Ardyn is at school this morning and Marek and I are hanging out at home. We took baths (which I really needed.... every time in the last two weeks that I have attempted to shave I have gotten interrupted and had to get out early and never got to it) and it has been nice and quiet. Marek played cars and monster trucks and I have actually been able to have full conversations with him without him being interrupted or talked over. Nice!
Trick or Treat was fun last night. At first Marek was all worked up about not wanting his costume on, and he fought me, just like he did for the costume party, but as soon as he got into the wagon he got a huge smile on his face, and at the first house he marched up and puffed out his chest and said "I a robot!" so proudly. He didn't wear his helmet at all to trick or treat, but it is awkward and he doesn't like it on, and the costume worked fine without it, so it was okay. He won "Most Original" for his costume in his preschool age group at the community halloween party.
This week is fairly laid back. We have lots going on, but none of it is really stressful. Except I have to get the house picked up by Friday for the cleaning ladies. The kitchen is picked up, and I cleaned all the robot costume making supplies off the dining room table, but there is laundry to fold and put away, and both the kids rooms appear destroyed again. We have date night tonight and we get to go pick up photos that the kids had taken from an Antiquities Photo Fundraiser. Basically you buy a $10 ticket and then they do a photo shoot in which they provide the props and clothing. Then you get a free storyboard that is 10x13 and the option to buy more if you want. The best thing that I liked about it was the props of course, but at the same time they were the downfall. Some of the photos I thought had TOO MANY Props, and some had really icky props (IMHO) like cheap plastic flower sticks that looked like they cost $1.50 at Walmart, for "bouquets." Ick. I tried to eliminate icky photo props for the kids but the photographer was an older man and he kept sticking things in the photos that I really disliked. So we shall see. Marek got to wear a tuxedo that was ADORABLE with a top hat, and that might just be my favorite, but when he was taking Marek's pic in the tuxedo he had a REALLY cool black and white patterned background, but then stuck an ugly white pillar in the picture. So I am not sure about that. Hopefully some were actually really good. The kids cooperated really well and had a great time. The ticket and the fundraising organizers said that we could pick one set of outfits and then switch, but the photographer wasn't cooperative about that, which I found really really frustrating. They had a really cool motorcycle that Marek wanted to get his picture on, but instead of letting me put his jeans back on with the leather motorcycle jacket, the photographer kept his tux on but removed the jacket. I had picked a cool outfit for Ardyn to wear in that shot and for her to stand next to Marek on the motorcycle, but he was rushing and although I rushed out and swapped outfits in like 3 minutes or less, he only allowed me one photo with the two of them together in those clothes, and by the way Ardyn was positioned in front of the background divider I could tell he had no intention of making it an actual shot, and that it would probably be scrapped and he was just appeasing me enough to get me out of his way. I think that as a perfectionist and a photographer myself, I am overly sensitive to that type of thing, but attention to detail is very important to me for good photos, and if they actually intended me to PURCHASE any from them, it would have been helpful if they would have been accommodating and also asked which props I actually liked. He took a ton of photos of Ardyn with a teaset and a mirror and pearls, and while those will probably be cool in sepia, I felt like he spent way too much time on Ardyn and not enough with Marek or much with the two of them together, which is more what I wanted and expected. Oh well. It was certainly worth $10 and I know the organization was pleased with their fund-raising results, so the goal was achieved. All I could think is what FUN I could have with a little tuxedo and my OWN camera.... Which means that when Marek is ring bearer for Darrel and Leslea, I will just have to be especially sure to use a camera to my fullest advantage. I am excited about seeing the pictures tonight, but a little worried about exactly what poses and prop photos they will put in this "storyboard" because I am sure it's already printed and I can't choose which shots I want in it.
On another front, Chickens! We have had some strange chicken happenings lately. Yesterday morning we went outside to find a missing chicken, which shortly changed over to a dead chicken. It was one of our beautiful Buff Orpingtons that we had raised from a chick. You probably know or recall that we started with six and that FOUR of those ended up being roosters that we donated to new homes. That left us with TWO Buff Hens that were just gorgeous. We also had three hens given to us by Jeremy and Cherie of Meadowhaven Farms, and when we were overwhelmed with lots of chickens, I gave one of those away to a friend in need of a hen. Now we have two of those left, which left a total of four hens. So one was missing when we went out yesterday, and shortly after I found her dead, unharmed, between the garden and the picket fence. It appeared that she had crawled in between the space in the boards because she felt safe in there, and was basically "roosting" outside for the night, which isn't entirely shocking around here. Boyd keeps all predators at bay in the fence, and we have never had any issues. But I think what happened was that it rained that night and got down to freezing temp, and I think she got chilled and died. I don't know. She had appeared totally healthy. So the kids and I put her in a box and took her to the farm. That afternoon when we got back home, we put Marek down for a nap and Ardyn and I set to working outside in the yard. We filled the back of the old blue truck with dead weeds that we pulled. We burned all the cardboard. We trimmed the forsythia and picked up the trimmings, we shoveled an entire wheelbarrow of chicken poo and wood chip bedding into the composter. We lit up our Halloween lights on the fence and fed and watered all the animals. We picked up trash around the house and when one of Cherie's hens walked by me, she was limping. I looked closer and sure enough her leg had swollen and totally engulfed the leg band on one of her feet. Uh oh. It did NOT look good. I picked her up and decided we needed to cut the leg band off. When I touched it, it started oozing grey pus (gross) and I was like, this is not pretty. Best we can do is cut it off, medicate it, and see what happens. It will either drain and heal, or it will kill her. So as I am holding her, I notice another problem, she has a hernia on her butt. Oy. and it's not pretty at all. So on second thought, I realize that she just needs to be put down. Too much hassle and worry for a chicken that is already past laying age and not healthy anymore. So now, we have TWO hens. We went from NINE chickens to TWO in a matter of like two months, and no predators were involved. Yikes! I am really sad. I want more hens so badly right now, but everyone I have asked is not in the position to sell or donate any. Buying a full grown hen is expensive from a hatchery, because the shipping is KILLER. It costs more to Ship a hen than to buy one. Problem is, I can't raise from chicks right now (I don't think) because winter is upon us, and even though I would start them in the basement, I am pretty sure they wouldn't survive going outside in the winter until they are much much older. So now all that hard work and we are down to two laying hens and I worry that the two of them together won't make it through the winter. Not enough friends to huddle up with! So if you hear of anyone who has nice healthy hens to part with, I could use a couple. Most people I have found are giving away older hens, that are like 3 years old. Which would be a warm body, but they tend to have health issues and are done laying or close to it, so that's not really what I am looking for. I finally found some pullets for sale on Craigslist, and am investigating that avenue... Brahmas and Javas :)
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Marek- ranch dressing/ kidspeak
marek saws hidden valley ranch commercial on TV: "I love ranches! Mommy do you love ranches? I love ranches! And TATER TOTS! And soups! And and and pinecones!"
Uh-
Okay....?
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Uh-
Okay....?
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Ardyn- kidspeak
A: mom let's watch Harry Potter 3!
Me: we just watched it yesterday!?
A: Ahhh... But this time I'm gonna pay attention!
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Me: we just watched it yesterday!?
A: Ahhh... But this time I'm gonna pay attention!
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Random Sunday Rundown
Tonight I am testing out the new blogger interface. It's not too bad. It is clean. Almost too clean. Not very colorful and pretty plain, but I don't think that's a serious problem. I can't say that it makes me "happy" to look at, but I guess that's not everything.
We had a great day yesterday, carving pumpkins and eating delicious food. I have two more pumpkins to carve, and there is a slim chance that I might do that tonight... however I know that PanAm is on tonight and it looks like the kids will still be awake, which makes it next to impossible to actually watch a TV show based on the fact that you can't hear yourself think. It's been pretty quiet this evening as it is, with a fairly late nap and everyone doing their own thing with the TV's all off, which makes me happy. Ardyn is playing her DS, but Marek has been playing with toys, and I loaded the dishwasher and lit the Jack-O-Lanterns while Evan went on an emergency toilet paper run.
