Bloggy Business

So I've been thinking a lot about this blog.

I rarely ever get any comments, so I kinda wonder if anyone ever reads it...I certainly enjoy being creative with it and recording the cute stuff my kids say and do.  Writing certainly helps me process certain things I'm going through at different times, and I also feel very certain that, even though I may not know it, there may in fact be someone out there reading this who is going through the same things and maybe feels a little less alone knowing I'm out here going through it with them.  Does that make any sense?

Hmm.  Anyway.  So, yeah.  I've been thinking about the blog and stuff.  I'd like to continue to share my mothering experiences, but I want to share my couponing experiences as well (for those who are interested).  I want it to be effective, though. 

I was thinking that I could add a page to the blog that gives helpful couponing hints, but it wouldn't be the same as posting here on the "front page."  I could add updates with weekly savings and give details, or I could continue to do like I do now and just take a picture of what I buy, share the details about how many transactions I had, etc. in a separate blog post.  The thing about having a separate page for the couponing info is that those who are not interested don't have to read about it, but those who are won't always know if something has been added to the coupon page unless they check it.

Another idea that was presented recently was to possibly start a whole separate blog about couponing!  I'm not really sure what to do, so I thought I would ask my friends and family...the people who might actually care...what they might think.  I mean, I don't even know if I have that many readers, and if they care about the coupon thing, or if they just want to read about the kids and life in general.

I know I can't force anyone to comment or anything...but if you're reading this, please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!  You don't have to sign in or register or anything.  You can just check "anonymous" and add your name when you leave your comment!  And you don't even have to do that!  It would just be so nice to see that someone out there is actually reading this stuff. :)  If you're out there and reading this, THANK YOU.  I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

Another sign I'm getting old...

So I was at Zumba on Wednesday night and we did a new routine to Ke$ha's "Tick Tock."  Yeah, so I've never really listened to the lyrics to this song, but as I listened and danced, I caught some disturbing thoughts running through my head.  Thoughts that made me think, "WOW.  I am old."

For example, here's the first verse and my thoughts about the words:

I wake up in the mornin' feeling like P Diddy, (who?)
Got my glasses, I'm out the door, I'm gonna hit this city.
Before I leave brush my teeth with a bottle of jack  (Oh, now that is SO bad for your teeth!  I am horrified.  What must her dentist think??)
'Cause when I leave for the night I ain't coming back. (Huh?  Out all night?  What about sleep? I can't stay up past 11 pm!)



And the second verse:
 
Ain't got a care in the world, (wow, that must be nice) but got plenty of beer, (Yuck.)
Ain't got no money in my pocket but I'm already here.  (Umm, how are you paying for the beer?)
Now the dudes are lining up cause they hear we got swagger, (Ohhhh, that's how you're getting the beer...I see.)
But we kick them to the curb unless they look like Mick Jagger!  (Seriously?  Mick Jagger?  I could think of *so* many more beautiful men.  Oh, wait...you were just trying to rhyme.  Ah, I see.)

So, yeah...Apparently, I am not only OLD but also crazy, because there I was trying to make Ke$ha lyrics make sense.  Next week I will just Zumba and not pay attention to the words. 


ETA: I totally can't stop thinking about how she's brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack.  Ugh.  That is just so bad for her teeth.  Someone needs to tell her dentist.

Back to the Land of the Living

Whew!  After four days of feeling H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E, I am on the mend.  Not 100% yet, but getting there.  I actually went to Zumba tonight, too, which I thought might wear me down and make me feel worse, but actually energized me and made me feel better. :)  Heehee.  Funny how that works.  Being sick, I hadn't exercised since doing my 20 minutes with Jillian last Tuesday, so I am definitely feeling it, but its nice to get that endorphin release that comes with good, fun exercise.  Tomorrow its back to Jillian, and I will be trying the move up to level TWO.  Finally.

I might need this book.

