The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today... December 7th

Outside my window... is snow, snow and more snow

I am thinking... that I really need to work on my homework even if I don't want to do it.

I am thankful for... my heat working.

From the kitchen... not much since I just mopped and it is wet. We just had p&j for lunch. I am making pork mole for dinner. I may make banana bread.

I am wearing... jeans and a sweater.

I am reading... a history book, a book on American Education, "Lean Mean 13" by Janet Evanovich, and the Yarn Harlot's blog.

I am hoping... that Jay will fix my leaky sink and put up the new shelf like he promised today.

I am creating... several knit dishcloths for Christmas presents.

I am hearing... Anka singing about being a super hero and spinning, and Jimmy playing cowboy.

Around the house... it is clean. I only have to fold clothes when they get out of the dryer.

One of my favorite things... knitting, new yarn and pattern books.

A few plans for the rest of the week... hopefully getting a tree, more cleaning, lots of schoolwork, and shuttling Jimmy back and forth to school.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... My princess


From The Simple Woman's Daybook

Drowning

I feel like I am drowning in school work. Every week I have at least one thousand word paper due plus several other projects. I also have to read around 150-200 pages a week for my classes. I cannot wait until the 21st when our 2 week break begins.

I am still working on my knitted gifts. I just finished a knit kitty dishcloth. I also got a bit of shopping done on Black Friday. I got Jay a TomTom for $59. Of course I had to give it to him right away. I also got myself a new sewing machine. It is Jay's gift to me. I got Bianca a huge Barbie. It is almost as big as she is. I got Jimmy a Madagascar racing game for the Wii. I have to get the kids some more things and I will be done with the shopping part of Christmas.

Here are the pictures of the kitty dishcloth. You can see my new sewing machine in the background. Also I haven't blocked the dishcloth yet so it is not square. It will be though when I am all done with it.

Progress

So project Knit Christmas is going fairly well. I am working on the Rachel's Knitting Room November dishcloth. She has some great monthly knit alongs. I think we are getting close to the end since I have decreased down to 11 stitches.



I also got one of the coffee cup dish cloths done. It is hard to see the image in the picture but it came out really cute.

Nail polish giveaway

Smoochiefrog over at Manicure Mamas is giving away a great OPI nail polish set. I am in love with the berry color. If you don't polish your nails it would make a great gift for someone who does.

Back to knitting

I have been feeling like something is missing lately. Just a vague, nagging feeling that something is not right. Then I realized I didn't have a project on my needles. It is either that or babyfever, but since Jay is not on board with one more yet I am going with the knitting.

I have decided to knit my way to Christmas. I have stocked up on a ton of cute cotton yarn, and everyone is getting a nice dishtowel/potholder and dish cloth set. I have an awesome pattern that is not too complicated but is visually interesting (Thanks to Rachel's November KAL). I will take some pictures as I go along.

If you are a family member you may be getting a sneak peek at your Christmas gift, so if you want a surprise don't read any future posts that have Christmas spoiler in the title.

I hate writing...

research papers! I hate them with a passion. I would rather fold 10,000 loads of laundry than right another research paper. I don't mind creative writing. I even like some of the shorter essays but research papers really suck. I try to be concise when I write. Why do I need to write 2500 when I can say the same thing fully documented in 1000 words? That is my mini-rant for the day.

Thankful for my children...

A girl I talk to just found out the child she is pregnant with has a birth defect that is incompatible with life. Things like this really make you stop and think about the blessings you have. I am so thankful I have two (mostly healthy) children.

It is so easy to take something for granted. I do it often. I will get upset at my kids and yell. I need to try to find more patience in my life and remember that some people are unable to have children. I have been given a gift from God.

Procrastination and whining

I have a 2500 word paper due in a few weeks. The thesis for it is due this week, the outline is due next week (in complete sentences), and I haven't even started. I have some of the research printed out, but I haven't even read it yet. I even picked a topic that interests me (health care reform) and I am passionate about, but I just can't motivate myself to work on it. I really need to get moving. I am just sick of research papers. I really hope my next English class is creative writing.