Today I was in charge of fellowship at church, and Evan woke up sick in the early morning hours so I had to get both kids ready and take them with me while doing fellowship, which I really try to never do. We hightailed it to Sullivan's for some after-church goodies, and their bakery selection did NOT let us down. Everything that we took (something like 5-6 dozen treats) was cleared out quickly. But the issue I had at Sullivan's this morning, besides having to take both kids in during a brief downpour, was the fact that they have now decided to put a stand in the checkout line that includes MANY toys. How annoying was that? Incredibly. It was a constant "I want this", "Can we buy this?" and "Can I take this home?" that just did not quit. It was one toy after the other and they were so distracted and overwhelmed that it took twice as long to checkout our 6 items and get them paid for and out the door. What should have been a 15 minute trip (8 minutes with no kids involved) took us TWENTY-THREE MINUTES and then we were running in the door at church just as it was about to start. Oy. No matter how far in advance I plan for fellowship, it always ends up being stressful on me, because there is always some child-related situation that comes up.
This time, however, I did manage to keep the kids in the kitchen with me while serving and replenishing food and coffee, because some miraculous idea told me to buy a package of juice boxes to keep in the church fridge to keep my two occupied and nearby, and I sat them on the kitchen floor with their napkins, treats, and juiceboxes. I did make two observations... one being that keeping them in the kitchen made a world of difference. I knew where they were, they weren't trying to leave the church and go outside parentless, and they sat there and had their snacks while I served. Problem being, keeping the two doors to the kitchen shut and them inside. I realized at that moment that the only garbage for napkins and such was located IN the kitchen (which I quickly remedied) and that all the people are very helpful and return their dirty glasses and mugs to the kitchen sink so that I can wash them afterwards, which means the door is constantly opening and not as often closing as opening. But Paul came in and played with the kids for a bit and they were excited to see him, and then Becky came and took them out with her to play until I was just about completely finished with cleanup. THAT was a blessing for sure. And it was so cute because Becky came back and said "Um, Ardyn is in the bathroom and she said she has to poop!" and I thanked her and went to do my mom duties. Isn't timing everything?
Sharon was so helpful and stayed to dry and put away glasses for me, which cut down on my cleanup time immensely.
Then we came home and made lunch and watched a Harry Potter Movie and then we had a nice nap. The day really flew by.
This week I would really like to get to JoAnn Fabric, but I just don't think I will be able to afford to. I need a few SMALL cuts of cotton with some lycra to use as underwear wasitbands. I have several 40-50% off coupons, but I just don't think even that is going to make it affordable right now. In addition to Class Picutres being this week, we have all the usual expenses and they are always so overwhelming.
I have gotten into the habit of taking the things out of the paycheck right up front that I anticipate we will need that week, and then the rest goes in to pay bills. Oy. Problem is by the time I put gas in the van and grab enough cash to cover what I know I will have to pay for, I already am like $100-$150 less on the amount I deposit, which never bodes well. Expenses are just overwhelming! Unfortunately it wouldn't be any better if I were working, because daycare costs are through the roof. It doesn't pay to work but one income is also stressful.
It seems like every single week someone is selling something. I have been doing really good at saying no, but sometimes I think that people think I am lying when I tell them I just can't right now. Sometimes I ask them what type of profit their organization is actually getting, and when they say 10% I often say "So I could spend $20 for something I don't need, or I could just donate $2 to your organization, right?" That is so frustrating. I can donate and get a tax deduction at least. I really hate "selling" fundraisers. I'd rather have a chance at a 50-50 raffle or something like a gift certificate than to buy crap I don't need or overpriced food we don't eat. Especially on a tight budget. Right now I had to tell a friend from Gateway that I couldn't buy a fresh wreath from him. I feel horrible. I know how excited he gets with each sale, but spending $30 on something that will die when I have TONS (too many already from years of accumulation) of artificial wreaths already... it just is not something I can justify. especially when our spluges as of late have come in the way of Violin Lessons, Tickets for Dance recital, and one pair of jeans that actually fit me, which I do not regret yet.
This reminds me I have to get chicken feed, (which isn't expensive at all in the sceme of things, and with egg prices) but I think I neglected to budget for that out of the last paycheck and now I hope I have enough to last the rest of the week for the ladies. Gonna need bunny food too!
We recently did the photos for the MOPS Fundraiser that sold Antiquities Photo Shoots with a FREE Storyboard for $10. It was a great deal, but I know that when we go back in the beginning of November there will be other cute pics to choose from, and that there is a chance I will want one. The reason I know it will be hard to resist? Marek in a tiny tuxedo and top hat. Oy. He is the most handsome boy EVER. And he SMILED so well! Oh did he smile! I am thinking I wish I had a little tux to take my own photos, but then I am remembering that he will be in Darrel and Leslea's wedding in May, although I am not sure if that means a Tux in his future. I had wanted to get some family photos done for this fall/winter to give to grandparents for Christmas, and because we haven't had them done in over two years... but I am not sure HOW in the world I am going to pull off that cost. Luckily my photographer friend who is uber-amazingly-talented has a great deal for a mini-shoot package... but I have nothing for us to wear, and by the time you add in clothes and also the package, Ouch. Not practical when I am struggling to just make basic ends meet. Thank GOD for layaway this year, although even that has me stressed out a bit. I wish Farm and Fleet's Toyland had layaway, but I am glad that TSC does.
This afternoon while the kids were watching their movie I entered things into my MobileMe Calendar, which I hadn't really been using as of yet, and I really liked the options for reoccurring events... however I instantly discovered the limitation that I can't print any of the calendars, which is frustrating because Evan doesn't have an iPhone so I can't send him our calendar. And no, I am not using Cozi, because he doesn't even have a smart phone so he isn't going to use any of it. I just wanted to print it out so he could see it but I just can't. Grrr. That's a serious limitation. I can print a screenshot, but if there are several things on one day, you can't see them all that way. You can actually only see like the first Six letters of each event and the start time. ANNOYING.
Anyway.
This morning Ardyn asked me if we could get the church choir to sing "livin on a prayer" by Bon Jovi (which was on the radio on the way to church) and then right after that was "Highway to Hell" Which she didn't comment on. :)
Well, our pizza in nearly done. If you haven't tried the Great value self rising pizzas, they are delicious and actually taste BETTER than a Digorno. Amazing. We love them here.
My son is dismantling a battery powered candle. Grand. Goodnight.
We had a great day yesterday, carving pumpkins and eating delicious food. I have two more pumpkins to carve, and there is a slim chance that I might do that tonight... however I know that PanAm is on tonight and it looks like the kids will still be awake, which makes it next to impossible to actually watch a TV show based on the fact that you can't hear yourself think. It's been pretty quiet this evening as it is, with a fairly late nap and everyone doing their own thing with the TV's all off, which makes me happy. Ardyn is playing her DS, but Marek has been playing with toys, and I loaded the dishwasher and lit the Jack-O-Lanterns while Evan went on an emergency toilet paper run.
Today I was in charge of fellowship at church, and Evan woke up sick in the early morning hours so I had to get both kids ready and take them with me while doing fellowship, which I really try to never do. We hightailed it to Sullivan's for some after-church goodies, and their bakery selection did NOT let us down. Everything that we took (something like 5-6 dozen treats) was cleared out quickly. But the issue I had at Sullivan's this morning, besides having to take both kids in during a brief downpour, was the fact that they have now decided to put a stand in the checkout line that includes MANY toys. How annoying was that? Incredibly. It was a constant "I want this", "Can we buy this?" and "Can I take this home?" that just did not quit. It was one toy after the other and they were so distracted and overwhelmed that it took twice as long to checkout our 6 items and get them paid for and out the door. What should have been a 15 minute trip (8 minutes with no kids involved) took us TWENTY-THREE MINUTES and then we were running in the door at church just as it was about to start. Oy. No matter how far in advance I plan for fellowship, it always ends up being stressful on me, because there is always some child-related situation that comes up.
