Sweet Lyrics of my Life

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Our new buddy, Nico

the Easter grass aftermath...

knitted slipper socks!

he will not enjoy this someday...

Hayden-isms

2011-04-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hayden is 3.5 now, and full of funny stories and comments... he makes me laugh every day. Last night we enjoyed dinner at Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse, where you sit around a hibachi grill and a chef makes your dinner fresh in front of you. We had a fun young chef and he wanted to impress Hayden I think, so he kept setting things on fire. First the whole grill, then the "onion volcano" to which he added "fireworks." Then he flipped that over and set the whole grill on fire again. Hayden looked at him as serious as can be and said, "Can you stop doing that?" I think he was intrigued but a little freaked out with all the flames haha.

Both kids were extremely well-behaved and ate so well too. I was really impressed! And bonus, we get to take their leftovers to work for lunch today!

He loved the kiddie chopsticks :)

Woah that's a hot fire

onion volcano!

Pink and Brown

2009-06-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

I love the combination of pink and brown :)

I found this pattern in a crochet magazine I picked up. This is the first bib I made, and I used acrylic yarn without realizing it wouldn't absorb anything! The next ones I make will be out of cotton yarn.

These little cell phone cases were my first real project. I actually developed this pattern on my own and I need to write it out. There is a long back loop and a short front loop and when you loop one through the other, it closes the case. The case fits through the larger loop, so you can hang it on anything, and the soft yarn keeps the phone cushioned and safe.

The other little case is for a stick of lipbalm and has a little lanyard clip on it. I created this pattern also.

Toddler Sun Hat

2009-06-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

I wanted to crochet a little sun hat for a friend's little girl and Google found this pattern for me:

I added extra rows in the ruffled brim because I wanted more coverage for her. I used Simply Soft by Caron yarn, and a size 6 hook. I'll post an update if she ever sends me a photo of her wearing it! Next one I make will be using cotton though, especially for a summer hat.

Free pattern here:

http://iroiroknits.blogspot.com/2008/01/caitlins-summer-hat.html

Dusting it off

2009-06-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

I've decided to give the blogging thing another shot. I've been doing some crafty projects and realized I can post about them here. Here's a big update of what's been going on the past 6 months with us :)

Haleigh is 4 now, and finished her first year of preschool. She can't wait to go back in the fall.
Hayden will be 2 in August, and adds 5 more words to his vocabulary every day it seems. I just converted his crib to a toddler bed, and he's doing great with it.
I still have cats Shan, Belle and Lillie... and have added a Cocker Spaniel puppy named Oscar to the household. He was surrendered at TAHS and is about 9 months old now. He's crazy!
I have put away my single mom card for the past six months as Rob came into my life early this year and I haven't let him go. He understands my geekyness.
The house is still fantastic... Haleigh shares the upstairs part-time with Rob's daughter Kenzie. We started painting it, but only got so far as getting everything white. Still want to add some pink and Tinkerbell stuff.
The bathroom is in process of being updated... dad already installed the new vanity. Next is pulling the tile off and re-drywalling.
I think the kitchen floor will be the next big project... the carpet has to go!
We tore out the gnarly bushes in the front and made some nice flower beds. Looking for some small bushes and I'll plant bulbs this fall. Next is powerwashing the porch to get all of the blue paint off, and talking to Invisible Fence about containing that puppy to the backyard :)
C's dad built the kids a swingset with a slide... they absolutely love it. We're outside as much as we can be with the bikes and the swinging, and the hose if it's warm enough. The dog loves trying to eat the water as it comes out of the hose.

So that's what's been happening the past few months... I've also been doing a lot of crocheting and trying to learn how to knit. I'll be posting some of my projects here probably shortly.

A Nice Weekend

2008-11-17T05:23:00.000-08:00

Though the weather was super crappy and I think I've got a cold now, we had a great weekend!

Friday night I brought home our office-cat from work. We have new motion sensors in the office so she can't be left to roam at night anymore, and I didn't want to put her in a kennel for the weekend. So she came home with me. She's pretty much adopted me as her person anyway - she lies on my desk ALL DAY at work. I knew my cats Shan and Belle would have an issue with a new cat, so I put them in the basement for a few hours and let Lily check out the house. Then I let the other cats out so they all could meet. Well, they chased Lily upstairs and didn't let her come down until Sunday morning. I set her up with food and a box though, so she just hung out in Haleigh's princess castle tent (awww) until Shanahan settled down enough to tolerate her. Sunday morning, I found all 3 cats in my bed with me, so I guess things will be okay.