Long time no posts and swine flu

I have been really awful about keeping up with this blog. I have been keeping busy with schoolwork, cleaning, schoolwork, knitting, schoolwork, crochet, schoolwork, learning to coupon, and more schoolwork. My teachers this block are sadistic and think it is fun to have a 500-750 word paper due in both classes just about every week. I am coping, but when this block is over I will be breaking out the champagne.

School has started for Jimmy. He is loving it, but I am not loving having to be up at 7am. He is happy to see his friends again. School has been in session for 3 weeks. He had only gone 1 week. Then he brought home swine flu. First week Jimmy was sick. It wasn't too bad. He had a fever, cough, sore throat, and was bouncing off walls. Second week everyone else had it. Jay and I both had fevers for 2-3 days, cough, sore throat, and were exhausted. Bianca was coughing, had a fever and was bouncing off walls. Yeah, apparently the tired part only affects adults.

On the craft front I just finished crocheting a sunhat for Bianca. I will try to update with some pictures soon. I still need to finish the sweater I started for Jimmy in the spring. I am pulling that out next since the weather is getting cold again. Fall is officially here. I have a yard full of leaves I really need to rake up. Christmas is around the corner. I really need a ball or two of sock yarn to start some gifts. I am still hoping to get my sewing machine for my birthday and my spinning wheel for Christmas.

The weight loss project has stalled. I need to get better about exercising daily. I have the treadmill set up in a great spot but I need to start using it more. I have been pretty good about snacking though. I mostly stick to healthy snacks and have not been buying junk food.

My obsession with nail polish has dwindled some. Mostly because I started biting my nails again. I am trying not to though. It usually happens while reading my assignments for the week. I think I will wear gloves while I read them from now on.

I think that is all the news for now. I will try to update this more often in the future. I can't promise daily updates but I will try for at least a weekly one.

Rain, rain go away!

I am so sick of rain. It seems like it has been raining constantly this summer. We haven't had one good weekend yet. I was hoping to take the kids to the lake more this summer since we are 5 minutes away and they are old enough to enjoy it. Instead I have had to try and entertain them because all it does is rain. There is only so many times I can sing songs and play games. It also doesn't help that I have started college courses. I was planning on being able to take my laptop outside so the kids could play without bugging me but that hasn't worked either. I am so glad Jimmy will be back in preschool in a month. I am almost ready for winter.

My husband is awesome!

Jay has really been stepping up and helping out lately. This morning he let me sleep in, he went out and did a ton of yard work for my g-ma and took the kids with him, and tonight he just made dinner.

He has been making a huge effort in the last few weeks. I love this new side of him. I am starting to get spoiled. It is such a nice change. I think the talk we had really made a difference.

Shit talkers

I am glad that so many people are so bored they feel the need to make secrets about others and post nasty comments. If you have something to say to me have the balls to actually use your name and not bash me anonymously. Why bother talking shit at all? Is your life that boring that you need to remember things someone else posted about their life and try to use it against them? Thanks to the person that e-mailed me the head's up though.

Yes, I am married and I happen to have a crush on someone else. Big fucking deal. Nothing will ever come of it. I am not ashamed of it. I am human, so fucking what? I don't flirt with said person, I would never cross any lines with said person or anyone else so why are you so offended by it? I don't regret posting about it either. It was a thread about secrets and since that was the biggest one I have so I posted it. I am sure there are posters that have done worse.

One last great giveaway

If you like Vera Bradley you can win a great purse here:

http://jenkinsk08.blogspot.com/2009/07/my100th-post-giveaway.html

I know I will be entering!

Other giveaways.

Here is a great cosmetic bag giveaway:
http://www.misadventuresofanewlywed.com/2009/07/giveaway-dos.html

Check this giveaway out if you need some adorable wine glasses:
http://rachelnsimpson.blogspot.com/2009/07/preppy-giveaway.html

If you have a sweet tooth this is the giveaway for you:
http://lorinoelle.blogspot.com/2009/07/birthday-giveaways.html

If you need a new beach bag and towel go here:
http://lifewithattitude.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-my-birthday-and-ill-give-away-if-i.html

This last one is for wine lovers:
http://www.misadventuresofanewlywed.com/2009/07/let-giveaways-begin.html

So let the giveaway fun begin!