This time, however, I did manage to keep the kids in the kitchen with me while serving and replenishing food and coffee, because some miraculous idea told me to buy a package of juice boxes to keep in the church fridge to keep my two occupied and nearby, and I sat them on the kitchen floor with their napkins, treats, and juiceboxes. I did make two observations... one being that keeping them in the kitchen made a world of difference. I knew where they were, they weren't trying to leave the church and go outside parentless, and they sat there and had their snacks while I served. Problem being, keeping the two doors to the kitchen shut and them inside. I realized at that moment that the only garbage for napkins and such was located IN the kitchen (which I quickly remedied) and that all the people are very helpful and return their dirty glasses and mugs to the kitchen sink so that I can wash them afterwards, which means the door is constantly opening and not as often closing as opening. But Paul came in and played with the kids for a bit and they were excited to see him, and then Becky came and took them out with her to play until I was just about completely finished with cleanup. THAT was a blessing for sure. And it was so cute because Becky came back and said "Um, Ardyn is in the bathroom and she said she has to poop!" and I thanked her and went to do my mom duties. Isn't timing everything?
Sharon was so helpful and stayed to dry and put away glasses for me, which cut down on my cleanup time immensely.
Then we came home and made lunch and watched a Harry Potter Movie and then we had a nice nap. The day really flew by.
This week I would really like to get to JoAnn Fabric, but I just don't think I will be able to afford to. I need a few SMALL cuts of cotton with some lycra to use as underwear wasitbands. I have several 40-50% off coupons, but I just don't think even that is going to make it affordable right now. In addition to Class Picutres being this week, we have all the usual expenses and they are always so overwhelming.
I have gotten into the habit of taking the things out of the paycheck right up front that I anticipate we will need that week, and then the rest goes in to pay bills. Oy. Problem is by the time I put gas in the van and grab enough cash to cover what I know I will have to pay for, I already am like $100-$150 less on the amount I deposit, which never bodes well. Expenses are just overwhelming! Unfortunately it wouldn't be any better if I were working, because daycare costs are through the roof. It doesn't pay to work but one income is also stressful.
It seems like every single week someone is selling something. I have been doing really good at saying no, but sometimes I think that people think I am lying when I tell them I just can't right now. Sometimes I ask them what type of profit their organization is actually getting, and when they say 10% I often say "So I could spend $20 for something I don't need, or I could just donate $2 to your organization, right?" That is so frustrating. I can donate and get a tax deduction at least. I really hate "selling" fundraisers. I'd rather have a chance at a 50-50 raffle or something like a gift certificate than to buy crap I don't need or overpriced food we don't eat. Especially on a tight budget. Right now I had to tell a friend from Gateway that I couldn't buy a fresh wreath from him. I feel horrible. I know how excited he gets with each sale, but spending $30 on something that will die when I have TONS (too many already from years of accumulation) of artificial wreaths already... it just is not something I can justify. especially when our spluges as of late have come in the way of Violin Lessons, Tickets for Dance recital, and one pair of jeans that actually fit me, which I do not regret yet.
This reminds me I have to get chicken feed, (which isn't expensive at all in the sceme of things, and with egg prices) but I think I neglected to budget for that out of the last paycheck and now I hope I have enough to last the rest of the week for the ladies. Gonna need bunny food too!
We recently did the photos for the MOPS Fundraiser that sold Antiquities Photo Shoots with a FREE Storyboard for $10. It was a great deal, but I know that when we go back in the beginning of November there will be other cute pics to choose from, and that there is a chance I will want one. The reason I know it will be hard to resist? Marek in a tiny tuxedo and top hat. Oy. He is the most handsome boy EVER. And he SMILED so well! Oh did he smile! I am thinking I wish I had a little tux to take my own photos, but then I am remembering that he will be in Darrel and Leslea's wedding in May, although I am not sure if that means a Tux in his future. I had wanted to get some family photos done for this fall/winter to give to grandparents for Christmas, and because we haven't had them done in over two years... but I am not sure HOW in the world I am going to pull off that cost. Luckily my photographer friend who is uber-amazingly-talented has a great deal for a mini-shoot package... but I have nothing for us to wear, and by the time you add in clothes and also the package, Ouch. Not practical when I am struggling to just make basic ends meet. Thank GOD for layaway this year, although even that has me stressed out a bit. I wish Farm and Fleet's Toyland had layaway, but I am glad that TSC does.
This afternoon while the kids were watching their movie I entered things into my MobileMe Calendar, which I hadn't really been using as of yet, and I really liked the options for reoccurring events... however I instantly discovered the limitation that I can't print any of the calendars, which is frustrating because Evan doesn't have an iPhone so I can't send him our calendar. And no, I am not using Cozi, because he doesn't even have a smart phone so he isn't going to use any of it. I just wanted to print it out so he could see it but I just can't. Grrr. That's a serious limitation. I can print a screenshot, but if there are several things on one day, you can't see them all that way. You can actually only see like the first Six letters of each event and the start time. ANNOYING.
Anyway.
This morning Ardyn asked me if we could get the church choir to sing "livin on a prayer" by Bon Jovi (which was on the radio on the way to church) and then right after that was "Highway to Hell" Which she didn't comment on. :)
Well, our pizza in nearly done. If you haven't tried the Great value self rising pizzas, they are delicious and actually taste BETTER than a Digorno. Amazing. We love them here.
My son is dismantling a battery powered candle. Grand. Goodnight.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Wearever honors my warranty claim (#2) and Goes Above and Beyond
Special Thanks to Wearever for their awesome customer service. This is my second warranty claim on the pots and pans that I purchased 12 years ago before Evan and I moved in together. They sent me this Stainless Steel Set that is AWESOME and so nicely made. I hope it lasts! When I called I was told they could ONLY replace it with an identical set, but when I sent in the defective set I included a letter explaining that this was my second warranty claim for the same teflon flaking issue and that I wanted to request a stainless steel set for replacement so that I wouldn't keep having the same issue. They listened and I couldn't be happier! I used the skillet and the colander and spoon today while cooking the ground beef for my chili, and I adore them!
Here is a link to my previous post with photos and documentation of my warranty claim...
http://dazed81.blogspot.com/2011/08/wearever-warranty-claim-2.html
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Illinois' Spoon River Drive, October 8th, 2011
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
October It is.....
What a beautiful fall day :)
My kids are inside watching a movie. Yep. Well, for what it's worth I had intended for them to be outside today. And they were outside until lunchtime. They played in the yard, and Ardyn played outside at preschool. But after lunch, they both wanted to watch the Winnie the Pooh movie, and although I thought about pushing them back out the door, I realized that the movie might be a good wind down to naptime, and violin practice, and it would also allow me to dump the 4000 photos and videos that are on my iPhone and making it full. And switch the laundry and such. I spent the whole beautiful day yesterday inside (although the windows were open) because I am really trying to get caught up on regular housework and get some serious clutter under control. I have been working on our bedroom for several days now. I have cleared out my bookshelf, and Evan's dresser, and my jewelry armoire, and 94% of the floor and a good portion of laundry baskets and hampers of clean clothes. I still have two that need to be packed away (too small clothes of the kids) and one of kid clothes that needs put in their dressers yet. But even those need to be reorganized. Oy. I have been trying to sell pants and jeans of mine that are too small, I have sold all but seven of 17 pair of pants. I bought myself one new pair to replace them :)
My sock drawer needs gone through again, and my underwear drawer. So little time!
Fall weather gets me in the cleaning mode, plus the fact that I am hosting Bunco next week means that I need to find some horizontal surfaces to have room for everyone in this little place. I still need to go buy the food ingredients and also the prizes, which I think I might get this weekend while I am on the Spoon River Scenic Drive with my mom. I am so looking forward to that. But first I must get through this week, which includes getting the house picked up before the cleaning ladies come on Friday. There is also a PJWC meeting Thursday night, but I don't know if I am going yet or not. There just seems to be a TON going on.
