and I had a very generously large glass of wine for $19.55. I justified this by saying the salmon we were going to buy at Costco to have for dinner, along with the asparagus and bread, would have cost $20...or very close.
This morning, with Bryan gone painting again, Zoey amused herself with her new horsies and her barn while I cleaned out old baby clothes and baby toys. My friends are popping babies out all over the place and I am more than happy to get rid of the old as we bring in the new, more grown-up toys that Zoey seems to be so impressed with.
And now it is nap time and I have had time to sweep, finish laundry, clean up the play room, and post something happy on the blog for once.
You're welcome.
Third...do all these Starbucks cards mean you're tired of hearing me gripe? Like you're sending the message 'hey, go buy yourself a coffee and talk about something fun for once?'.
Okay!
This has been the happiest weekend I've had in, well, a month. No, not because I won the lottery and was suddenly able to run to Target and shop to my heart's content. I feel like I'm adjusting to life as it stands right now, and learning to be okay with the Almighty Budget we've imposed on ourselves. BUT, it also helps that I've had plenty of opportunity to get myself and my child out of the house this weekend.
Friday night we went to the Tacoma Rainiers baseball game. Every year my company hosts a BBQ/baseball game night and we've gone occasionally, but this year the promise of free food and fun meant we were totally the first family to sign up for tickets. We had a blast, stayed through the whole game, and watched the fireworks show afterwards. Zoey thought the fireworks were "so pwetty!" and not at all scary.
Saturday Bryan headed down to my grandma's house to start the exterior paint (his latest hired-handyman task) and my friend Carrie's daughter Jenna came over to play. Jenna is almost 10 years old and loves nothing more than to mother Zoey and play all the games with her that can only hold my interest for about 10 minutes. Jenna also brought Zoey a truckload--literally, filling the back of her dad's truck--of her old toys, including a Hannah Montana dollhouse, two buckets full of Barbies, and a very cool (and very BIG) wooden barn complete with a corral and many horses to fill the barn. It was like Zoey went from playing with Playskool and Fisher Price toys one day to suddenly looking around our downstairs playroom and realizing that the Big Girl Toys have landed and we officially have a big kid on our hands. Jenna was an incredible help all day, keeping Zoey entertained while I tackled things around the house that had been neglected all week. Then, as I was making out our weekly grocery list, Jenna leaned on the kitchen counter next to me and said wistfully "I love helping my mom grocery shop! I like to push the cart..." Hmmmm.
Next thing you know, we were loaded in the car, stopping at the Starbucks drive-thru, and on our way to Winco.
Mothers of small children should be issued a 10 year old girl at the entrance to Winco just to lend them a hand. I plan to drive to Bonney Lake every Saturday from here on out, pick up Jenna, and bring her along for the weekly chore of Winco shopping. Seriously, it cut my grocery shopping time in half. I couldn't have been happier.
After dropping Jenna off around 4:00, I then drove out to Tacoma and dropped Zoey off with my mother in law. The plan was for Bryan and I to enjoy some much-needed alone time, and just cook dinner at home. But the 86 degree heat and the past month of cooking meal after meal after meal at home had us thinking long and hard about the cheapest restaurants we knew of, and soon we were on our way to Mekong Vietnamese restaurant.
We had fresh spring rolls, Saigon salad (yummy bowl full of lettuce, rice noodles, mint, carrots, chicken, and I'm sure other delicious ingredients that are escaping me now) and I had a very generously large glass of wine for $19.55. I justified this by saying the salmon we were going to buy at Costco to have for dinner, along with the asparagus and bread, would have cost $20...or very close.
This morning, with Bryan gone painting again, Zoey amused herself with her new horsies and her barn while I cleaned out old baby clothes and baby toys. My friends are popping babies out all over the place and I am more than happy to get rid of the old as we bring in the new, more grown-up toys that Zoey seems to be so impressed with.
And now it is nap time and I have had time to sweep, finish laundry, clean up the play room, and post something happy on the blog for once.
You're welcome.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Big Spender
I know. Two posts in one day. Try to contain yourselves.
