I am a VERY HAPPY LADY this morning. I woke up, checked my email, checked my bank account, checked MySpace, and checked J.K. Rowling's website, just like I always do. I didn't really see anything that suprised me in my email, in my bank account, or on MySpace. I also didn't expect anything excitting with J.K. Rowling's website either, just goes to show how wrong I was.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released on July 21, 2007 at 0001 in your time zone.
I am very, very, very, very excited.
Now, I have to be honest, I started a blog yesterday, that I did not finish, that was entitled "Dear J.K. Rowling..." That blog was in response to my withdrawals and my desire for the seventh book. I am so desperate for new Harry Potter material that I started reading Fan Fiction about a week ago. I have been pleasantly suprised by some of the fanfic, though some is bad also.
So, "Dear J.K. Rowling..." has been done away with and I am one happy camper this morning...even though Albus Dumbledore really is dead.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Taxes
I just love tax season...NOT!!!
Its not because I ever owe taxes, I don't. I generally get a decent refund, but I really hate waiting around for all the tax forms to show up in the mail. I just wish everyone would get their act together so I could get this business over and done.
Yesterday I finally received my W-2 forms from my job and from the insurance company that paid my short term disability last year when I was on maternity leave. I received the forms for my student loan interest quite awhile ago, at least someone is on top of things. However, we still haven't received Thomas' W-2 from when he worked last year. I am at a stand still until I receive them. GRRR!
In the age of e-file, online filing programs, etc, why can't W-2 forms be available online? I know some companies do this, but more should have it available. Thomas worked for a company that is nationwide, with restauarants in most every state. My job doesn't even give us real paychecks or stubs. My paystubs are only available online, I have to print them off if I need them. However, I had to wait and wait for my W-2. I generally file within a few days of getting all of my forms, I just wish companies had the same sense of getting taxes done that I do.
Oh well, I am still playing the waiting game. How goes tax season for everyone else?
Its not because I ever owe taxes, I don't. I generally get a decent refund, but I really hate waiting around for all the tax forms to show up in the mail. I just wish everyone would get their act together so I could get this business over and done.
Yesterday I finally received my W-2 forms from my job and from the insurance company that paid my short term disability last year when I was on maternity leave. I received the forms for my student loan interest quite awhile ago, at least someone is on top of things. However, we still haven't received Thomas' W-2 from when he worked last year. I am at a stand still until I receive them. GRRR!
In the age of e-file, online filing programs, etc, why can't W-2 forms be available online? I know some companies do this, but more should have it available. Thomas worked for a company that is nationwide, with restauarants in most every state. My job doesn't even give us real paychecks or stubs. My paystubs are only available online, I have to print them off if I need them. However, I had to wait and wait for my W-2. I generally file within a few days of getting all of my forms, I just wish companies had the same sense of getting taxes done that I do.
Oh well, I am still playing the waiting game. How goes tax season for everyone else?
Monday, January 29, 2007
Blogging
I have a folder in my bookmarks list that is entitled "Blogs." It has in it links to all the blogs that I read on a daily basis. I don't update my blog daily, so I can't complain too loudly. However, two of the blogs I "read" haven't been updated since the end of November. I can understand not blogging in December because of Christmas, but January is almost over and they still haven't been updated. Now, I know from reading other blogs that they comment on, or have had their pictures posted on, that these folks are NOT dead, and since they are COMMENTING, they do have computer access. My question is, why keep up a blog that you don't post on in over two months? Any ideas?
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
I Love Macy's
Okay, I admit it, I love Macy's. I can't usually afford their prices, but I love the clothes, linens, etc. I have discovered a way to afford Macy's however, I have learned to wait for their sale on their clearance items. Today they had a sale for an additional 30% off their clearance items.
I bought two pairs of slacks and a lightweight sweater, all by designers I adore. I like the more "classic" style of dress, and Macy's has a lot of clothing along those lines. My bill today was $33.90, which averages to $11.30 for each item (including tax.) $33.90 for two pairs of nice pants and a sweater? Unbelievable, especially being high quality, designer clothing.