Today I finished painting a footed bowl for my friend EA. She is part of a Race for the Cure team and is doing a large fundraiser in a couple of weeks, and asked if I would hand paint a piece of pottery that could be auctioned off at the fundraiser. I worked on it last week and finished it today, while Ardyn was in school. It was fun for me because I didn't have to pay for it, and she watched Marek so I could go while Ardyn was in school. It was like "me time" in most regards. I can't wait to see it finished, it's hard to tell what it is going to look like when it is unfired. If you have never painted pottery before, the paint colors are dull and chalky looking and most of them don't even look like the finished color, so that leaves a lot to the imagination. I sure hope it's pretty.
After school the kids and and I came home and collected a BUNCH of eggs. I think Gloria might be laying again, and now I think BOTH pullets (young hens) are laying. There were 5 eggs in the last 30 hours or so, and we were lucky enough to see ONE of them being laid first hand. One of the younger hens was pacing around the bunny hutch, and you may know that we have recently found an egg on two separate occasions, inside the bunny's nest box. The chickens fly into the attached run on the front of the bunny hutch (which has an open top) and then they settle in the bunny hutch to lay in the nest box. it's so much like theirs, and lined with the same pine bedding, they just feel at home. The bunny is not terribly fond of it. She doesn't seem to mind the chickens themselves, even when they are in the hutch with her. It's the foreign oval object in her nest box that terrifies her. She won't even go IN the hutch if there is an egg in there.
So today we watched the hen fly over the top and go right into the bunny nest box and start to make herself a nest. Then I even caught the laying off the egg on video, and the kids saw it, which was pretty cool.
While we were watching the hen in the nest box, Briar Bunny was in the other side of her hutch watching, and Licorice (the wild bunny that escaped) hopped inside the fence to check out what all the fuss was about. Talk about crazy!
Although it's a beautiful day and I have a ton to accomplish, I am seriously thinking about taking a nap with the kids today. Partially because I know Ardyn won't take one because she will be busy peeking out her windows (and if she lays down with me I can prevent that) and partially because I am tired. I stayed up late last night working in my room on the dressers. It takes forever because they seem to be landing place for all kinds of confiscated items, and all kinds of things the kids lay up there. Like hair clips. There must be 5000 hair clips around this place. Ardyn takes them off wherever and hands them to me or sits them on the dresser, and then I find them as I uncover the layers of crap that get stacked there.
I also went through all my DVD's and put them into a DVD organizer (a binder style one just like this one) that I have had for exactly EIGHT MONTHS but have yet to take out of the package and take the time to organize the DVDs. Yep. That's how my life is. So I finally say down yesterday and took all the DVDs out of their cases and put them into the binder. I really like it. It is a pretty THICK binder, but it does take up less space than all the DVDs did. I decided that I do need a few more movies, I only have the first two Harry Potter movies, which the kids started watching, and I also only have the first Pirates of the Caribbean. Plus the Bourne movies are some of my favorites and I love to watch them over again, and would love to have all of them on DVD. I keep the kids DVDs in a separate binder that is smaller and doesn't hold liner notes. I just keep the cases in the same cabinet that holds all the VHS tapes. But with mine, I didn't have room or the desire to keep the cases.
I went to JoAnn this past weekend to grab the plastic for the dining room table. About once a year I use a 50% or 40% off coupon to buy the heavy 16-18 gauge plastic to cover my tablecloths. If I don't cover them, the kids have them destroyed in no time. the last piece of plastic I bought cost me about $14 and lasted me almost a whole year. it would have lasted the whole year had Ardyn not decided to stick foam gingerbread stickers onto it. Those foam things are EVIL. They do NOT come off. So anyway, I had a cool fabric halloween tablecloth that I had bought on clearance last fall, and I wanted to use it but didn't DARE until I got more plastic. When I was there they also had a tie-dye fleece print that I hadn't seen on sale for about 3.5 years. I was super excited and it was 40% off so I got 2 yards to make a blanket with. Of course, they were out of the coordinating orange anti-pill so I have to go back another time to get that other side of the blanket. I was frustrated because they had ELEVEN bolts of Orange Blizzard fleece, but no anti-pill. Sounds like an ordering mishap if you ask me.
They had their paper stacks (like DCWV) on sale for $9.99 instead of $19.99 and I was excited because I wanted to see the "performance stack," which is new, in person. It has lots of musical and violin papers, but they were almost all GOLD and I was kinda like eeeew. the paperstack wasn't as impressive as I wanted to be, and the few papers that I really did like can be purchased separately on scrapbook.com, so when the time comes I will just do that instead.
I have more I could say, but my wrists are bugging me (ala carpal tunnel) and the iPhone still has 97 videos to upload, so I will just call it quits here for now. Look out for the egg laying video, which I will try to get posted today, hopefully here, but at least on facebook if I can.
My kids are inside watching a movie. Yep. Well, for what it's worth I had intended for them to be outside today. And they were outside until lunchtime. They played in the yard, and Ardyn played outside at preschool. But after lunch, they both wanted to watch the Winnie the Pooh movie, and although I thought about pushing them back out the door, I realized that the movie might be a good wind down to naptime, and violin practice, and it would also allow me to dump the 4000 photos and videos that are on my iPhone and making it full. And switch the laundry and such. I spent the whole beautiful day yesterday inside (although the windows were open) because I am really trying to get caught up on regular housework and get some serious clutter under control. I have been working on our bedroom for several days now. I have cleared out my bookshelf, and Evan's dresser, and my jewelry armoire, and 94% of the floor and a good portion of laundry baskets and hampers of clean clothes. I still have two that need to be packed away (too small clothes of the kids) and one of kid clothes that needs put in their dressers yet. But even those need to be reorganized. Oy. I have been trying to sell pants and jeans of mine that are too small, I have sold all but seven of 17 pair of pants. I bought myself one new pair to replace them :)
My sock drawer needs gone through again, and my underwear drawer. So little time!
Fall weather gets me in the cleaning mode, plus the fact that I am hosting Bunco next week means that I need to find some horizontal surfaces to have room for everyone in this little place. I still need to go buy the food ingredients and also the prizes, which I think I might get this weekend while I am on the Spoon River Scenic Drive with my mom. I am so looking forward to that. But first I must get through this week, which includes getting the house picked up before the cleaning ladies come on Friday. There is also a PJWC meeting Thursday night, but I don't know if I am going yet or not. There just seems to be a TON going on.
Today I finished painting a footed bowl for my friend EA. She is part of a Race for the Cure team and is doing a large fundraiser in a couple of weeks, and asked if I would hand paint a piece of pottery that could be auctioned off at the fundraiser. I worked on it last week and finished it today, while Ardyn was in school. It was fun for me because I didn't have to pay for it, and she watched Marek so I could go while Ardyn was in school. It was like "me time" in most regards. I can't wait to see it finished, it's hard to tell what it is going to look like when it is unfired. If you have never painted pottery before, the paint colors are dull and chalky looking and most of them don't even look like the finished color, so that leaves a lot to the imagination. I sure hope it's pretty.
After school the kids and and I came home and collected a BUNCH of eggs. I think Gloria might be laying again, and now I think BOTH pullets (young hens) are laying. There were 5 eggs in the last 30 hours or so, and we were lucky enough to see ONE of them being laid first hand. One of the younger hens was pacing around the bunny hutch, and you may know that we have recently found an egg on two separate occasions, inside the bunny's nest box. The chickens fly into the attached run on the front of the bunny hutch (which has an open top) and then they settle in the bunny hutch to lay in the nest box. it's so much like theirs, and lined with the same pine bedding, they just feel at home. The bunny is not terribly fond of it. She doesn't seem to mind the chickens themselves, even when they are in the hutch with her. It's the foreign oval object in her nest box that terrifies her. She won't even go IN the hutch if there is an egg in there.