Friday night I also decided that Hayden would have to learn to put himself to sleep in his crib - 15 months of rocking and co-sleeping is enough! I had been spending about an hour rocking him, only to put him in his crib and have him wake up two hours later, and then have to bring him to bed with me to avoid spending another hour rocking him back to sleep... then when I get up at 5:30, he would either wake up with me or I'd have to leave him sleeping in my bed and worry about him trying to get out while I'm in the shower because he would wake up if I tried to sneak him into his crib.

So, Haleigh went to bed easy at 8:30, and around 9 I could tell Hayden was ready. So I read a story, kissed him goodnight, and put him in his crib. He immediately stood up and started screaming, but I shut the light off and left. He was furious and screamed, stomped, shook his crib, banged on the wall, threw his blankets and binky, and acted like he was freaking dying, but I stood my ground and did the SuperNanny thing where the first time, I told him nite-nite again and I love him, and see you tomorrow. That made him even more angry. The second time I went in, I just said nite-nite Hayden, layed him down, covered him up and left. I did that a couple more times, and after 40 minutes he stayed down, gave a big sigh and was quiet. He woke up once during the night, probably to see if I'd come get him, but I just comforted him, made sure he had his binky, layed him down, covered him up, and left. I heard him sit up and whine a bit, but then he was quiet and he slept until 8am!

Saturday, we lounged around in the morning, eating donuts and bananas and watching movies. Then I babysat the best kiddos ever from 11a to 11p... I had four babies, three and under! It was fun though, and they all got along brilliantly. Around 2pm, Hayden desperately needed a nap, so I just told him it was naptime, layed him down in the crib and left, and surprisingly he went right to sleep! So I tried it again at bedtime, and it worked! He now puts himself to sleep! Freedom!

Sunday, we really lounged around all morning... we didn't even get dressed until after lunch :) I cleaned up around the house while Hayden napped (again with the good sleeping!!), then we picked up C and headed out to buy hats and gloves for the kiddos (they are soooo cute), and to get Hayden's hair cut. He did pretty well... the lady made the mistake of praising him too early though and he started to get bored. She wasn't that good with little boy cuts, and it's kind of too long on the top, but at least it's cleaned up on the sides and back. Looks good enough. Then we headed over to get photos taken with my family. I hope they turned out well... it "sounded" like they will be great because the guy really had Hayden giggling.

Then we went to Red Robin for dinner with my parents and brother, where Haleigh devoured the spaghetti I promised her, and Hayden discovered he loves canteloupe. The kids got balloons, we headed home, had baths, we all rocked out to some Guitar Hero, the kids went to bed early (no rocking! no crying!), I coaxed Lily down from upstairs to watch the Toledo Extreme Makeover Home Edition with me, and then I went to bed early to hopefully get rid of this cold!

2008-11-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

The house is fantastic, and I love love love it. I still have to paint the entire upstairs, but with it not having any heat yet, I'm not worried about getting it totally finished. I set up Haleigh's room and her bed, but she doesn't have to sleep up there if she doesn't want to. She comes home tomorrow from being with her grandparents for a week, so I'm excited to see her reaction to our new home. We were still living at the apartment when she left.

Hayden's walking everywhere now, copying animal sounds, yelling "MAMA!", and is still obsessed with fans, lights, and switches. Oh and tools also. So guess what he's getting for Christmas!

Some fun house photos!!

The living room is finished!

Looking into the kitchen. The last thing I need is some blinds for the windows. And maybe an area rug for the bad patch of carpet by the kitchen entry. Shanny's doing some weird demon-cat thing, sitting on the counter in the kitchen.

Hayden says hi! I'm noticing now that I need to get another valance for that small window.

Small but perfect.

Hayden's room! It is so perfect for a little boy and he loves it.

Haleigh helped me paint my bedroom in her Halloween costume.

I helped out at her Halloween party at preschool. Here, she's showing me her donut she won. They tied mini donuts to a pole with yarn, and the kids raced to eat them without using their hands. Too funny.

I took this photo as the kids were coming in from the Halloween parade. All of the parents were there to surprise them, and most got really emotional! Haleigh was just beside herself that I was there, and she really lost it, except she couldn't get to me right that second with all the people. It took her quite a while to let go of me and participate in the Halloween games, but eventually she went off with her group and had a good time. I'm so glad I was able to go help out!

2008-10-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am so happy with our little house. We have not moved in yet, but we have to within the next week. Scurrying to get everything done and cleaned up for this weekend so I can recruit some strong people to help me move!