I thought I'd share with you my two 'big' splurges at Winco yesterday. First of all, did you know you can get a gigantic bag of off-brand popsicles for $1.28? I didn't either. Totally all over that. And then, in the canned vegetable aisle, after loading up on 8 cans of a variety of generic beans, I was desperately searching for the Hytop (Winco's generic label) brand of stewed tomatoes with green chiles, so I could fix chicken enchiladas. I found none. Stewed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes with garlic and oregano, stewed tomatoes with something else I didn't need, but none with green chiles. I found myself breaking in to a cold sweat digging through the stock on the shelves, because the Hytop brand is 58 cents a can and S&W costs $1.08, people!
Then I stopped and realized I WAS BREAKING IN TO A COLD SWEAT OVER SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR ON S&W STEWED TOMATOES, grabbed the tomatoes, and made a hasty escape from the canned veggie aisle.
F***ing budget.
So there you have it. I splurged on a whopping $2.28 worth of groceries. I hope you were sitting down for that.
I hope Bryan finds a good job SOON, before I die of an aneurysm.
I thought I'd share with you my two 'big' splurges at Winco yesterday. First of all, did you know you can get a gigantic bag of off-brand popsicles for $1.28? I didn't either. Totally all over that. And then, in the canned vegetable aisle, after loading up on 8 cans of a variety of generic beans, I was desperately searching for the Hytop (Winco's generic label) brand of stewed tomatoes with green chiles, so I could fix chicken enchiladas. I found none. Stewed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes with garlic and oregano, stewed tomatoes with something else I didn't need, but none with green chiles. I found myself breaking in to a cold sweat digging through the stock on the shelves, because the Hytop brand is 58 cents a can and S&W costs $1.08, people!
Then I stopped and realized I WAS BREAKING IN TO A COLD SWEAT OVER SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR ON S&W STEWED TOMATOES, grabbed the tomatoes, and made a hasty escape from the canned veggie aisle.
F***ing budget.
So there you have it. I splurged on a whopping $2.28 worth of groceries. I hope you were sitting down for that.
I hope Bryan finds a good job SOON, before I die of an aneurysm.
Quiet Time
It is 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and I am just now sitting down for some quiet time. Ahhhh. Although I really can't complain, since Zoey treated me to going back to sleep in the "big bed" (our bed) instead of settling on being up for the day at 5:45 a.m. (Just as I was mentally calculating how many cups of coffee it would take me to survive the day starting so damn early, I must have drifted off and woke up again at the much more pleasant hour of 8:10 a.m. Very nice indeed.)
This week has been quiet, again, with slightly less freaking out about our horrible financial situation. I had fewer visions of living in a refrigerator box underneath the 512 overpass, and my faith in my husband's abilities to one day bring in a stable income started to increase. Slightly. Of course, all of this might be because I got a paycheck this week and was able to check off all the bills easily, with some to set aside for the big, ugly mortgage payment that is lurking at the end of the month. Thank God for the stability of being a nurse. Even when it's killing me to be on my feet for 10 hours a day, 40 hours a week, I can still be thankful that I have a steady job.
Another thing that helped this week was the amazing support of my family. My sister Alisa says our family motto should be "We're all in your business, but we're here to help". It's so true. I dare you to mention to someone in my family that your husband had to quit his job because, ah, he's not making any money and volunteering his time as a chiropractor wasn't really what he had envisioned when he set out on his career path...and just see how long it takes before help starts to roll in. I think my Aunt Cindy might think we're starving because she's shown up with groceries three times already IN ONE WEEK. My family is incredible.
The highlight of my week was when we got a call from the YMCA. At first, my heart sank because I thought 'great, they're raising our rates. Now we really won't be able to afford it...'. But apparently our dues have been paid for the next three months, by an "anonymous donor". I almost cried as I thought of the burden that lifted off my shoulders--three months of guaranteed stress relief at the gym, guaranteed swim time for Zo-bug, a little extra money that can be set aside for the Keep A Roof Over Our Heads Fund. So, Mystery Donor, I know you're out there, and I owe you a big old sweaty hug after 30 minutes on the eliptical machine!