Nail essentials giveaway

If you love free stuff and manicures have I got the place for you:

http://handbagobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/07/happy-birthday-to-my-blog.html

You can enter for a chance to win lots of great manicure essentials including an OPI nail color.

Balance

I have been trying to find some balance in my life lately. I just started classes a few days ago and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I need to find a way to juggle classes, the kids, housework, time with Jay and, hopefully, a little time for me. I have written a schedule. I am hoping that if we stick to it there will be enough time in the day to get everything done. We will see how that goes though since we don't tend to be schedule people. Wish us luck!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th to all my fellow Americans! I am enjoying my last weekend of freedom before my classes start. I have a feeling my weekends are going to be pretty packed with kids, studying and paper writing from now on. I will be taking Jimmy and Bianca to the fireworks in a few hours. Hope to see some of my local readers there!

College has started!

I am officially enrolled in college. I have been in a student orientation the last 2 days and start classes on Monday. I am going to work on a degree in elementary education. I should have it about the same time Roo starts school full-time.

I am excited to be doing something that uses my brain for a change. I love my kids but it is hard to have an intelligent conversation with a 4yo and 2.5yo.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy father's day to all the fathers out there. Most importantly happy father's day to my husband. You are a truly awesome father. Your kids adore you and so do I. You make all of us feel loved and safe. You are supportive and provide for us. The kids and I love you more than you can ever imagine. I hope you have an awesome day.

All things girly

So I have never been a girly girl. Don't get me wrong. I love pink and flowers but to the outside world I am more of a tomboy. I am going to try and make a bit of a new start. I have always wished I was one of those girls with the perfect nails and hair. The ones that wear make-up everyday and just looked pulled together. The ones with entire collections of shoes and purses. Instead I am the one in track pants with my hair in a pony-tail who constantly bites her nails. The one whose shoe collection consists of a pair of sneakers, a pair of sandals and a pair of crocs. I have a few purses but none are very pretty or stylish with the exception of the berry colored one my g-ma just got me. (Thanks Gram!)

So as soon as I have a few extra dollars I am going to get some pretty nail polish, a few new pairs of shoes and a new purse (and thanks to the bargain hunters board I know just the one. In fact I may even get the giraffe and zebra print.). I am going to actually start wearing some of the make -up I own and doing my hair. Here is to the new girly me! My outside is going to start matching my inside. Wish me luck girls! Now I just need to get a handle on the nail biting.

Loving the Wii

So we finally got a Wii! About time right. Everyone else and their brother has one. Now I need to figure out which fitness game I want for it. There is Wii Fit, EA Sports Active, My Fitness Coach, Jillian Michael's Fitness Ultimatum... I am sure there are even more out there that I haven't stumbled across. So help me choose. What do you have and what do love/hate about it? Is there any separate equipment? What will help me lose weight and get fit the quickest? What can I do without accidentally hitting, kicking or falling on a kid (since one is always under my feet!)?

Cowardly bitches

Wow, their really are some cowardly bitches on the interwebz (thanks Holl'eigh for this word). It is disgusting that there is an entire sight devoted to tearing other moms down. It is sad that some people that are supposed to be mothers have enough time on their hands to steal someones pictures and write a nasty secret about them. If your life is so pathetic that you have nothing better to do you really need to go find a fucking hobby. I would say go spend some time with your kids but I am thinking that they are better off without your influence. To all the people that had hurtful things written about you I love you girls! You are wonderful mommies, great friends and beautiful people. To the bitches that love to tear others down just remember you reap what you sow. Don't be surprised when karma comes around to bite you in the ass and no one is there for you. That is what happens when you are a fake.

Potty Training Day 6

So Bianca has been doing great with potty training. She has been peeing on the potty almost a week. She isn't quite as good with pooping. I can't put underwear on her though or she poops in it. I am so glad she caught on. We are now diaper free!

Technical Difficulties

So I finally got my DSL up and running but now the router I bought 2 months ago isn't working right. It works it the computer is wired to it but it won't work wirelessly. I am really starting to get annoyed with technology. Who wants to come fix it for me?