 In other news, the new cat has presented a bit of a problem.  Maggie either does not know how to use a litter box, or is having such tummy troubles that she can't get there in time.  (I mean, the cat was starving...she might be having a bit of trouble adjusting to having access to cat food on a regular basis.)  We've been finding messes on the carpet, which SUCKS.  We had a horrible time keeping the house clean of Toby's messes for about a year before he died, so we do NOT want another cat who's going to be causing that kind of problem.  Buddy (the black cat) and Rosie (the dog) love her, and the kids absolutely ADORE her, so we can't totally kick her out, but still...yikes.  I am going to try putting her in the laundry room for the night with a litter box and see if she goes in it.  We tried that on Saturday night and it went very well.  She did use the box (no messes!) and went all day Sunday with no accidents on the carpet.  This morning, however, there was one in our room, and Chris told me there were three more throughout the day.  Ew.  Can't deal with that.  So, sweet as she is, she might have to be more of an outdoor cat until (or unless) she gets the hang of using the box and/or her tummy gets settled so there are no accidents.  Yes, I am a sap and I refuse to make her go outside in the cold, rainy weather.

School is great.  The kids all seemed happy to see me after me not being there for two days last week.  That was kinda nice.  Andrew & Hannah are happy that I can cuddle them more now and have more energy to play/talk/read/obey their every whim. :)  Chris is certainly glad to not be quite the single parent he's had to be the last few days.  He may whine and fuss a bit, but really...he's a great guy who does WAY more for me and the kids than the average husband/father.  He's a keeper, for sure.

Week In Review

Wow, what a week. 

After being housebound for a week because of snow and ice, we went back to school on Tuesday.  (Why not Monday?  MLK Day!  Can't go to school on MLK Day...)  Try to teach 6th graders after a two and a half week Christmas break, then two days of school, then another week at home.  Not fun.

Hannah had a rough week.  First of all, she is NOT a fan of anything that takes mommy more than three feet away from her.  To say she was going through a bit of mommy withdrawal when I returned to work would be the understatement of the year.  It was not fun.  On Thursday, Chris was picking up the kids from preschool, trying to get the kids and their backpacks in the car and keep the dog in the car (he likes to take Rosie to pick up the kids...they love seeing her!) when he accidentally caught Hannah's car in the door when he slammed it shut.  OUCH.  Her hand has been bruised but she is using it and it doesn't seem to bother her, so all is well.

Andrew was thrilled to return to school.  He's spelling his name and trying to read, which is exciting.  He is such a joy.  He craves mommy time so I am trying to think of ways to spend time with JUST HIM...

I finally hauled my butt to the eye doctor this morning.  Turns out I *do* need glasses.  My vision has gone from extreme nearsightedness to perfect (thanks to Lasik) to farsightedness.  I am okay with seeing things far away, pretty good with close-up things, but not so hot with things that are in between.  This is why I have headaches.  Having to focus and squint to see things correctly will do that to you.  So anyway, I am now the proud owner of two pair of glasses...a purple pair and a brown pair.  They will be ready in @ 7 business days, so for the next week I will have to continue to squint and suffer with the headaches, but there is an end in sight so that's a good thing.

I'll be doing day 3 of Jillian's 30-Day Shred as soon as I get the kids down for a nap.  After a couple of days I wasn't *as* sore, so its time to add the hand weights.  I might be hating life later, but for now I'm actually kinda looking forward to it. :)  Maybe the endorphin release will help my headache.  A girl can hope., right?

Because Its Sunday...

My brain and body are always tired on Sundays.  Good thing Sunday is a day of rest, right?