This week has been quiet, again, with slightly less freaking out about our horrible financial situation. I had fewer visions of living in a refrigerator box underneath the 512 overpass, and my faith in my husband's abilities to one day bring in a stable income started to increase. Slightly. Of course, all of this might be because I got a paycheck this week and was able to check off all the bills easily, with some to set aside for the big, ugly mortgage payment that is lurking at the end of the month. Thank God for the stability of being a nurse. Even when it's killing me to be on my feet for 10 hours a day, 40 hours a week, I can still be thankful that I have a steady job.
Another thing that helped this week was the amazing support of my family. My sister Alisa says our family motto should be "We're all in your business, but we're here to help". It's so true. I dare you to mention to someone in my family that your husband had to quit his job because, ah, he's not making any money and volunteering his time as a chiropractor wasn't really what he had envisioned when he set out on his career path...and just see how long it takes before help starts to roll in. I think my Aunt Cindy might think we're starving because she's shown up with groceries three times already IN ONE WEEK. My family is incredible.
The highlight of my week was when we got a call from the YMCA. At first, my heart sank because I thought 'great, they're raising our rates. Now we really won't be able to afford it...'. But apparently our dues have been paid for the next three months, by an "anonymous donor". I almost cried as I thought of the burden that lifted off my shoulders--three months of guaranteed stress relief at the gym, guaranteed swim time for Zo-bug, a little extra money that can be set aside for the Keep A Roof Over Our Heads Fund. So, Mystery Donor, I know you're out there, and I owe you a big old sweaty hug after 30 minutes on the eliptical machine!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
What we wear to work
Yesterday was a particularly long day at work. As in, didn't leave until 6 p.m. Normally I'm not particularly concerned about bringing germs home with me from my job, and I often don't change out of my scrubs until much later in the evening. (Hey, I'm careful at work, you know? Making sure I don't get covered in poop?) But some days it's inevitable--you're going to come home feeling like you're covered in poo and germs. Yesterday was one of those days.
So instead of scooping Zoey up right away like I normally do, I hustled her back to our bedroom and she sat on our bed while I immediately changed from my nasty navy blue scrubs. She asked what I was doing. I told her Mommy had to change, she felt like she was covered in poop. Zoey nodded knowingly--we've had many discussions as of late regarding the importance of NOT being covered in poop. (I've been plopping more than my fair share of turds from big-girl panties to toilet in the past week or so.)
Fast forward to the dinner table. We're all talking and Zoey announces 'Daddy picked me up from school today!'. (Normally this is not the routine--Daddy does drop-off and Mommy does pick-up. But as of 3:15 that afternoon, I was still expecting five more patients in the recovery room. My chances of scooting out of work by 5:15 were quickly slipping away, which prompted the frantic you-have-to-get-Zoey-by-5:30!! phone call to Daddy.)
Me: "That's right! Mommy got stuck at work, so Daddy had to pick you up."
Zoey: "Yeah. Mommy got stuck at work 'cause she was CUBBOWED (covered) in poop!"
And then she gave him this very serious, concerned look, like 'can you even believe how disgusting that is?'. Like, I don't know what it is you people do when you say you're going to 'work', but apparently it's nasty and I want no part of it. And then she moved on to another topic.
So instead of scooping Zoey up right away like I normally do, I hustled her back to our bedroom and she sat on our bed while I immediately changed from my nasty navy blue scrubs. She asked what I was doing. I told her Mommy had to change, she felt like she was covered in poop. Zoey nodded knowingly--we've had many discussions as of late regarding the importance of NOT being covered in poop. (I've been plopping more than my fair share of turds from big-girl panties to toilet in the past week or so.)
Fast forward to the dinner table. We're all talking and Zoey announces 'Daddy picked me up from school today!'. (Normally this is not the routine--Daddy does drop-off and Mommy does pick-up. But as of 3:15 that afternoon, I was still expecting five more patients in the recovery room. My chances of scooting out of work by 5:15 were quickly slipping away, which prompted the frantic you-have-to-get-Zoey-by-5:30!! phone call to Daddy.)
Me: "That's right! Mommy got stuck at work, so Daddy had to pick you up."
Zoey: "Yeah. Mommy got stuck at work 'cause she was CUBBOWED (covered) in poop!"