Swine flu hysteria and other things

So Jay is sick. He vomited the last 2 nights. He is most certainly dying of swine flu if you listen to him. I think it is just a stomach virus though since there is no fever, coughing or sneezing. I would rather be sick myself and taking care of two sick kids than deal with Jay having a cold. What is it that turns grown men into big babies.

Also I have an idea for a new law. I think that to pass a driving test you should have to know how to jump a car's battery. Seriously, Jay's sister had to jump a car the other night and she put the jumper cables on the battery backwards. Luckily she didn't take the plastic protector off the terminal since it could have blown up the battery. I had to take Jimmy and Bianca out of bed at 9:30 so Jay could go help her.

Perfect parenting rant

So apparently there is a perfect way to parent children. It works across the board for every child. Now the funny thing is that no one can tell me how to be this perfect parent. I have heard plenty of people told that they aren't following the perfect parenting rules.

To be a perfect parent you must keep your child away from every danger real or imagined but can't hover or be a helicopter parent.

You must have perfectly behaved children but never punish them or embarrass them. They must have perfect manners and listen to you immediately every time.

Your child must never wear light-up shoes, character clothing or things that don't match but they should also be allowed to pick out their own clothing and have things that other children are wearing.

Your child must be perfectly groomed at all times, bath everyday and never have a speck of dust on them yet still be allowed to play outside in the mud since that helps their creativity.

Your house must be spotless at all times but you must spend all your time and energy on playing with your child.

Sorry but to me this whole perfect parenting crap sounds just like that: crap. I am an imperfect parent but then again my kids are imperfect kids. We all have times where we yell, lose our tempers or let something slide to avoid a fight. I am glad my kids can see that I am not perfect that way when they aren't perfect they can realize it is ok to just be your best even if it isn't perfect. I have had to apologize to my kids on occasion for losing my temper. There are times when I just don't have time to read "Green Eggs and Ham" for the tenth time in a row since I need to do dishes or laundry. I have been known to yell. From now on my goal is to be the best parent I can be: an imperfect one.

I'm back

We have been without internet for the past 2 months. I am now back but on dial-up for now. It all has to do with the stupid conversion of Verizon to Fairpoint. I called to order DSL from Fairpoint and was supposed to have it almost 2 months ago. I cancelled my cable service since I was getting DSL and didn't want to be charged for another month. That was my big mistake. It has now been 6 weeks of being on hold 45 minutes every few days trying to find out what is going on with my order. I will say the Fairpoint reps are the nicest most helpful people out there with a few exceptions of course.

Other than that life has been fairly normal. Jay was offered a job at Wal-mart plus calls for tile have started rolling in. This is good since he just bought a Supra that needs a new motor and another motorcycle. One of these days when he comes home and tells me this stuff I am going to explode.

The kids are getting bigger. Jimmy had his 4th b-day. He is doing better in preschool. Bianca has had a language explosion and now you can't shut her up. She is super bossy lately. She tries to send Jimmy to his room anytime he makes her mad.

I have somehow managed to keep my weight steady even without tracking calories. I am glad I can track again though. I really need to loose!

I got a new hair cut

I have been in a total blogging slump lately. I guess I just don't have anything to say. Anyone that knows me in real life would never believe that but it is true. I have just been feeling blah lately. I am in a slump. It is the stress of no money, Jay being out of work and Jimmy and Bianca being kids.

I did get my hair cut though. It was driving me nuts so I made Jay cut it off since I have no money to go the salon. Then I put in a few layers. I am kinda liking it but it is so different.


















I am also down 7.5lbs so far. I can't really see a difference but I can fit into some jeans that I haven't been able to wear for a year.

The week from hell!

So the stomach flu hit and I mean hit hard. Poor Bianca had it the worst. She was throwing up for 3 days and had diarrhea for 4. Jimmy had it first but not quite as bad as Bianca. Jay had one night of throwing up and was of course sicker than the kids and was on his deathbed which meant even though I was sick as well I had to play nursemaid to two vomiting kids and one whiny ass grown freaking baby. I did get lucky and not vomit. The other plus was I was so sick I didn't eat and lost 3lbs. That makes it a total of 6.5lbs down.

