Monday, August 31, 2009

ultimate fail in frugality

i have been really getting into the coupon thing. my sweet grandmother clips the coupons each week and sends them my way, which speaks so much love to me because i know it's such a pain to do. and i love saving money using the coupons! a penny saved is a penny earned, right? well, every now and then i find myself letting the coupons control me instead of me controlling the coupons. i had the experience just recently. there i was, walking around target, trying to really get ONLY what i needed...which is a constant struggle, because there is always something more that would be just so nice to have....when all of a sudden, i spotted one of those in-store coupon dispensers! sweetness, i thought to myself, a little surprise savings-maybe it will be something i need!! i rushed over to see that it was a $1 off coupon for coffee mate creamers. hmm, i do love their vanilla caramel creamer! yum yum yum! and, what's that? the creamer is on sale 3 for $4!? with a $1 off coupon, that makes it 3 for $3 ! what a deal? you know, those things are usually at least $1.98 for one, if not more than that! think of all the money i'd be saving if i used that coupon and got 3 creamers! so, i picked out three delicious flavors, thinking i could even share one with my mom (i mean, really, i didn't need to hord all 3 for myself!!). so, i pulled out one of the coupons, grabbed my creamers and headed to check out...smiling all along about all the money i was saving...as it so happens, i remembered as i was pulling away from the store, i don't really drink much creamer in my coffee these days, in fact...the truth is, i realized as i put the creamers into the fridge later that afternoon, i don't drink any creamer in my coffee these days... nor have i really for the past year... but, what does that really matter?? look at all the money i saved!!!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

isn't it ironic?

...doncha think?? i have found it quite a bit of irony in the fact that people who are most like me, at least in mostly the same stage of life as me, are the most difficult to actually be friends with? i know of quite a few mommies with little ones who i'd love to really be friends with, but we can never seem to get our schedules together enough to actually be friends... it makes me so sad some days. but, little one's schedules are hard to work around. i know i have found myself scared to go out sometimes with noah for fear that he will be hungry as soon as i get any where, or it will interupt his nap time, or he will just be super fussy. when he is any of those things, he's not a lot of fun to be around. i mean, who really wants to be sitting at the coffee shop with the frazzled looking lady with the screaming baby?! not me! :) but, still, it is frustrating sometimes not being able to be friends with the people who actually understand who i am... and, on top of that, sometimes it's a little difficult trying to converse with people who don't have babies yet. what? you don't care about what kind of cereal noah is eating right now? you don't care if it feels like he might have a tooth coming through? seriously, you mean to tell me that you don't want to hear about the massively disgusting diaper he had the other day??! what in the world are we supposed to talk about then?!??

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

more snip-its

*i just burned nearly 500 calories running on the treadmill and hated every minute of it. i. can. not. stand. treadmills. supposedly, they make the running experience easier, but it wears me out. i decided today i was going to set up a laptop in front of me and watch abc.com to help the time pass by...so, i spent like 10 minutes trying to get it all set up right and on the perfect show (not too long, not too short), and then started running only to find out that the bounciness of the treadmill and the propped up laptop=terrible reception. unless i wanted to watch the show in half second increments (with like 30 seconds in between) then it was a no go... so, i tried to listen to some music on pandora via my phone...but, of course, i forgot to bring my headphones up and didn't want to pause the treadmill to try to find them. so, i ran with only my thoughts, which unfortunately i couldn't quite get past, "gee i hate this. this is no fun. gee i hate this. this is no fun." tomorrow, back to the open road for me!

*school is going really well. exceptionally well, actually. i have been impressed by the boys in my class, though i'm thinking they are still on just-started-school behavior. all the same, we have had a fun few days of learning together. i really think that's what i might like best about the environment i'm teaching in...i don't have to be the expert. we are learning together, which is wonderful! wednesdays are our chapel and picnic days, which makes them just enjoyable all the way around. i wish i could put into words the wonderful-ness of this precious school, but i don't quite have them yet. so, i'll wait until i do. i will tell a sweet story that i haven't even gotten around to even though it's been a week since it happened. we had a guest come speak in chapel who read the story of the Good Shepherd and talked about it with the children for a bit. at one point she asked the question, "what does it mean to "hope"?" a very young child answered, "it means to wish!" in a voice that implied, "what a silly question, lady. there is no question of what it means?!" i just am contemplating that thought...

*noah stayed with cece today...in fact, ryan is just now picking him up on his way home from work. as much as i love my boys (and i do...absolutely adore both of them!), having an afternoon to myself was nice. i took some clothes to try to consign and then came home and worked on my sewing machine for a while. i made these "go green" bags:
i'm always getting ideas of things to make from here and there...seeing things and thinking, "hey, i could totally make that!" sometimes i can, and others it turns out i can't...but i think things turned out cute. i actually have been using another one i made as a little tote-around-town bag and i'm loving it. i do plan to take one on my next little grocery outting. i always feel a little guilty about using so many plastic bags, so i can cut down by bringing one or two of my own! i'm thinking about trying to sell them, but not quite sure if they'd be a go just yet...

*on that note, i am hoping to start back my tie purses.. i absolutely love them and just haven't had the time or the space to make them.. but now, i do! :)

*i'm getting a little nervous about all the swine flu talk... not so much for me as for noah. our pediatrician talked to us about getting him vaccinated when he is 6 months, but i'm not sure how i feel about that. the vaccine is going to be so new...and he's such a little guy. on the other hand, it may be better than if he got the flu, which there seems to be somewhat of a chance of him getting. i'm not sure i'm ready to make decisions like this! can ryan and i really make such a choice?!? i certainly will be reading more on the subject...holler if you know of any good resources!