So today we watched the hen fly over the top and go right into the bunny nest box and start to make herself a nest. Then I even caught the laying off the egg on video, and the kids saw it, which was pretty cool.
While we were watching the hen in the nest box, Briar Bunny was in the other side of her hutch watching, and Licorice (the wild bunny that escaped) hopped inside the fence to check out what all the fuss was about. Talk about crazy!
Although it's a beautiful day and I have a ton to accomplish, I am seriously thinking about taking a nap with the kids today. Partially because I know Ardyn won't take one because she will be busy peeking out her windows (and if she lays down with me I can prevent that) and partially because I am tired. I stayed up late last night working in my room on the dressers. It takes forever because they seem to be landing place for all kinds of confiscated items, and all kinds of things the kids lay up there. Like hair clips. There must be 5000 hair clips around this place. Ardyn takes them off wherever and hands them to me or sits them on the dresser, and then I find them as I uncover the layers of crap that get stacked there.
I also went through all my DVD's and put them into a DVD organizer (a binder style one just like this one) that I have had for exactly EIGHT MONTHS but have yet to take out of the package and take the time to organize the DVDs. Yep. That's how my life is. So I finally say down yesterday and took all the DVDs out of their cases and put them into the binder. I really like it. It is a pretty THICK binder, but it does take up less space than all the DVDs did. I decided that I do need a few more movies, I only have the first two Harry Potter movies, which the kids started watching, and I also only have the first Pirates of the Caribbean. Plus the Bourne movies are some of my favorites and I love to watch them over again, and would love to have all of them on DVD. I keep the kids DVDs in a separate binder that is smaller and doesn't hold liner notes. I just keep the cases in the same cabinet that holds all the VHS tapes. But with mine, I didn't have room or the desire to keep the cases.
I went to JoAnn this past weekend to grab the plastic for the dining room table. About once a year I use a 50% or 40% off coupon to buy the heavy 16-18 gauge plastic to cover my tablecloths. If I don't cover them, the kids have them destroyed in no time. the last piece of plastic I bought cost me about $14 and lasted me almost a whole year. it would have lasted the whole year had Ardyn not decided to stick foam gingerbread stickers onto it. Those foam things are EVIL. They do NOT come off. So anyway, I had a cool fabric halloween tablecloth that I had bought on clearance last fall, and I wanted to use it but didn't DARE until I got more plastic. When I was there they also had a tie-dye fleece print that I hadn't seen on sale for about 3.5 years. I was super excited and it was 40% off so I got 2 yards to make a blanket with. Of course, they were out of the coordinating orange anti-pill so I have to go back another time to get that other side of the blanket. I was frustrated because they had ELEVEN bolts of Orange Blizzard fleece, but no anti-pill. Sounds like an ordering mishap if you ask me.
They had their paper stacks (like DCWV) on sale for $9.99 instead of $19.99 and I was excited because I wanted to see the "performance stack," which is new, in person. It has lots of musical and violin papers, but they were almost all GOLD and I was kinda like eeeew. the paperstack wasn't as impressive as I wanted to be, and the few papers that I really did like can be purchased separately on scrapbook.com, so when the time comes I will just do that instead.
I have more I could say, but my wrists are bugging me (ala carpal tunnel) and the iPhone still has 97 videos to upload, so I will just call it quits here for now. Look out for the egg laying video, which I will try to get posted today, hopefully here, but at least on facebook if I can.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Ready for Suzuki
I could be more productive than hiding in the kitchen behind the baby gate. I am sitting on the floor in front of the heater with my laptop, in my pajamas, and listening to the dishwasher hum and swish while I alternately type and stir the chex mix in the oven. I am not feeling very ambitious but I have a TON to do, including pick up the entire house, wash all the dishes that my sister left me when she came over and made a birthday cake at my house, and also at some point in time get dressed so I can get a haircut and pick up two prescriptions. I can barely breathe and I didn't sleep much as a result. I have been without allergy medicine for about three weeks now, and I had a few Zyrtec D around that I took once every three days for the past week so that I wouldn't die in my sleep. Those ran out a couple of days ago and I am SO relieved to hear that my insurance company finally processed the "annual pre approval" of allergy medicine. It would be logical for me to just see this coming and get it done in advance, like before I run out, but I take allergy meds only seasonally, which end up being spring and fall for me (and for the kids it seems) and therefore when fall hit I was unprepared and only had a few days of meds left. Well, what I didn't realize at the time was that my insurance requires paperwork and preapproval of all allergy meds not just once, but ANNUALLY (Grrrrr!) and therefore I had to go through the whole process again. Call the pharmacy, who told me to call the doctor, who then called in a script to the pharmacy, who then ran the script through insurance, who then declined it. The pharmacy calls the doctor, then me. The doctor must not have followed up so then a week later I am calling the doctor because the pharmacy is telling me the insurance still isn't approved. Fast forward another week and I call the insurance company and it is approved (this morning) and now I am hoping that I can pick up the meds this evening or tomorrow at the latest. I can barely breathe and it just makes me miserable. OTC meds just don't do it, and then there is the whole hassle of taking a D allergy med, so that when you want to GET the medicine you have to buy only 15 days at a time (in case you are trying to make meth you know) and how fun is it to stand in line every 15 days at the pharmacy with two toddlers to buy overpriced meds that you would rather just get monthly at the pharmacy anyway? Oy.
So by this point in time my nose is plugged solid and my head feels like it's a giant balloon and my ears are sore and feel all clogged. You all know the drill. And the poor kids are on Claritin D, and it isn't touching Marek's snot, which just proceeds to stream down his little face. Poor kid. he probably feels crappy too.
What else is new. Well, not a whole lot. Ardyn starts her first ever Violin lesson tomorrow. We found a very inexpensive used violin from Shar Music (online) which was recommended by our Music Teacher. It's a 1/10 scale violin and it is adorable. The Violin was about $50 and because she is young her teacher recommended a fiberglass bow (less chance of breaking, costs less) and so we have everything, including the Suzuki book one. I started reading a few books this week geared towards parents of Suzuki students. I started with "To Learn with Love, A Companion for Suzuki Parents" and although I enjoy it, it has many references to the other book I had wanted to read, so I thought I should pause the first book and start reading Dr Suzuki's Book and part biography, "Nurtured By Love, The Classic Approach to Talent Education." I am really enjoying Dr. Suzuki's book very much, and some things that he says give me "aha" moments.
My favorite so far has been regarding right handed people. Being left-handed, I can fully appreciate the need to adapt yourself to everyday life in a right-handed world. His approach to teaching everything, including music, is that Talent is not BORN or inherited. It is learned and taught. Every child has the ability to be talented and we should give each child that chance by beginning to teach them at a young age, when they are most able to learn and absorb new things. We don't give children a "choice" to learn their language. They learn their "mother tongue" or native language by repetitive exposure and immersion in the language. We expect that they will learn to talk and therefore we patiently and determinedly teach them. If we teach children music the same way, without asking if our child is "talented", we give each child and equal chance to excel in music, and in life.
Think about right handed people. Are they born right handed? Perhaps. I don't think Dr Suzuki believes that, but I have seen in my right handed child and my left handed child a preference very early on. However, I have learned through the years to do MANY things (the majority of things really) right handed, and some things with both hands. This isn't because I was BORN right handed, but because I was taught to do both, and immersed in a world that is essentially right handed. A right handed person doesn't usually exercise their left hand and practice using it, but anyone who has can tell you that practicing and regular use of your non-dominant hand will result in being able to use it, sometimes ambidextrously or interchangeably with your dominant hand. When I decorate a cake I switch hands continuously, depending on whether I want strength, control, or a different angle of approach on the cake... and I do the same thing with my artistic endeavors. I learned to play pool and sports right handed, cut with scissors right handed, but I still prefer to write and do certain things, like play guitar, with my left hand. I wasn't BORN right handed, but exercise and practice has enabled me to use it every single day.
So the point he makes is that talent and ability, especially when related to music, but when related to anything in life, can easily be learned. As long as you are taught at a young age and use practice and repetition.