The virus seems to have mostly left the house now.Bianca is still recovering though. She mostly lays on the couch and whines. Jay is doing good on his diploma work. He has 2 projects down and 3 left to complete. Jimmy has bounced back and went to school yesterday and is going today. I am riding on a high this week for the combination of weight loss and the inauguration. Nothing sounds as great as FORMER President Bush.

Makes my heart melt

So Key is a hit with the kids. Jimmy and Bianca are in love! Now if I can just get the cats to come out of hiding life will be good.

Welcoming the newest member of our family!

We got a dog today. Not just any dog. We have been searching for months for our perfect dog and we have finally found her. She is a 3 year old pitt/boxer mix. Very well mannered. The kids love her. She is super sweet and very calm. The only thing is the kitties do not love her anywhere near as much as we do. In fact, I would almost say they despise her. She likes them and wants to play but they want no part of it.

So now here is Keyla:

Blog Awards!

Thank you Maggie for my first blog award! Maggie has a great blog you should check out.

The Rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post

2. Nominate 10 blogs that show gratitude or great attitude or both

3. Be sure to link your nominees within your post

4. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog

5. Share the love and link this post to the person whom you received your award from

And the awards go to.....

1. Gretchen- A very funny and sometime poignant blog by a mom of 3.
   


2. Ashley- Not always G-rated but always funny.
   


3. Baby Mama Drama- The struggles of a newly single mom.
   


4. Jen- The ramblings of a SAHM with 2 girls.
   


5. Krista- A heartbreaking blog about trying to conceive.
   


6. Christine- Another tear inducing blog that follows a pregnancy and subsequent stillbirth.
   


7. Rebekah- One of my real life friends. Her blog always inspires me to be thankful.
   


8. Jamie- An awesome blog full of wisdom and craftyness.
   


9. Holly- Full of silliness from a full-time working mom.
   

10. My Life on a Diet- A humorous look at a woman trying to lose weight.

So people these are my top 10 recommended reads. I am subscribed to over a hundred blog and these are the ones I read the most.

Thinking good thoughts!

Jay just went for a job interview with a security firm. It is his first step towards a career change. He wants to become a police officer. On Thursday he is going to find out about getting his adult diploma. I think it will be good for him. He can't keep doing tile with how bad his back is getting. Jimmy is excited that Daddy may be driving a cop car. Our town is always looking for officers. All they require is a clean background and a high school diploma or GED.

1 down, 54 to go!

I lost a pound! I know it sounds weird to to be so excited about one pound but after almost 5 years of gaining I am really happy to start losing. The last time I lost weight was after I gave birth to Bianca and sadly I am almost back up to what I weighed just before I gave birth to her. Now if I can find a treadmill or some sort of exercise equipment I will be happy.

Patience (They really ought to market it)

I need more patience. I have realized this as my kids get older and my marriage had gotten harder. I have never been a patient person. I am normally a very stubborn person who wants things done her way immediately and without argument. What can I say? I was born to be a CEO but it just didn't work out that way.

Yesterday as Jimmy was supposed to be cleaning his room and was instead making a mess I lost my temper. I mean completely lost it and screamed at him. I am not at all proud of that and as soon as I did it I felt bad. I doubt I cleaned my room very well at 3 either. So now I am on a mission to be more patient with both the kids and Jay.

I am not sure how I am going to accomplish this goal. Unfortunately there is no pill or magic cure I can use. So that is my one resolution for New Year's. I will be more patient.

Weight loss and teething babies

So I started a weight loss plan today. I think it sounds way better than a diet. I am hoping to lose about 50lbs by this summer. I am doing really good so far but today is the first day. My two biggest obstacles are stress and exercise. I find it very hard to exercise in VT in the middle of winter with 2 children under 4. I am now on a mission to find a cheap or free treadmill. It will have to be small though since our apartment is lacking in space.

The stress factor is not being helped by the fact that Shy has been screaming since her mom dropped her off. The poor girl is teething and nothing works. She has had Motrin, teething tablets and Orajel. Luckily she just feel asleep.