*noah is getting better at the cereal thing, and, consequently, the sleeping thing. for the past month or so, he has been getting up right around 3 am, then again at 6 or 7 only to stay up long enough for me to actually get good and awake before he falls back to sleep. but, the cereal might, just maybe, possibly be helping with that finally! the past few nights, we have put him to bed by 8 and he's slept until 5ish..and gone right back to bed after eating!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

first taste of cereal







Tuesday, August 18, 2009

...

we had a busy day yeserday as i got a little taste of what being a working mom is going to look like. we had a time at the school for the students come to meet the teachers, which turned out to be lots of fun. our sweet little eighth grade boys seem to be excited about the new year, the new place and the new teachers. i'm a little apprehensive about the days that lay before us, but i'm excited, too, about this new opportunity! after having lunch with all of the faculty, i rushed home to pick up ryan (who rushed home from his own work) so we could head to the pediatrician for noah's 4 month appointment (4 months, already-time really does fly! some days have been the longest of my life, but looking back...oh my! where has the time gone!?), where we heard great news! i was actually almost giddy on the ride there, so excited about thinking about noah being able to start a little food and they gave us the go. he's been so funny the last few weeks, seemingly very aware of everything we eat-staring at it and even grabbing at it and trying to shove it in his mouth before we can catch him! tonite we will have our first big adventure...can't wait to see how it goes! i'm pretty excited about the possibilities from here, as i (like most of my friends) plan to make all of his food. no nasty preservatives for him!! i've been doing some reading on these things and am certainly open to suggestions! my inspiration for this is my sweet cousin, Jamie, full-time working outside of the house mother of just-turned-one-year twins...who has made all of their food. if she can do it, certainly i can too!! the doctor also said noah is looking as healthy as ever. he swears he looks like a plump little formula fed baby, which is great news! and he's still trying to talk me into moving to africa to share some of my milk with hungry children... he's still topping the charts in his growth, weighing in at a hefty 17 lbs 15.5 oz and 26.5 inches long!!
after the doc, we went to publix to get stuff for dinner and some cereal for noah, of course! then, we went home and ran (3 MILES!) and then i cooked dinner, we ate and i headed off to the school for a parental meeting. was there for a few hours, then headed home to find the boy already tucked lovingly into his bed (what a great daddy he has!). what a full day! and there are more to come, i'm sure....

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

i haven't blogged lately because life isn't very interesting...and because noah is so demanding some days. it's like the moment i sit down to do something, he becomes absolutely, ridiculously unhappy with whatever he is doing...even now, he's supposed to be taking a nap and he will, as long as i'm standing over his crib, but the moment i walk away-out pops the paci and the crying begins! it's super frustrating... especially since there is no break in sight for a few days, as ryan left this morning for san antonio. somehow just knowing that it's just me and noah for a few days is messing with my mind! i'm afraid i won't be able to handle it, even though certainly i can and i will.

i went to a meeting today to do some planning and learning for my new job! the gathering began with an inspirational quote (or i thought i was that, at least..): "knowledge is a barren tree, bare bereft of God." i'm still pondering upon it and invite you to do the same... school will start one week from today and i'm really looking forward to it. two days a week won't be too overwhelming and there will be lots of opportunity to learn as i go, which is nice.

well the boy is beckoning...

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

great news!

 i have noticed recently that i seem to be losing hair, little by little-when i shampoo, brush and even straighten my hair! it's getting worse each day. i finally decided to google it, just to see what could be up and i found this. "The most common period of hair loss occurs approximately three monthsafter delivery. The rise in hormones during pregnancy keeps you from losing your hair. After delivery, the hormones return to normal levels, which allows the hair to fall out and return to the normal cycle. The normal hair loss that was delayed during pregnancy may fall out all at once.

Up to 60% of your hair that is in the growth state may enter into the telogen resting state. The hair loss usually peaks 3-4 months after delivery as your hair follicles rejuvenate themselves. As noted before, this hair loss is temporary and hair loss returns to normal within six to twelve months."

so, it's no fun, and a little saddening since i recently decided that i really am growing my hair long again...but, it's normal, it seems.....

Monday, August 3, 2009

score!

i did it-i ran a whole 5K over the weekend and actually did well. i set a lofty goal, about two minutes faster per mile than i have been running...and actually was within 15 seconds of attaining it! and-i got second place for my age! i was pretty siked about that...when i dropped my card in the basket and saw only one other in there, i knew the news was good...i began planning exactly where i was going to put my trophy-i couldn't decide between putting it right on the dashboard of my car-so everyone who saw me out would know that i'm a runner or putting it on the bookshelf in our house-so everyone who visited it would see it first thing! okay, not really... i was just seriously excited that my hard work had paid off a little-i had done well, no walking the whole time! not even up the monstrous hills! :) unfortunately, though, for the second placers (they really just consider us the "first losers" i guess), there was no trophy! instead i got a sweet little u of m pedometer so i can measure all my steps. pretty sweet-i've always wondered how many steps i take a day. i had a nice big mountain dew the evening after the race, to celebrate my success...i have been off sodas for a while, not because i know that's the healthy thing to do, but because my personal trainer (aka ryan) told me that drinking a soda totally cancels out any running you have done on a particular day. with all my hard work, i could have none of that! but, i will say, the mountain dew was absolutely wonderful! everything i had hoped...and more! ;) we are now training for a 10K...a little further than i'd ideally like to run, but the program is "couch to 10K", so i guess we better continue on!