And then she gave him this very serious, concerned look, like 'can you even believe how disgusting that is?'. Like, I don't know what it is you people do when you say you're going to 'work', but apparently it's nasty and I want no part of it. And then she moved on to another topic.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Heavenly haircuts
What's the one thing that's guaranteed to lift a gal's spirits when life seems to be presenting an endless stream of challenges? That's right. A GREAT HAIRCUT.
Especially when you found a friend who just likes to cut hair on the side, agreed to cut yours AND your child's hair for $30, and greets you at the door with "Hey, I want to highlight your hair! I just did my mom's and I have some color left over...I'll do it for free, 'cause otherwise this is all just going down the drain.".
We were 15 minutes in to the whole process before I even asked "So, what color are you highlighting my hair, anyway?".
"Blonde!"
Sweet.
So now I have totally cute streaky blonde highlights in my brown hair, my cut looks more cute and less Kate Gosselin than it did last month when I trekked to HairMasters, AND my three gray hairs are officially buried under the color. Zoey also received the royal treatment from Kelly's nine year old daughter, Bella, who scooped Zoey up immediately after we arrived and whisked her away with promises of nail polish, popcorn, and an endless stream of Barbie Princess DVDs.
It was a perfect afternoon for both of us!!
Especially when you found a friend who just likes to cut hair on the side, agreed to cut yours AND your child's hair for $30, and greets you at the door with "Hey, I want to highlight your hair! I just did my mom's and I have some color left over...I'll do it for free, 'cause otherwise this is all just going down the drain.".
We were 15 minutes in to the whole process before I even asked "So, what color are you highlighting my hair, anyway?".
"Blonde!"
Sweet.
So now I have totally cute streaky blonde highlights in my brown hair, my cut looks more cute and less Kate Gosselin than it did last month when I trekked to HairMasters, AND my three gray hairs are officially buried under the color. Zoey also received the royal treatment from Kelly's nine year old daughter, Bella, who scooped Zoey up immediately after we arrived and whisked her away with promises of nail polish, popcorn, and an endless stream of Barbie Princess DVDs.
It was a perfect afternoon for both of us!!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Will Sell Soul for Starbucks
This weekend Bryan is on his much-anticipated, long-awaited hiking/fishing/doing-manly-things-with-his-brother trip, somewhere out in the middle of nowhere, near Mt. Rainier. (I am hoping I'll be able to give more concise information to the Search and Rescue team if the need arises.)
This means that Zoey and I are home alone for four days, trying to come up with creative things to do for very, very cheap. So far we've pulled off a swimming trip to the Y last night, followed by popcorn and staying up late (very fun) and a trip to Winco for major grocery shopping today (not so fun).
It's been a quiet week, mostly spent working and focusing on how to stay on this budget. My enthusiasm is fading a little and I'm having a hard time with the whole work 10 hours, come home, prep/cook/clean up after a healthy, budget-friendly meal, then get ready for the next day of...the same thing.
However, after a thrifty visit to white-trash-Winco, I did manage to pull off an iced tea from Starbucks. And it was the best thing I think I've ever tasted.
This means that Zoey and I are home alone for four days, trying to come up with creative things to do for very, very cheap. So far we've pulled off a swimming trip to the Y last night, followed by popcorn and staying up late (very fun) and a trip to Winco for major grocery shopping today (not so fun).
It's been a quiet week, mostly spent working and focusing on how to stay on this budget. My enthusiasm is fading a little and I'm having a hard time with the whole work 10 hours, come home, prep/cook/clean up after a healthy, budget-friendly meal, then get ready for the next day of...the same thing.
However, after a thrifty visit to white-trash-Winco, I did manage to pull off an iced tea from Starbucks. And it was the best thing I think I've ever tasted.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Budget crunch
How many of you out there are on a tight budget right now? Probably quite a few, based on what I'm seeing on various blogs of other moms, and what I'm hearing about in this depressing economy, and what I'm reading in magazines like Parenting.
I actually read two interesting articles in this month's edition of Parenting, and they both deserve their own post, in my opinion. One on the pros and cons of spacing siblings close together as opposed to further apart (I think you all know what camp I'm firmly lodged in, but more on that later), and one article that almost made me cry as I tried to remain upright on the elliptical machine at the Y--reporting on the growing incidence of homeless families, living in their vehicles or shelters.