I can't buy such well made clothing at Target, and DEFINITELY not at Wal-Mart. Nor could I walk out of either store with the equivalent purchases for that price, it would definitely cost more.
I also bought us some new bed linens and pillows with the Christmas money my mom gave us. I bought three king-size sheet sets (not sure who they are made by) and two pillows (by Ralph Lauren) for less than $90.00. My receipts said I saved $155.03 (plus tax) on the linens and $71.98 (plus tax) on my clothing.
I love nice things, but I love saving money even more :o)
I bought two pairs of slacks and a lightweight sweater, all by designers I adore. I like the more "classic" style of dress, and Macy's has a lot of clothing along those lines. My bill today was $33.90, which averages to $11.30 for each item (including tax.) $33.90 for two pairs of nice pants and a sweater? Unbelievable, especially being high quality, designer clothing.
I can't buy such well made clothing at Target, and DEFINITELY not at Wal-Mart. Nor could I walk out of either store with the equivalent purchases for that price, it would definitely cost more.
I also bought us some new bed linens and pillows with the Christmas money my mom gave us. I bought three king-size sheet sets (not sure who they are made by) and two pillows (by Ralph Lauren) for less than $90.00. My receipts said I saved $155.03 (plus tax) on the linens and $71.98 (plus tax) on my clothing.
I love nice things, but I love saving money even more :o)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband.
After six years, I love you more now than I did when we first married!
Thank you for six beautiful years and our wonderful family.
I love you very much!
After six years, I love you more now than I did when we first married!
Thank you for six beautiful years and our wonderful family.
I love you very much!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Shaving My Legs
My least favorite womanly "chore" is shaving my legs.
I put my makeup on almost everyday, only time I don't is if I am staying in, I don't like going out without makeup on.
Now, I admittedly don't blow-dry my hair very often, but my hair has enough issues with the ends drying without my helping matters. I will blow-dry for special occasions such as going out dates with my husband (these are far and few between, the last one was actually my birthday this past December, before that it was in May, 2006,) or job interviews. I also blow-dried my hair the day I went in for my c-section when Sofia was born, but that was also a special occasion. I very rarely dry my hair "just because."
However, shaving my legs is the bane of my existence. I had gotten really consistent at it when I was pregnant with Sofia, however when I became too big to be able to do it, Thomas shaved them for me. He didn't shave them as often as I did, which got me out of the habit of shaving them quite as often. As I hate shaving my legs, I have not worked real hard at getting back into a routine. I generally do it when it starts to bother me.
What got me thinking about this subject is I just finished shaving my legs. I bought myself an electric razor about a year ago and I do like using it. However, when I shaved my legs the old fashioned way, I used baby oil as a lubricant so I didn't cut myself. It works better than soap, and doesn't dry them out so much. Dry legs are the issue facing me right now. Electric razors don't require soap or baby oil or anything, thus I think I had as much skin flake off as I removed hair. I know this is way too much information, but it is just the way it is.
I have an aversion to body lotion because for most of my life I had oily skin, the dry skin thing blows my mind. Body lotion is not a good thing for oily skin, it just makes matters worse, so this is how I have been trained to think most of my life. Now, just in the last couple of winters have I had issues with dry skin. My hands flake, my legs flake, it is gross. I do use lotion on my hands, not that it does much good though. My profession is very cruel to hands, but I do try to keep them lotioned.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for making it better? I will NEVER like shaving my legs, but I still do so...when I have to.
What is your least favorite womanly "chore?"
I put my makeup on almost everyday, only time I don't is if I am staying in, I don't like going out without makeup on.
Now, I admittedly don't blow-dry my hair very often, but my hair has enough issues with the ends drying without my helping matters. I will blow-dry for special occasions such as going out dates with my husband (these are far and few between, the last one was actually my birthday this past December, before that it was in May, 2006,) or job interviews. I also blow-dried my hair the day I went in for my c-section when Sofia was born, but that was also a special occasion. I very rarely dry my hair "just because."