So anyway, I am feeling quite random, so this is gonna be a post full of randomness.  Okey dokey?  All righty, then!
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I finally got my first book from Booksneeze!  I am so excited.  Haven't gotten too far into it yet, but I loooooove this author and already love the first two chapters.  Can't wait to see how the story develops.  I will be posting my review on Sept.13, so come back then and I'll tell you all about it!
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Kelly came back to work on Friday.  I was so happy to see her that morning, I ran up and hugged her.  She laughed and asked, "was it that bad??"  I told her no, the students weren't bad per se, there's just so MANY of them.  Friday was a good day, and this week will be interesting.  We're getting our fifth teacher this week so classes will be much smaller (good thing!); however, all of the students' schedules will change to accommodate this extra class.  This will cause a lot of chaos and anxiety for these poor kids (bad thing).  They will adjust quickly, though.
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For the next three weeks I am participating in the Daniel Fast with the rest of my church.  No meat, no sugar, no caffeine...its gonna be a rough week as my body adjusts to the detoxification, but I am looking forward to getting that junk out of my body and feeling much better as a result. :)
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Hannah and Andrew are still as cute as can be.  My mom and stepdad were here from Thursday until Saturday and we all loved it.  They took the kids to a jump-n-play place on Friday while I was working, and the kids had a ball.  Afterwards, they went to eat.  Andrew stopped mid-meal and told my mom, "Grans, you're the best!!"  I think her heart just about burst through her chest.  She sure does love those kiddos, and they love her back.
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I really want to live closer to family.  I want the kids to have more access to their grandparents than a 3-5 hour drive (depending on where we're going).  Sigh...Maybe one day.
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Since my mom and stepdad were in town this weekend, Chris and I got a date night!  I got a call on my cell @4:15 (as I was on my way home from school) from Chris, telling me we needed to meet at Ingle's (local grocery store) and hurry to the theater.  We saw Inception, which was FANTASTIC.  Loved, loved, loved it!  I am still thinking about it.  What a mind-freak. 
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Well, its just about bathtime and bedtime for the kids.  The weekends fly by way too quickly around here!

Diarrhea of the Mouth

I'm feeling very random today/tonight, so this is going to be my place to get all these thoughts out, okay?  Okay! :)
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Tomorrow my hubby and kiddos come home!  They took a little trip to visit Chris' parents (Mamaw & Papaw to them) this week, and have had a BLAST.  The day they lef (Monday), I called to check on them and Andrew told me over the phone that he was "having so much fun" and, "Mama, I'm not gonna see you for a long time 'cause I'm never coming home!"  I was kinda hurt at first, but I am actually really glad he's enjoying himself.  He adores his grandparents and cousins.
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This is the kids' last week of summer before school starts back for them.  They both love preschool, and as a stay-at-home-dad, so does Chris!!  They go three hours a day (9 am-noon)...Andrew goes 4 days a week and Hannah goes 2 days.  It gives Chris a good break so he can go grocery shopping, run other errands, or just go home and get stuff done or take a nap! :)  (If it were me, I would *so* be taking a nap while the kids were at school!)  Andrew could have enrolled in the lottery-funded pre-K this year, but we decided we weren't ready for that.  Andrew is, quite possibly, totally ready for it, but he loves his little church preschool and is quite happy and comfortable there, so despite the cost (versus the FREE pre-K), we decided he could go back to the Methodist church this year.  Of course, being lottery-funded pre-K, there are limited spaces for enrollment, so there's no guarantee that he could have gotten one of those spots.  The "open house" for the preschool is tomorrow night, so they will come home in the morning, get their naps, and hopefully be happy and ready to go tomorrow night.  I have a faculty meeting after school but will be rushing home as soon as I can to see those three beloved faces.
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Today, while driving home from school, I passed a McDonald's and on the sign in front, it said, "We Loven It."  I was speechless and tried my best to get a picture of it with my phone, but couldn't manage a good one.  Wouldn't be any good if I did anyway since I can figure out how to get pics off my phone and onto the computer.  Heck, I'm impressed if I can even figure out how to take a picture with my phone. Yes, I am just now coming out of the dark ages.  I only started texting sometime last spring.  Sheesh.
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Locker break with the 6th graders went better than I thought it would.  Many were able to get theirs open after only 3-4 tries!  Several thought they were being smart by keeping their combination cards inside their locker...Then they realized that they didn't have the combinations memorized, and of course couldn't open their lockers to get their combinations, so....yeah.  They're trying, though. 
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My co-teacher has jury duty on Monday, so I will be all alone with nearly 40 kids in a class.  Yeah, that should be FUN.  I told her to go in there telling everyone she's a teacher (true), she thinks gun ownership should be mandatory (NOT true), she's racist (NOT true), and she believes we should go back to hangings in the public square (NOT true).  That should work, right?  She should be back in class on Tuesday. :)
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I got a haircut this week.  I hope Chris doesn't complain about it.  He loves long hair and wants me to grow it out, and I am trying, but the layers had grown so much that they were looking crazy.  I was tired of putting my hair back in barrettes or a headband every day, so I got it cut and got a cute little style to help me feel better about it while its growing.
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So You Think You Can Dance is, quite possibly, my favorite show.  I am so super excited about the season finale tonight (dancing tonight, result show tomorrow!)...In fact, it just started 20 minutes ago so I must go now.  Its TIVO'ed but I can't wait until tomorrow to watch it.  Chris would just tease me relentlessly anyway for watching it, so I am going to go pop some popcorn and watch it in peace.  If anyone is still reading this, God bless you.  Thanks for trying to keep up with my randomness. :)