Fresh from a talk with my husband about how we need to buckle down and watch every penny we spend for the next few months, as he struggles to get his practice going in an economy that doesn't lend itself to "extras" like seeking chiropractic care, I found myself reading about a family of five in Colorado who moves from church shelter to church shelter every week or so, trying their best to keep their kids in the same schools and keep a roof over their heads every night.
So yeah. There I was feeling sorry for myself because I suddenly have to kick my Starbucks habit, when there are families out there who don't know how they're going to keep their kids out of the rain once they come home from school.
You could say that gave me a bit of perspective.
I left the gym with a renewed sense of what it means to us to live within our budget. Yes, it's hard right now--Bryan, bless his heart, is a fantastic go-getter who is trying his best to get his business up and running. And that's going to take time. And during that time, we're going to have to watch what we spend...perhaps a bit more closely than I like. It's not that I mind living by a budget (God knows we've never been independently wealthy or even well off in the time we've been together), it's just that I prefer my budget to have a bit more wiggle room. Living by a budget that allows you to take $20 out of the ATM on payday is comfortable. Knowing that I only have $2 in cash to last me I'm not sure how long is a little less reassuring to me.
So I was thinking about the things that I just can't live without, no matter how poor we happen to be. I came up with the following three items:
1. Decent food. My budget has to allow for me to make healthy, yummy meals and snacks that don't leave us feeling like life sucks because we're eating spaghetti from a jar for the third night this week. It's bad enough that we've sworn off eating out for the next however many weeks. We're on a budget, not a diet. If we feel deprived all the time, I can see a hefty VISA charge at Red Robin in our not-so-distant future.
2. A way to get out and run off some steam. That means the YMCA membership has to stay. It's given us plenty of days of going out as a family, and Bryan and I individually for work-outs, and we need that. I'll give up TV before I'll give up the Y. Also, I'll admit that living frugally in the heat of the summer time feels less daunting than it would in, say, November. Because playing at the park is free and finding something for a two year old to do indoors while it rains for the 46th day in a row is depressing.
3. Caffeine. Um, duh. BUT, I can make my own iced tea. It doesn't taste as good when it doesn't come perfectly iced in that beautiful, tall cup from Starbucks, but I'm willing to concede that there are worse things in life. Also, Diet Coke, in all it's bubbly, osteoporosis-inducing-phosphate glory, will have to be my cheaper stand-in for the time being. But grande iced lattes? How I do miss you.
So anyway. All three of the above points are manageable, for the time being. I grocery shopped at Winco (where I returned to my car to find a half-chewed piece of pizza on the hood of my car which made me double check to see, are we at Wal-Mart? No? Must be close...) for an entire week and spent $56. However, that's not including the chicken we'll need for a few meals this week, which I'll have to buy somewhere else at, undoubtedly, a higher price...but the slightly grayish "Val-Paks" of 20 chicken breasts resting in the freezer case at Winco just made me shudder. We may become vegetarians by the time all is said and done.
Another perk to being without any spending money is that we spend more time at home. And I spend more time cleaning and maintaining a house that looks presentable, and that makes me happy. Call me OCD if you will (and plenty of you have) but having things in order in my home makes me feel like life in general is in order. Which is another blessing when other things in life feel so chaotic and out of control. Also, a quiet, clean house lends itself more to activities that I love--namely, reading through that stack of books I set aside for this summer, and writing on this here blog. Because sitting down and immersing myself in my latest read when there's graham cracker smeared on the floor and toys strewn everywhere? Ain't gonna happen with this mom.
So this budget thing might not be so bad. It shows you what your priorities are, and also reminds you of how much you DO have. I think of waiting in line with Zoey, praying we make it in to a shelter that night, and my heart breaks for families who actually have to endure that process every day. I find inspiration in all the blogs I follow through this site--Erin of Little Kite Girl, for her practicality and honesty, Kelly for making me feel like compulsive coupon clipping is a completely normal practice, Heather for her constant support and enthusiasm while raising THREE KIDS OH MY GOD HOW DO YOU DO IT, and Abby, for her undying sense of humor that keeps me laughing when I'd otherwise be crying tears of self-pity in to my Kirkland Brand beer.