However, shaving my legs is the bane of my existence. I had gotten really consistent at it when I was pregnant with Sofia, however when I became too big to be able to do it, Thomas shaved them for me. He didn't shave them as often as I did, which got me out of the habit of shaving them quite as often. As I hate shaving my legs, I have not worked real hard at getting back into a routine. I generally do it when it starts to bother me.
What got me thinking about this subject is I just finished shaving my legs. I bought myself an electric razor about a year ago and I do like using it. However, when I shaved my legs the old fashioned way, I used baby oil as a lubricant so I didn't cut myself. It works better than soap, and doesn't dry them out so much. Dry legs are the issue facing me right now. Electric razors don't require soap or baby oil or anything, thus I think I had as much skin flake off as I removed hair. I know this is way too much information, but it is just the way it is.
I have an aversion to body lotion because for most of my life I had oily skin, the dry skin thing blows my mind. Body lotion is not a good thing for oily skin, it just makes matters worse, so this is how I have been trained to think most of my life. Now, just in the last couple of winters have I had issues with dry skin. My hands flake, my legs flake, it is gross. I do use lotion on my hands, not that it does much good though. My profession is very cruel to hands, but I do try to keep them lotioned.
Does anyone have any good suggestions for making it better? I will NEVER like shaving my legs, but I still do so...when I have to.
What is your least favorite womanly "chore?"
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas Again
We had a wonderful Christmas. The kids loved their presents and we had dinner with friends. All in all it was a wonderful day spent with people I love and enjoy. I also wanted to share a few more pictures of my beautiful children.
Drew is growing so fast and becoming an amazing young man. He is very excited about his new computer games, dvds, and books.
Sam is as ornery as the day is long, but he is a great little boy who loves his new "iPod" and keyboard.
Olivia is such a sweet person. She loves her new pony and unicorn figures, as well as her new "iPod" and her R.C. Dragon. Then there is her new stuffed Terrier puppy that she named Buzzway (???)
Sofia just keeps getting bigger. She was most pleased with her new Cabbage Patch Babies and her Christmas Morning Barbie. (At least one of my girls realizes she is a girl...LOL)
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas from our family to yours. I hope your Christmas is wonderful and that you get to spend it with those you love most.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Get To Know You Christmas
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper.
2. Real tree or artificial? This is our first year for an artificial, but I love it.
3. When do you put up the tree? Around the beginning of December.
4. When do you take the tree down? Around the beginning of January.
5. Do you like eggnog? No.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Two-wheel bicycle.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Drew and Sofia.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Sam and Olivia.
10. Mail or Email Christmas cards? Mail, but I NEVER remember!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't remember getting a bad gift.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In September.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Double Decker Fudge
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, don't even get me started on my feelings about white lights.
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? HOME
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel, I have have a beautiful Angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? How people act towards one another while Christmas shopping!
2. Real tree or artificial? This is our first year for an artificial, but I love it.
3. When do you put up the tree? Around the beginning of December.
4. When do you take the tree down? Around the beginning of January.
5. Do you like eggnog? No.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Two-wheel bicycle.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Drew and Sofia.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Sam and Olivia.
10. Mail or Email Christmas cards? Mail, but I NEVER remember!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't remember getting a bad gift.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In September.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Double Decker Fudge
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, don't even get me started on my feelings about white lights.
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? HOME
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel, I have have a beautiful Angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? How people act towards one another while Christmas shopping!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Our Christmas Tree
I love Christmas. I love Christmas trees. I love live Christmas trees. However, Thomas and I have been talking about getting an artificial tree for a few years, and we finally did so yesterday. The only kind of artificial tree I would accept is a white tree that was not pre-lit. I have no issues with pre-lit trees, however all of the white trees I have seen come with white lights. I CANNOT stand white lights on a Christmas tree, well maybe in Church, but that is the only exception.Why do I dislike white lights you ask? There is no heart and no life behind them. They are just white, and not really white, they are clear! I like happy multi-colored lights.