Some people dislike all his methods, particularly the fact that he expected students to play their pieces without music. In the beginning, when teaching children that can't read, he teaches them by ear. For example, you may not be able to read music, but you can plunk out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the piano if you know it by ear. Same concept. But he DID teach children to read music later, when they were able to read... but he also expects them to play a piece so much that they can play it without looking at music in the future. He wants them to play and not look at their fingers. He wants them to KNOW what is right (fingering wise, tone wise, etc) and not just be reading it off paper. The theory behind this is that once your ability becomes second nature, you can focus on the emotion behind the music and not just fingering the notes. So there has been plenty of controversy surrounding his teaching method, but the book itself explains much and is interesting to read.
So by this point in time my nose is plugged solid and my head feels like it's a giant balloon and my ears are sore and feel all clogged. You all know the drill. And the poor kids are on Claritin D, and it isn't touching Marek's snot, which just proceeds to stream down his little face. Poor kid. he probably feels crappy too.
What else is new. Well, not a whole lot. Ardyn starts her first ever Violin lesson tomorrow. We found a very inexpensive used violin from Shar Music (online) which was recommended by our Music Teacher. It's a 1/10 scale violin and it is adorable. The Violin was about $50 and because she is young her teacher recommended a fiberglass bow (less chance of breaking, costs less) and so we have everything, including the Suzuki book one. I started reading a few books this week geared towards parents of Suzuki students. I started with "To Learn with Love, A Companion for Suzuki Parents" and although I enjoy it, it has many references to the other book I had wanted to read, so I thought I should pause the first book and start reading Dr Suzuki's Book and part biography, "Nurtured By Love, The Classic Approach to Talent Education." I am really enjoying Dr. Suzuki's book very much, and some things that he says give me "aha" moments.
My favorite so far has been regarding right handed people. Being left-handed, I can fully appreciate the need to adapt yourself to everyday life in a right-handed world. His approach to teaching everything, including music, is that Talent is not BORN or inherited. It is learned and taught. Every child has the ability to be talented and we should give each child that chance by beginning to teach them at a young age, when they are most able to learn and absorb new things. We don't give children a "choice" to learn their language. They learn their "mother tongue" or native language by repetitive exposure and immersion in the language. We expect that they will learn to talk and therefore we patiently and determinedly teach them. If we teach children music the same way, without asking if our child is "talented", we give each child and equal chance to excel in music, and in life.
Think about right handed people. Are they born right handed? Perhaps. I don't think Dr Suzuki believes that, but I have seen in my right handed child and my left handed child a preference very early on. However, I have learned through the years to do MANY things (the majority of things really) right handed, and some things with both hands. This isn't because I was BORN right handed, but because I was taught to do both, and immersed in a world that is essentially right handed. A right handed person doesn't usually exercise their left hand and practice using it, but anyone who has can tell you that practicing and regular use of your non-dominant hand will result in being able to use it, sometimes ambidextrously or interchangeably with your dominant hand. When I decorate a cake I switch hands continuously, depending on whether I want strength, control, or a different angle of approach on the cake... and I do the same thing with my artistic endeavors. I learned to play pool and sports right handed, cut with scissors right handed, but I still prefer to write and do certain things, like play guitar, with my left hand. I wasn't BORN right handed, but exercise and practice has enabled me to use it every single day.
So the point he makes is that talent and ability, especially when related to music, but when related to anything in life, can easily be learned. As long as you are taught at a young age and use practice and repetition.
Some people dislike all his methods, particularly the fact that he expected students to play their pieces without music. In the beginning, when teaching children that can't read, he teaches them by ear. For example, you may not be able to read music, but you can plunk out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the piano if you know it by ear. Same concept. But he DID teach children to read music later, when they were able to read... but he also expects them to play a piece so much that they can play it without looking at music in the future. He wants them to play and not look at their fingers. He wants them to KNOW what is right (fingering wise, tone wise, etc) and not just be reading it off paper. The theory behind this is that once your ability becomes second nature, you can focus on the emotion behind the music and not just fingering the notes. So there has been plenty of controversy surrounding his teaching method, but the book itself explains much and is interesting to read.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tractor Flashcards
I realize now and then that Marek is SO far behind. I feel badly. But the child doesn't want to sit down and learn colors or numbers or letters or shapes. He is interested in taking things apart, hooking up tractors, and playing with things that have wheels. While Ardyn knew all these "basics" and could count in english and spanish by 17 months, Marek is 2.5 and knows pretty much nothing.
I had an epiphany today that perhaps I could make these things appeal to him, by making the colors into flashcards, the color of tractors. I found a free coloring page printable and colored thr tractors basic colors and printed them out. Then I cut them apart, laminated them, and punched holes in them in the corner, and attach them together with a zip tie (they can't get these apart, unlike a binder clip or shower curtain ring.)
He is napping now but I plan to pack them into his backpack that we take with when we leave the house, in hopes that we can pass some time learning colors and things.
Poor kiddo.
I don't claim these as my own, but in case they might help someone...
I had an epiphany today that perhaps I could make these things appeal to him, by making the colors into flashcards, the color of tractors. I found a free coloring page printable and colored thr tractors basic colors and printed them out. Then I cut them apart, laminated them, and punched holes in them in the corner, and attach them together with a zip tie (they can't get these apart, unlike a binder clip or shower curtain ring.)
He is napping now but I plan to pack them into his backpack that we take with when we leave the house, in hopes that we can pass some time learning colors and things.
Poor kiddo.
I don't claim these as my own, but in case they might help someone...
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Boys.
Here is a little bit of insight into the reason that I seem to be staying up so late even though I'm so very tired. An hour ago I attempted to get ready for be. I decided to read a little bit of Middlemarch by George Elliott because I can only tolerate a little bit at a time before I get bored or my mind starts to wander or I find that I'm reading the words without really even internalizing anything. Sure enough I was able to read a small amount of Middlemarch before I got bored and I decided to switch to one of my new books about the Suzuki method of teaching music. I have been reading with the lights off because my iPhone is backlit and I don't have any problems so I decided with my switch to Suzuki to keep the lights off and of course when I went to look for my book light which is normally right next to my bed, It was missing thanks to the little hands of Marek. I had a feeling that it was behind my nightstand so I attempted to reach my arm down there and feel for it when I accidentally knocked over my entire glass of water down behind my nightstand- up against the wall and all over the electrical cords for my iPod dock and my alarm clock and my lamp and my Himalayan rock salt lamp. Good times. So I frantically tried to pull the nightstand away from the wall and get behind it with a towel to wipe up the water before causing some type of electrical malfunction and in the process of that I stepped on a tube of Desitin that was sitting on the floor next to the bed (along with the spare wipes and a couple diapers and I keep nearby) and squirted the tube all over the floor all over my notebooks and all over a stack of books also stacked alongside the bed.
Of course much if not all of this was my fault but it immediately took me back to Marek and his meddling in my nightstand and losing my book light. When I finally had everything wiped up and all the notebooks as clean as I could get them I retrieved the book light and before turning it on realized there was a good chance that he had left it on. The battery could be dead so all of this work could have been in vain. Luckily the light turned right on but it was then that I realized I had wasted 30 min. trying to get the book light and really at this point time I shouldn't even be reading anymore but should be going straight to bed.
So as soon as I lay down my mind started thinking of all the fun things that Marek had done today.
The first thing that came to mind was the entire yogurt smoothie that he dumped into his car seat which then led to him losing his pants because they were covered in yogurt and me taking his car seat completely apart and taking it to the car wash when I should've been visiting grandma Mona while Ardyn was at school. While I was at the car wash Marek was with daddy because he had no car seat and he proceeded to chew a whole big chunk of the finish/veneer off of the footboard of Ardyn's bed. Not an hour later I caught him trying to plunge the toilet in the bathroom.