Random Mutterings

I'm feeling rather random today...can I do a random post?  Sure, why not?  There's only like two people reading this stuff anyway, and you guys don't care.

Today Chris and I had a few hours together ALONE.  Know what we did?  Went to his doctor appt (follow up w/the GI specialist regarding Chris' colonoscopy), had an early dinner at Chili's, then went to the grocery.  We were home by 6 pm.  Party animals, I tell you!

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I hate bedtime.  Seriously, I look forward to it and I am so glad once the kids are down, but man...the whole process is SO exhausting.  I lose my temper (or come really close) almost every day.  Andrew seems to wait until bathtime to go completely crazy.  He jumps on the bed, wants to fight anyone and anything, and is so goofy its unbelievable.  I know he is just trying to make himself hyper so he won't/can't sleep, but it.is.getting.on.my.last.nerve.

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I wonder if I need to get my doc to adjust my Zoloft dosage.  Thinking back on my recent blog posts, I have been super-stressed and tired and short-tempered with my kiddos.  Maybe I need to try a different happy pill?  I started taking Zoloft when Hannah was 6 weeks old (for PPD) and have been on it ever since.  I tried to wean myself off once, but then I wanted to kill myself so yeah...that was a massive FAIL.  I probably need to go talk to someone.  I actually got a referral to a couple of counseling agencies when I went through that whole withdrawal-suicidal thing, but haven't been to see anyone.  I feel so guilty asking Chris for more time away from him and the kids.  He stays with them full-time while I teach school and he often keeps them while I escape for "Girls' Night Out" at least once a month, so I feel terrible saying, "Oh, hey, by the way...I wanna go get counseling.  Can you be here w/the kids so I can go?"  I mean, of course he would be there.  He would totally support this.  I just feel like a giant TOOL asking him about it.  But, yeah, it would be better than, you know, snapping at my kids every night.  Sheesh.

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I am so excited about getting back to work next week.  Six more days!  We have three days of pre-planning and then school starts on Monday, the 2nd.  I will be co-teaching 6th grade math this year and I am looking forward to it.  The girl I will be teaching with is a fantastic teacher but has never co-taught before.  I hope working with me doesn't make her hate the entire idea of co-teaching.  I know someone that happened to.  They had a really sucky co-teacher and have sworn off the entire concept.  Its a shame, because she is a fabulous teacher and could be really effective in that kind of classroom setting...she just got paired with a slacker who didn't do his job. 

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Okay, I think that's enough rambling for tonight.  I need to go take my happy pill now.