I also love our tree! It is a very happy, cheerful tree. We have a variety of ornaments and we bought them because they are pretty, or have some special meaning, or were gifts. We don't have a "theme" tree, I dislke "theme" trees even more than I dislike white lights. Theme trees belong in Macy's or Dillard's or any of a variety of department stores. They do not belong in homes!
Our tree has a first Christmas ornament for Sam, Olivia, and Sofia; Olivia's and Sofia's are personalized. I don't know if I ever got on for Drew or not. We have ornaments Drew made in school. We have our 2000 First Christmas Together ornament. We have the hand painted ornaments that my mom got for us in 2000, Thomas' with a guitar and musical notes and mine with a nurse's hat and stethoscope. I have ornaments that Drew and I bought with the Rugrats on them, we have Disney ornaments, angels, colored balls, Ricky & Lucy Ricardo, Star Wars, Eyeore, , ducks, snow men, and others. We have a Christmas ornament I got as a child, a Cabbage Patch ornament from when Cabbage Patch Kids first came out. I named her Madeline, one of my favorite names. And then there is my Angel on top. I bought her the first year I was a nurse and had my own apartment and own Christmas tree, she has sat atop my tree every year since! I think she is beautiful.
I really think trees should reflect the people who live in the home, and should have a great variety of personalities represented! Well, I definitely hope I haven't offended anyone with my opinions, but I do feel strongly about this topic. Please leave theme trees at the stores where they belong and make your tree a reflection of those living in the home.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Recycled Black Friday Post
Okay, so this post was recycled from last year, so prices and item examples are a little out of date. However, the post still exemplifies how I feel about Black Friday! I hope if any of my readers braved the sales, they were kind to everyone shopping around them. Most of my readers are religious (Christian, Muslim, etc.) so I hope they exemplified the graciousness of the chosen religion while shopping today.
My post from yesterday and the reply I have gotten has made me think about my biggest pet peeve/complaint about the holiday season and that is Black Friday. I find it very offensive that retailers would make their employees get up and get to work for a store to open at 5:00 AM. What daycare opens at that time? Hopefully none of the employees are single parents who rely on daycare.
But beyond that, for me personally, I find it offensive that a retailer would have a sale start at 5:00 AM and end it six hours later. Why must I get up at that time in order to find the items I want at these great prices? I am not a Wal-Mart fan at all, the company could go out of business and I wouldn't miss them, but they had computers at $398 for six hours on Friday morning. If I was in the market for a new desktop or laptop PC, these were GREAT models especially for the price. However, if I didn't get to Wal-Mart at least an hour before it opened to wait in line, I wouldn't have a chance at getting one of these computers. Hear what happened to the guy who cut in line in Florida?
That brings me to my next point. People who are perfectly sane every other day of the year become absolutely insane the day after Thanksgiving. People fight each other for parking spaces, for the last Tickle Me Elmo (or whatever the toy of the year is,) for spots in the check-out line, etc. What happens to these normal people that they become horrible, terrible people on this one day? Actually, this is the worst day of the shopping season for people to act so terribly, but it continues on through the holiday season. What material item in the world is worth turning into a raving lunatic over? Are we really so materialistic?
The individual who replied to me state she/he saved over $160 on one item. That is wonderful, but I didn't even spend the amount she saved on each of my children. They probably will have around $100-$150 spent on each of them (except the baby, she is getting one item under the tree and one item in her stocking.) This is what we are spending on them, they will have more spent on them by grandparents and others, but not by us. It is not that we are cheap, it isn't even because I went out of work early and money is much tighter.