Add to that his normal activities like climbing up the table and getting into cupboards and unloading things every time I turn around, and you have a pretty eventful day. When I left tonight to go see a movie I warned Evan right away you have to keep your eyes on him because he has been incredibly naughty and getting into everything. Especially things that he's not supposed to. This week he found half a blue crayon and colored the dining room floor which is wood and the Culligan water dispenser and the front of the game cabinet and also on the side of the woodwork in the living room. Sometime recently he must have found a pen and written on the bathroom wall and today when I lay down with Ardyn to read her story I saw that he had carved the inside bed rail on her bunk bed with a pencil. I also opened up my calendar planner to discover that he had scribbled all over it at some point in time and every time that I go to my sewing table I find something else that he has written on- usually a pattern or notebook or a scrap of paper. When we go to church if I turn my back for a second he has signed his name in the guestbook, which usually is on top of everyone else's name- and the guestbook is on a low table which is at his perfect level - the problem being with the fact that there's always a pen there, for convenience of course... but it is just a little too convenient for Marek and apparently too tempting.
Two Sundays ago after church, Ron happened to catch Marek trying to open up the guillotine type cutter that was in the church office and luckily saved him from cutting off something important- and we did discover that there is a lock on that but I guess I do need to maybe ask about putting a note nearby or on it that reminds people to lock it because now there are little kids running around and the church office is right in the open im the foyer and that scares me a little bit. I try to watch them but it is practically impossible to talk to anyone and keep my eyes on them both.
Well, hopefully I can get some sleep now :)
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Of course much if not all of this was my fault but it immediately took me back to Marek and his meddling in my nightstand and losing my book light. When I finally had everything wiped up and all the notebooks as clean as I could get them I retrieved the book light and before turning it on realized there was a good chance that he had left it on. The battery could be dead so all of this work could have been in vain. Luckily the light turned right on but it was then that I realized I had wasted 30 min. trying to get the book light and really at this point time I shouldn't even be reading anymore but should be going straight to bed.
So as soon as I lay down my mind started thinking of all the fun things that Marek had done today.
The first thing that came to mind was the entire yogurt smoothie that he dumped into his car seat which then led to him losing his pants because they were covered in yogurt and me taking his car seat completely apart and taking it to the car wash when I should've been visiting grandma Mona while Ardyn was at school. While I was at the car wash Marek was with daddy because he had no car seat and he proceeded to chew a whole big chunk of the finish/veneer off of the footboard of Ardyn's bed. Not an hour later I caught him trying to plunge the toilet in the bathroom.
Add to that his normal activities like climbing up the table and getting into cupboards and unloading things every time I turn around, and you have a pretty eventful day. When I left tonight to go see a movie I warned Evan right away you have to keep your eyes on him because he has been incredibly naughty and getting into everything. Especially things that he's not supposed to. This week he found half a blue crayon and colored the dining room floor which is wood and the Culligan water dispenser and the front of the game cabinet and also on the side of the woodwork in the living room. Sometime recently he must have found a pen and written on the bathroom wall and today when I lay down with Ardyn to read her story I saw that he had carved the inside bed rail on her bunk bed with a pencil. I also opened up my calendar planner to discover that he had scribbled all over it at some point in time and every time that I go to my sewing table I find something else that he has written on- usually a pattern or notebook or a scrap of paper. When we go to church if I turn my back for a second he has signed his name in the guestbook, which usually is on top of everyone else's name- and the guestbook is on a low table which is at his perfect level - the problem being with the fact that there's always a pen there, for convenience of course... but it is just a little too convenient for Marek and apparently too tempting.
Two Sundays ago after church, Ron happened to catch Marek trying to open up the guillotine type cutter that was in the church office and luckily saved him from cutting off something important- and we did discover that there is a lock on that but I guess I do need to maybe ask about putting a note nearby or on it that reminds people to lock it because now there are little kids running around and the church office is right in the open im the foyer and that scares me a little bit. I try to watch them but it is practically impossible to talk to anyone and keep my eyes on them both.
Well, hopefully I can get some sleep now :)
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Kidspeak... When I turn 9
Ardyn said "mom when I turn 9 I am gonna be a Rock star. And you have to buy me a car. And daddy will follow me so I can go to a concert. When I 9, you will drive my car and I will ride with you.
I also want to be a construction site people. I am gonna use a digger to pickup rocks. And I am gonna be a police officer. And a soldier. With the sharpest sharpest sharpest sword.
Okay mom?"
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
I also want to be a construction site people. I am gonna use a digger to pickup rocks. And I am gonna be a police officer. And a soldier. With the sharpest sharpest sharpest sword.
Okay mom?"
Meagan ~ via blogpress on my iPhone :)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Multiplying like.... well.... rabbits!
This has been such a bizarre couple of days!
Most of you facebook friends know that Tuesday was Ardyn's Very Special Person Day at school, and as part of VSP Day you get to bring something for Show and Tell. Ardyn chose her bunny Licorice, which is some type of Netherland Dwarf bunny that we got free. So everything is planned and the kids are in the van, and we borrowed a pet taxi carrier, and I pull out front and go to get the bunny.... and the bunny, is GONE. Gone. For real. Like door to bunny run wide open and no bunny around. So I go inside and I look at Evan and I said "You are NOT Going to believe this." and he says What, and I say, "The bunny is GONE. gone." and he was like "You are KIDDING Me." and then after a pause, "You are KIDDING me!" Yeah. today. Show and tell, I am bringing my bunny to school day.
So poor Ardyn, was hysterical, and helped me catch a chicken. And Show and Tell went well with Ginger, who is actually more sociable than Licorice.
So we started the quest for a new bunny, and I decided that this time I was through with "free bunnies" that someone else wanted to get rid of. I wanted a bunny who was calm and relaxed and loved to be held and social. I wanted a bunny that was cute and that we picked out ourselves. I wanted to be picky. We have all bunny supplies that a person could possibly need, and a nice big hutch with a run, and so I thought, this time, we get a good bunny. One that I am not secretly hoping doesn't have a long healthy life. Like, when I was in the pet store and saw vitamin drops for bunnies and saw the label talk about longevity and health and thought "those aren't for our bunny" I realized that I wasn't really in love with Licorice. Sad but true. I LOVE Animals, but I still need to take into consideration that I am not equipped to be my own animal rescue center :)
So after lots of research, I was very fond of Flemish Giant bunnies. I was a little worried about the size, because I felt like it was almost like taking on another DOG. But the positives for the breed were so POSITIVE that I started searching. I finally found a few leads and they lead us right towards several Flemish Giants raised at Boggio's Orchard in Granville... that had been babies in early spring of 2011, and were now happily hopping around but for sale.
I thought we would wait till next week to go see them, but today we had nothing going on, and the woman in charge of bunnies mentioned that she was having surgery tomorrow and would be gone for a while. So we packed up and ran over to the orchard and picked a gorgeous silver-grey Flemish that is oh so fluffy and tame and sweet. It's a girl, and we had a hard time naming her today, which is unusual for us. We opened the baby name book to girls and right away saw Briar or Brier and it made me giggle because of Br'er Rabbit, and because the Disney Movie "Song of the South" is my favorite, and has Br'er Rabbit as a character, and also it was sort of a "meant to be" because we had a really moving sermon this past Sunday by Pastor Mary Gay that included references to Br'er Rabbit. So Briar Bunny she became. Ardyn was right on that.
So, the bunny came home and watched TV with Ardyn on the couch for an hour, and then hopped around while we ate lunch. Then I took her out to check out her hutch and she seemed pleased. The kids and I lay down for naps and got up just in time to get to dance class, when Ardyn started INSISTING that she saw Licorice in the yard. I told her she was nuts, and then 20 minutes later, sure enough, Licorice was in the yard. Oh. Boy. Suddenly we have TWO Bunnies. But of course I couldn't catch the bunny. This seems to be a pattern. But really, it's not to saddening because I don't really WANT two bunnies, and I can't put the two together because Licorice is a male and Briar is a female, and we don't need TWO Bunnies, let alone MORE Bunnies. Oy. So Ardyn is hysterical because I can't catch Licorice, and I explained that we can't HAVE two bunnies and that Licorice doesn't want to be caught, and that we will see him around the yard when he wants to come around and that if we DO catch him, we will have to find him a new home. She finally seems okay with that. And so I text Evan and tell him who showed up again and he was like NO WAY and then I called my mom and told her that she could now say "I told you so" because we suddenly sorta have two bunnies.