I actually read two interesting articles in this month's edition of Parenting, and they both deserve their own post, in my opinion. One on the pros and cons of spacing siblings close together as opposed to further apart (I think you all know what camp I'm firmly lodged in, but more on that later), and one article that almost made me cry as I tried to remain upright on the elliptical machine at the Y--reporting on the growing incidence of homeless families, living in their vehicles or shelters.
Fresh from a talk with my husband about how we need to buckle down and watch every penny we spend for the next few months, as he struggles to get his practice going in an economy that doesn't lend itself to "extras" like seeking chiropractic care, I found myself reading about a family of five in Colorado who moves from church shelter to church shelter every week or so, trying their best to keep their kids in the same schools and keep a roof over their heads every night.
So yeah. There I was feeling sorry for myself because I suddenly have to kick my Starbucks habit, when there are families out there who don't know how they're going to keep their kids out of the rain once they come home from school.
You could say that gave me a bit of perspective.
I left the gym with a renewed sense of what it means to us to live within our budget. Yes, it's hard right now--Bryan, bless his heart, is a fantastic go-getter who is trying his best to get his business up and running. And that's going to take time. And during that time, we're going to have to watch what we spend...perhaps a bit more closely than I like. It's not that I mind living by a budget (God knows we've never been independently wealthy or even well off in the time we've been together), it's just that I prefer my budget to have a bit more wiggle room. Living by a budget that allows you to take $20 out of the ATM on payday is comfortable. Knowing that I only have $2 in cash to last me I'm not sure how long is a little less reassuring to me.
So I was thinking about the things that I just can't live without, no matter how poor we happen to be. I came up with the following three items:
1. Decent food. My budget has to allow for me to make healthy, yummy meals and snacks that don't leave us feeling like life sucks because we're eating spaghetti from a jar for the third night this week. It's bad enough that we've sworn off eating out for the next however many weeks. We're on a budget, not a diet. If we feel deprived all the time, I can see a hefty VISA charge at Red Robin in our not-so-distant future.
2. A way to get out and run off some steam. That means the YMCA membership has to stay. It's given us plenty of days of going out as a family, and Bryan and I individually for work-outs, and we need that. I'll give up TV before I'll give up the Y. Also, I'll admit that living frugally in the heat of the summer time feels less daunting than it would in, say, November. Because playing at the park is free and finding something for a two year old to do indoors while it rains for the 46th day in a row is depressing.
3. Caffeine. Um, duh. BUT, I can make my own iced tea. It doesn't taste as good when it doesn't come perfectly iced in that beautiful, tall cup from Starbucks, but I'm willing to concede that there are worse things in life. Also, Diet Coke, in all it's bubbly, osteoporosis-inducing-phosphate glory, will have to be my cheaper stand-in for the time being. But grande iced lattes? How I do miss you.
So anyway. All three of the above points are manageable, for the time being. I grocery shopped at Winco (where I returned to my car to find a half-chewed piece of pizza on the hood of my car which made me double check to see, are we at Wal-Mart? No? Must be close...) for an entire week and spent $56. However, that's not including the chicken we'll need for a few meals this week, which I'll have to buy somewhere else at, undoubtedly, a higher price...but the slightly grayish "Val-Paks" of 20 chicken breasts resting in the freezer case at Winco just made me shudder. We may become vegetarians by the time all is said and done.
Another perk to being without any spending money is that we spend more time at home. And I spend more time cleaning and maintaining a house that looks presentable, and that makes me happy. Call me OCD if you will (and plenty of you have) but having things in order in my home makes me feel like life in general is in order. Which is another blessing when other things in life feel so chaotic and out of control. Also, a quiet, clean house lends itself more to activities that I love--namely, reading through that stack of books I set aside for this summer, and writing on this here blog. Because sitting down and immersing myself in my latest read when there's graham cracker smeared on the floor and toys strewn everywhere? Ain't gonna happen with this mom.