We buy our children things they want throughout the year, not great big items, but toys or movies or CD's or whatever, that they may want. We have found that they so hugely appreciate things when the get them in small doses, they become massively overwhelmed when they have tons of presents showered on them at one time. I know as they get older presents become more expensive, which is the challenge I have with Drew, but since we don't allow video games that does seeem to help control costs. I about had a fit when I saw the new X-Box was $400, who the heck spends that kind of money on ONE item for a child?
Okay, to get back on topic of Black Friday. I can only vaguely remember going shopping on that day once, and that was with my mom when I was a teenager. I have never gone on my own and cannot imagine a deal so good that I would go at any point in the future. I bought a newspaper on Thanksgiving and looked through all the sale ads and, I must say, there really weren't any sales that tempted me to get out of my bed that early on a Friday morning. I don't like to be used, and that is what the retailers do when they offer these sales for such a short period of time. I like to be treated with respect as a consumer, so when retailers stop trying to "lure" me into their stores at unreasonable times of the day, I will be more apt to spend my money there.
My post from yesterday and the reply I have gotten has made me think about my biggest pet peeve/complaint about the holiday season and that is Black Friday. I find it very offensive that retailers would make their employees get up and get to work for a store to open at 5:00 AM. What daycare opens at that time? Hopefully none of the employees are single parents who rely on daycare.
But beyond that, for me personally, I find it offensive that a retailer would have a sale start at 5:00 AM and end it six hours later. Why must I get up at that time in order to find the items I want at these great prices? I am not a Wal-Mart fan at all, the company could go out of business and I wouldn't miss them, but they had computers at $398 for six hours on Friday morning. If I was in the market for a new desktop or laptop PC, these were GREAT models especially for the price. However, if I didn't get to Wal-Mart at least an hour before it opened to wait in line, I wouldn't have a chance at getting one of these computers. Hear what happened to the guy who cut in line in Florida?
That brings me to my next point. People who are perfectly sane every other day of the year become absolutely insane the day after Thanksgiving. People fight each other for parking spaces, for the last Tickle Me Elmo (or whatever the toy of the year is,) for spots in the check-out line, etc. What happens to these normal people that they become horrible, terrible people on this one day? Actually, this is the worst day of the shopping season for people to act so terribly, but it continues on through the holiday season. What material item in the world is worth turning into a raving lunatic over? Are we really so materialistic?
The individual who replied to me state she/he saved over $160 on one item. That is wonderful, but I didn't even spend the amount she saved on each of my children. They probably will have around $100-$150 spent on each of them (except the baby, she is getting one item under the tree and one item in her stocking.) This is what we are spending on them, they will have more spent on them by grandparents and others, but not by us. It is not that we are cheap, it isn't even because I went out of work early and money is much tighter.
We buy our children things they want throughout the year, not great big items, but toys or movies or CD's or whatever, that they may want. We have found that they so hugely appreciate things when the get them in small doses, they become massively overwhelmed when they have tons of presents showered on them at one time. I know as they get older presents become more expensive, which is the challenge I have with Drew, but since we don't allow video games that does seeem to help control costs. I about had a fit when I saw the new X-Box was $400, who the heck spends that kind of money on ONE item for a child?
Okay, to get back on topic of Black Friday. I can only vaguely remember going shopping on that day once, and that was with my mom when I was a teenager. I have never gone on my own and cannot imagine a deal so good that I would go at any point in the future. I bought a newspaper on Thanksgiving and looked through all the sale ads and, I must say, there really weren't any sales that tempted me to get out of my bed that early on a Friday morning. I don't like to be used, and that is what the retailers do when they offer these sales for such a short period of time. I like to be treated with respect as a consumer, so when retailers stop trying to "lure" me into their stores at unreasonable times of the day, I will be more apt to spend my money there.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
So Excited
Since I bought my very first PC when I was in nursing school, I have wanted a Mac. Macs have better hardware, the software is much more stable and the operating system is known for not crashing. Thomas could tell you I have talked about owning a Mac since we were dating! When we lived in CA, we visited the Apple store numerous times, of course we couldn't afford to buy one, but I went and drooled over them.