And then Evan said that he tried to catch Licorice while we were at dance and that it wasn't possible. LOL. So fast forward to 9pm and there is a knock at my door and a neighbor from several (SEVERAL) houses down the street (way down the street) asks if I have lost a bunny because he caught it. Oh boy. Looks like I will need to find a place to stash Licorice for the night. So I go to the guy's truck and he jokes that I will need to identify bunny and I say well, he's all black, and he is small, it's surely mine. And he shows me the cage and guess what, It's NOT my bunny. We are both shocked and he is a little sad because now HE has a bunny, which isn't mine, which means he HAS A bunny. LOL. What are the chances that there are two black domestic bunnies loose on my Street? LOL. Amazing. So after looking again, I say "nope, not my bunny" because it's more brown/black and a different breed with shorter ears and bigger eyes.
After he leaves I panic a bit in case it really WAS my rabbit and since I spent all day with a Flemish Giant, what if I suddenly thought that mine looked different. No. No no. I tell myself that I spent several minutes today trying to catch licorice and that I know what he looks like. That bunny looked NOTHING like Licorice. So, apparently there is a serious bunch of bunnies running around here. I just hope that Briar stays right where she belongs, because we seriously adore her. She watched Rio with us tonight and sat and watched us eat our supper. I put a box with a rug inside for her to hang out in, and she loved it. She ate lettuce leaves and carrots :) She's wonderful.
Most of you facebook friends know that Tuesday was Ardyn's Very Special Person Day at school, and as part of VSP Day you get to bring something for Show and Tell. Ardyn chose her bunny Licorice, which is some type of Netherland Dwarf bunny that we got free. So everything is planned and the kids are in the van, and we borrowed a pet taxi carrier, and I pull out front and go to get the bunny.... and the bunny, is GONE. Gone. For real. Like door to bunny run wide open and no bunny around. So I go inside and I look at Evan and I said "You are NOT Going to believe this." and he says What, and I say, "The bunny is GONE. gone." and he was like "You are KIDDING Me." and then after a pause, "You are KIDDING me!" Yeah. today. Show and tell, I am bringing my bunny to school day.
So poor Ardyn, was hysterical, and helped me catch a chicken. And Show and Tell went well with Ginger, who is actually more sociable than Licorice.
So we started the quest for a new bunny, and I decided that this time I was through with "free bunnies" that someone else wanted to get rid of. I wanted a bunny who was calm and relaxed and loved to be held and social. I wanted a bunny that was cute and that we picked out ourselves. I wanted to be picky. We have all bunny supplies that a person could possibly need, and a nice big hutch with a run, and so I thought, this time, we get a good bunny. One that I am not secretly hoping doesn't have a long healthy life. Like, when I was in the pet store and saw vitamin drops for bunnies and saw the label talk about longevity and health and thought "those aren't for our bunny" I realized that I wasn't really in love with Licorice. Sad but true. I LOVE Animals, but I still need to take into consideration that I am not equipped to be my own animal rescue center :)
So after lots of research, I was very fond of Flemish Giant bunnies. I was a little worried about the size, because I felt like it was almost like taking on another DOG. But the positives for the breed were so POSITIVE that I started searching. I finally found a few leads and they lead us right towards several Flemish Giants raised at Boggio's Orchard in Granville... that had been babies in early spring of 2011, and were now happily hopping around but for sale.
I thought we would wait till next week to go see them, but today we had nothing going on, and the woman in charge of bunnies mentioned that she was having surgery tomorrow and would be gone for a while. So we packed up and ran over to the orchard and picked a gorgeous silver-grey Flemish that is oh so fluffy and tame and sweet. It's a girl, and we had a hard time naming her today, which is unusual for us. We opened the baby name book to girls and right away saw Briar or Brier and it made me giggle because of Br'er Rabbit, and because the Disney Movie "Song of the South" is my favorite, and has Br'er Rabbit as a character, and also it was sort of a "meant to be" because we had a really moving sermon this past Sunday by Pastor Mary Gay that included references to Br'er Rabbit. So Briar Bunny she became. Ardyn was right on that.
So, the bunny came home and watched TV with Ardyn on the couch for an hour, and then hopped around while we ate lunch. Then I took her out to check out her hutch and she seemed pleased. The kids and I lay down for naps and got up just in time to get to dance class, when Ardyn started INSISTING that she saw Licorice in the yard. I told her she was nuts, and then 20 minutes later, sure enough, Licorice was in the yard. Oh. Boy. Suddenly we have TWO Bunnies. But of course I couldn't catch the bunny. This seems to be a pattern. But really, it's not to saddening because I don't really WANT two bunnies, and I can't put the two together because Licorice is a male and Briar is a female, and we don't need TWO Bunnies, let alone MORE Bunnies. Oy. So Ardyn is hysterical because I can't catch Licorice, and I explained that we can't HAVE two bunnies and that Licorice doesn't want to be caught, and that we will see him around the yard when he wants to come around and that if we DO catch him, we will have to find him a new home. She finally seems okay with that. And so I text Evan and tell him who showed up again and he was like NO WAY and then I called my mom and told her that she could now say "I told you so" because we suddenly sorta have two bunnies.
And then Evan said that he tried to catch Licorice while we were at dance and that it wasn't possible. LOL. So fast forward to 9pm and there is a knock at my door and a neighbor from several (SEVERAL) houses down the street (way down the street) asks if I have lost a bunny because he caught it. Oh boy. Looks like I will need to find a place to stash Licorice for the night. So I go to the guy's truck and he jokes that I will need to identify bunny and I say well, he's all black, and he is small, it's surely mine. And he shows me the cage and guess what, It's NOT my bunny. We are both shocked and he is a little sad because now HE has a bunny, which isn't mine, which means he HAS A bunny. LOL. What are the chances that there are two black domestic bunnies loose on my Street? LOL. Amazing. So after looking again, I say "nope, not my bunny" because it's more brown/black and a different breed with shorter ears and bigger eyes.
After he leaves I panic a bit in case it really WAS my rabbit and since I spent all day with a Flemish Giant, what if I suddenly thought that mine looked different. No. No no. I tell myself that I spent several minutes today trying to catch licorice and that I know what he looks like. That bunny looked NOTHING like Licorice. So, apparently there is a serious bunch of bunnies running around here. I just hope that Briar stays right where she belongs, because we seriously adore her. She watched Rio with us tonight and sat and watched us eat our supper. I put a box with a rug inside for her to hang out in, and she loved it. She ate lettuce leaves and carrots :) She's wonderful.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wearever Warranty Claim #2
I like to save things here for documentation purposes :) They never get lost. And also the experience I have can serve as a review for their customer service and warranty.
WearEver® Warranty Assistance
2199 Eden Rd
Millville, NJ 08332
I am enclosing a set of non-stick cookware for return under warranty. The Teflon has begun to badly flake with normal use. We do not use metal utensils.
This is our second set of non-stick Wearever Cookware. The first set did a similar thing, but after a much longer span of time, and it held a lifetime warranty and was returned. It was replaced with the set enclosed.
When requesting a replacement, I am wondering if you would consider a replacement with a Stainless Steel cookware set, so that I do not have to continue dealing with the telfon flaking. This would make me a very happy customer, because sending the cookware back every few years isn’t the most convenient and I anticipate this will continue to happen with the non-stick cookware.
I also own a set of Pampered Chef Professional non-stick cookware, which is 7 years old, and have never had flaking under the same conditions of use. Please advise. Thank you for your time.
Meagan Johnson
Reference #: 090721-000149
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