So this budget thing might not be so bad. It shows you what your priorities are, and also reminds you of how much you DO have. I think of waiting in line with Zoey, praying we make it in to a shelter that night, and my heart breaks for families who actually have to endure that process every day. I find inspiration in all the blogs I follow through this site--Erin of Little Kite Girl, for her practicality and honesty, Kelly for making me feel like compulsive coupon clipping is a completely normal practice, Heather for her constant support and enthusiasm while raising THREE KIDS OH MY GOD HOW DO YOU DO IT, and Abby, for her undying sense of humor that keeps me laughing when I'd otherwise be crying tears of self-pity in to my Kirkland Brand beer.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Tales from the potty
Funny (and true) recent stories related to Potty Training:
1. Zoey has suddenly developed a certain shyness when it comes to her potty habits, which shocks me since Bryan and I both freely pee with the door open and hold conversations room-to-room during bowel movements. But whatever. I'm sure it's normal for a 2 1/2 year old to want some measure of privacy...right? Also, she's taken to emptying her own poo from her panties to the toilet, except for one day last week when she snuck in to the bathroom, stripped from the waist down and sent her shorts, underwear AND poo down the laundry chute. Luckily Bryan figured it out and retrieved the poo before I went downstairs, opened the trap door, and got the shock of my life. I don't think I would have survived that one. I can weather a lot of things but poop in the eye? Just might kick me over the edge.
2. Today we ventured out to the park with NO DIAPER. Only panties. It was more monumental for me than her, I think, because it means I'm just ready to commit to the whole process, damnit, and go all-out. Because seriously, I'm NOT going to buy another box of diapers. There were no accidents at the park, and she's even napping now with no diaper. We're both so brave. We probably both deserve stickers.
1. Zoey has suddenly developed a certain shyness when it comes to her potty habits, which shocks me since Bryan and I both freely pee with the door open and hold conversations room-to-room during bowel movements. But whatever. I'm sure it's normal for a 2 1/2 year old to want some measure of privacy...right? Also, she's taken to emptying her own poo from her panties to the toilet, except for one day last week when she snuck in to the bathroom, stripped from the waist down and sent her shorts, underwear AND poo down the laundry chute. Luckily Bryan figured it out and retrieved the poo before I went downstairs, opened the trap door, and got the shock of my life. I don't think I would have survived that one. I can weather a lot of things but poop in the eye? Just might kick me over the edge.
2. Today we ventured out to the park with NO DIAPER. Only panties. It was more monumental for me than her, I think, because it means I'm just ready to commit to the whole process, damnit, and go all-out. Because seriously, I'm NOT going to buy another box of diapers. There were no accidents at the park, and she's even napping now with no diaper. We're both so brave. We probably both deserve stickers.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ode to the Recovery Room Nurse
The thing I hate about working in Recovery at work is that you can be cruising along in your day, quiet and unassuming, and suddenly you find yourself orienting a new nurse who has just received a patient with 35 colon polyps freshly removed, another patient with colon cancer freshly diagnosed, and a third patient who's colonoscopy took 3 minutes flat (to make up for that lost time when we got bogged down in polyp retrieval and biopsying of cancer).
And suddenly your day comes to a screeching, grinding halt. Before you know it, it's 5:40 p.m. and the last time you looked at the clock, you swear it was only 3:10.
Days like this are what make me believe it will be nearly impossible to work this job that I love, even on days when I'm in Recovery Hell, if we should decide to have Baby #2.
(The highlight of my day was when I was pressing on an older gentleman's belly as he held his breath and tried desperately to FART ALREADY SO YOU'LL FEEL BETTER! He gasped as he exhaled 'You must really love your job'. I do.)
And suddenly your day comes to a screeching, grinding halt. Before you know it, it's 5:40 p.m. and the last time you looked at the clock, you swear it was only 3:10.
Days like this are what make me believe it will be nearly impossible to work this job that I love, even on days when I'm in Recovery Hell, if we should decide to have Baby #2.
(The highlight of my day was when I was pressing on an older gentleman's belly as he held his breath and tried desperately to FART ALREADY SO YOU'LL FEEL BETTER! He gasped as he exhaled 'You must really love your job'. I do.)
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