Well, yesterday afternoon, the FedEx guy brought my iMac to my front door! I am so excited I can't even stand it. I still haven't figured it all out, as it is very different, but I am enjoying the challenge. So, let me figure out what I am doing and I will blog more. At least getting around online is the same as my favorite browser, Firefox, is Mac compatible.
Well, yesterday afternoon, the FedEx guy brought my iMac to my front door! I am so excited I can't even stand it. I still haven't figured it all out, as it is very different, but I am enjoying the challenge. So, let me figure out what I am doing and I will blog more. At least getting around online is the same as my favorite browser, Firefox, is Mac compatible.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Help The Drunk Get Home
This is one of those funny web games that looks easy but isn't really. My friend Lisa emailed it to me and I thought I would share it on here. Let me know your high score.
Help The Funny Drunk Get Home
Help The Funny Drunk Get Home
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Sam and Sofia
Thomas blogged about this as well, but I thought it was pretty neat so I want to write about it as well. On Thursday while I was sleeping to go to work that night, Thomas took the girls outside to play. Sofia loves her "Zoom Zoom," which is the name that we gave the push toy when we bought it for Sam. Sam didn't walk without some sort of help until he was 17 months old, so he was probably around that age in this picture. Sofia is eleven months old now.
As Thomas mentioned the similarity of the outfits is coincidental but the shoes are the same (white Keds type shoes are great for boys and girls.) Of course the toy is the same, but the kids are different. One boy, one girl born 3 1/2 years apart. Sam was in our backyard in St. Louis and Olivia is in our driveway here in Austell.
As Thomas mentioned the similarity of the outfits is coincidental but the shoes are the same (white Keds type shoes are great for boys and girls.) Of course the toy is the same, but the kids are different. One boy, one girl born 3 1/2 years apart. Sam was in our backyard in St. Louis and Olivia is in our driveway here in Austell.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Happy Halloween
We went Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night. All three of our children dressed up and had a blast. Sweet Sofia dressed up as a chicken. Her nickname is Chicken because when she was tiny, she never really cried, she just squawked like a chicken. We were very excited when we found a chicken costume at Target.
Olivia is a cat, just ask her. She swears she isn't a little girl, she is a cat. She will crawl around on the floor and meow, and her meow is very authentic as it has brought Vinnie running on multiple occasions. For Olivia, she was bound and determined to be a cat. That was the only costume she had talked about for quite a while. The problem came when we went costume shopping. We couldn't find a cat...anywhere. I found an absolutely adorable cat costume on Gymboree.com, but her size was sold out. The Gymboree shop at the mall didn't have her size either, I was told the costume was sold out almost immediately. As for Target, Wal-Mart, etc, neither place had a cat. They had every other animal imaginable, but no cat...and Olivia wouldn't entertain any other costume. So, our friends lent us theirs from last year and it worked well.
Sam decided early this summer he wanted to be Dash from "The Incredibles." Again, he wasn't to be budged on this idea. We found his costume on the same day we got Sofia's. Now, don't tell him, but his costume is NOT Dash, but Mr. Incredible. I am not sure why the only choice was of Mr. Incredible, but it was. Of course, since Then Incredibles all wear the same costume, it wasn't too big a deal. He was just a VERY muscular Dash. Now, he hated the mask that came with it, he kept grabbing it off of his face, so Daddy used some face makeup that I had bought for our "cat" and painted him a mask.
Drew didn't dress up this year, but he was an awesome helper during trick-or-treating. We went to our friend's neighborhood to trick-or-treat. The babies stayed in their strollers during the evening. Drew took four other kids up to each door and helped them ring doorbells and such. He did a great job and was very much appreciated by all the little kids.
Olivia is a cat, just ask her. She swears she isn't a little girl, she is a cat. She will crawl around on the floor and meow, and her meow is very authentic as it has brought Vinnie running on multiple occasions. For Olivia, she was bound and determined to be a cat. That was the only costume she had talked about for quite a while. The problem came when we went costume shopping. We couldn't find a cat...anywhere. I found an absolutely adorable cat costume on Gymboree.com, but her size was sold out. The Gymboree shop at the mall didn't have her size either, I was told the costume was sold out almost immediately. As for Target, Wal-Mart, etc, neither place had a cat. They had every other animal imaginable, but no cat...and Olivia wouldn't entertain any other costume. So, our friends lent us theirs from last year and it worked well.
Sam decided early this summer he wanted to be Dash from "The Incredibles." Again, he wasn't to be budged on this idea. We found his costume on the same day we got Sofia's. Now, don't tell him, but his costume is NOT Dash, but Mr. Incredible. I am not sure why the only choice was of Mr. Incredible, but it was. Of course, since Then Incredibles all wear the same costume, it wasn't too big a deal. He was just a VERY muscular Dash. Now, he hated the mask that came with it, he kept grabbing it off of his face, so Daddy used some face makeup that I had bought for our "cat" and painted him a mask.
Drew didn't dress up this year, but he was an awesome helper during trick-or-treating. We went to our friend's neighborhood to trick-or-treat. The babies stayed in their strollers during the evening. Drew took four other kids up to each door and helped them ring doorbells and such. He did a great job and was very much appreciated by all the little kids.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Faith vs. Religion
My husband recently blogged about religion, Protestant Fundamentalism in particular. He only talked about his views, and it was regarding just one specific idea. I must say, as a preface, that neither Thomas nor I are overly religious. I do hold some of my Catholic upbringing close to my heart, but I don't buy into anything 100%.
Then, of course, the blogger people started coming out of the woodwork to comment, as I knew would happen. There were a lot of good comments, and challenging arguments, which I don't mind because it makes me think. However, there was one anonymous poster who infuriated me. I can only refer to this person as an idiot. I don't mind differing beliefs or ideas, in fact, I welcome them. However, the fact that people are very stuck in their own little boxes makes me angry.
The anonymous poster in question stated "you keep blogging about religion. Maybe you should blog about faith." I copied and pasted that from his blog, so there could be no mistake in retyping.
How dare anyone judge my husband's, or anyone's, faith based on a blog about religion! Religion and faith are not one and the same. There can be faith without religion, and there can definitely be religion without faith. I see so many people going through the motions of their religion without any real faith all the time. I also see many people with tons of faith who practice no religion at all. Now to be fair, there are a lot of faithful, religious people in this world. I, myself, know many.
What a small, boxed in world that person must live in to make that comment which sounds so accusing and judgmental. What little faith this person shows, when they make such a giant leap. They definitely seem to be of the mind set that religion = faith and faith = religion.
I think I will have to say prayers for this person as I don't think they are actually very faithful at all. I probably shouldn't refer to them as an idiot, as sad and stuck seem more appropriate.
If I have offended anyone, I am sorry, but I am really angry and I needed to vent.
Then, of course, the blogger people started coming out of the woodwork to comment, as I knew would happen. There were a lot of good comments, and challenging arguments, which I don't mind because it makes me think. However, there was one anonymous poster who infuriated me. I can only refer to this person as an idiot. I don't mind differing beliefs or ideas, in fact, I welcome them. However, the fact that people are very stuck in their own little boxes makes me angry.
The anonymous poster in question stated "you keep blogging about religion. Maybe you should blog about faith." I copied and pasted that from his blog, so there could be no mistake in retyping.
How dare anyone judge my husband's, or anyone's, faith based on a blog about religion! Religion and faith are not one and the same. There can be faith without religion, and there can definitely be religion without faith. I see so many people going through the motions of their religion without any real faith all the time. I also see many people with tons of faith who practice no religion at all. Now to be fair, there are a lot of faithful, religious people in this world. I, myself, know many.
What a small, boxed in world that person must live in to make that comment which sounds so accusing and judgmental. What little faith this person shows, when they make such a giant leap. They definitely seem to be of the mind set that religion = faith and faith = religion.
I think I will have to say prayers for this person as I don't think they are actually very faithful at all. I probably shouldn't refer to them as an idiot, as sad and stuck seem more appropriate.
If I have offended anyone, I am sorry, but I am really angry and I needed to vent.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Pet Peeves
Pet peeves, we all have them and I saw on a blog today one of my big ones.
Daylight Saving Time. Not Daylight Savings Time. There is no "s" at the end of Saving.
There are others like this. It is Valentine's Day, not Valentime's Day.
On New Year's Day, we should wish each other a "Happy New Year" not a "Happy New Years."
Other grammatical things like this bother me also.
Say "I couldn't care less," not "I could care less."
Or supposedly, not supposebly.
Congratulations does not have a "d" in it.
I will stop here for now! I know about a year ago I ranted on grammar, and my opinion hasn't changed so no need to go there again.
Daylight Saving Time. Not Daylight Savings Time. There is no "s" at the end of Saving.
There are others like this. It is Valentine's Day, not Valentime's Day.
On New Year's Day, we should wish each other a "Happy New Year" not a "Happy New Years."
Other grammatical things like this bother me also.
Say "I couldn't care less," not "I could care less."
Or supposedly, not supposebly.
Congratulations does not have a "d" in it.
I will stop here for now! I know about a year ago I ranted on grammar, and my opinion hasn't changed so no need to go there again.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Six Years
I have been thinking about six years ago. In January, Thomas and I will be married for six years.
A lot has changed in six years. I have four children instead of one. I am an old married woman now (how did THAT happen?) I have been a registered nurse for 7 1/2 years now. I have been a pediatric nurse for almost two years and I have now been in the PICU for five weeks.
We have moved eight times, in five different states (North Carolina, Missouri, Virginia, California, and Georgia.) I have worked at nine different hospitals (of course, as a travel nurse for part of the time helped boost those numbers.) Drew has been in TEN different schools in that time period plus the catastrophy of trying to home school him when we were travelling (so he didn't have to change schools so frequently.)
Thomas and I married January 14, 2001. We moved to St. Louis in June of that year. Sam was born June 15, 2002. Olivia was born August 12, 2003. We moved to Virginia in January, 2004. We moved to California in April, 2004. We moved to Georgia in November, 2004. Sofia was born December 5, 2005.
Whew, I am tired from thinking about all of that!
Has anyone else's life changed significantly in a relatively short period of time?
A lot has changed in six years. I have four children instead of one. I am an old married woman now (how did THAT happen?) I have been a registered nurse for 7 1/2 years now. I have been a pediatric nurse for almost two years and I have now been in the PICU for five weeks.
We have moved eight times, in five different states (North Carolina, Missouri, Virginia, California, and Georgia.) I have worked at nine different hospitals (of course, as a travel nurse for part of the time helped boost those numbers.) Drew has been in TEN different schools in that time period plus the catastrophy of trying to home school him when we were travelling (so he didn't have to change schools so frequently.)
Thomas and I married January 14, 2001. We moved to St. Louis in June of that year. Sam was born June 15, 2002. Olivia was born August 12, 2003. We moved to Virginia in January, 2004. We moved to California in April, 2004. We moved to Georgia in November, 2004. Sofia was born December 5, 2005.
Whew, I am tired from thinking about all of that!
Has anyone else's life changed significantly in a relatively short period of time?
Friday, October 13, 2006
PICU
Well, I am starting my third weekend of orientation in the PICU. I have an outstanding preceptor, she is an unbelievably awesome nurse. Working with critically ill children, and their families, is very different than when I was caring for kids on the regular floors. I think I like it a lot. There is an awful lot to learn, and sometimes I wonder if it is possible to become competent at all with this. I do like it and I am going to work hard to learn as much as I can. This is a challenge, but one I am enjoying. I work tonight and tomorrow night, so I am heading to bed soon. Everyone have a wonderful weekend.