My little house :) :) :)

Living Room (BEFORE)

Living Room (IN PROGRESS)

Living Room (MORE PROGRESS)
Still have to paint the trim, it will be even lighter than what's already there.

Living Room (IN PROGRESS)

Living Room (IN PROGRESS)
Bedrooms to the left, galley kitchen and dining straight ahead

Large Bedroom (BEFORE)
This archway will be covered to turn the once-bedroom-turned-diningroom back into my bedroom! Thanks Dad!

Large Bedroom (IN PROGRESS)
In the middle of mudding the drywall

Large Bedroom (IN PROGRESS)
There was a large china cabinet built into the corner that Dad had way too much fun demo'ing. The room will be Kilz primed and then painted the same as the living room for now. I plan to replace the fugly chandelier with a ceiling fan.

Dining Room (IN PROGRESS)
The other side of that patched wall. The door leads to the basement, galley kitchen to the left, back door to the right.

Dining Room (IN PROGRESS)
Cool bay windows that look out onto the back yard :)

Kitchen (IN PROGRESS)
Basement door on the right. Lori and Mom already started tearing down the two layers of wallpaper. The stove is gone, it was in need of repair but I am looking for something new. Probably will put up shelving and hopefully get my microwave out of the way. That black one was the seller's; mine is white.

Kitchen (IN PROGRESS)
I have lovely orange counters :) The cabinets are in really good shape, just a little outdated. I'm going to look for some new hardware, and probably a new countertop and backsplash sooner rather than later. The carpeting is in okay condition... I may wait to replace that until the kids can keep all their food on the table.

The Basement
The basement is huge, and the seller painted it with DryLoc right before we closed. All I wanted him to do was leave me the paint so I could do it myself! The brighter area has a work table and a peg board but has a wall separating it from the other side.

The Basement
The other side with the washer, dryer, sink and counter. The seller left a rolling clothes rack in the dormer that I brought down here, so with the clothes line there, I've got a nice laundry area! There's a clothes chute from the bathroom also, but it drops right where the nasty floor drain is. I may have to come up with something to catch the clothes up high if we're going to use it.

The Bathroom
Lovely green tile :) Jeanne gave me a great idea to re-grout the tile with black grout. I think that would look cool. The wallpaper has to go. And the floor is tiny pastel tiles. I found a great pedestal sink that's perfect for tiny bathrooms. But that is a project for next year.

The Dormer (aka Haleigh's Room)
This is at the top of the stairs... a little space for maybe a desk or something. There's some built in shelves on the right.

The Dormer
Down the hallway to Haleigh's room. The walls are some weird paneling material... My dad mentioned taping it off and painting it with a sprayer. At the end of the hallway right before the bedroom is a huge cedar closet.

The Dormer
This is the bedroom part. Both sides are the same size, and there's the built-in drawers on both sides. It's cute for a little girl's room, and Haleigh loves it. We had Hayden up here taking a nap the other day. I want to replace the two ceiling lights with chandeliers, and do some other girly things with the walls.

The Dormer
There's no heating duct up into the dormer! The thermometer reads about 58F if you can't see that. This is obviously something I'm going [to ask Dad] to take care of soon. Haleigh will share Hayden's room until we get heat up there.

The Backyard
We love the little backyard. I'm sure there will be many more photos to come. You can see the cute bay windows here, and I can actually fit my van back here! I was afraid the driveway would be too narrow with the neighbor's fence right there. I'm getting good at it now :)

I talked with the neighbor... they are a couple my age with a 10 month old son! She and I are so excited that our boys can be buddies :)

The Backyard
Hayden likes the grass, but finds it too uneven to walk on yet.

And one last cute photo... Haleigh found another backpack in her closet, so she graciously let Hayden wear her Disney Princess preschool backpack and they "went to school"... which really meant they did like 40 laps around the apartment in their PJs!

I Took The Plunge

2008-10-24T05:46:00.001-07:00

No, not that plunge... but I did buy a HOUSE yesterday!

It's so cute and absolutely perfect for us. Two bedrooms downstairs, dormer upstairs, huge basement that the seller dry-lock painted for me (I just wanted him to leave me the paint!), small garage, cute yard with a privacy fence on one side, nice quiet safe street, preschool and elementary are right down the street, YMCA is at the end of our street, close to shopping and restaurants, 5 minutes from the babysitter, 10 minutes from work... I think I picked a good one!

Last night after I closed at the title company, I picked up the kids and we stopped to pick up some dinner to eat at the house. The seller had left a few items - a sewing machine/desk, a dresser, microwave and stand, another small stand, lamp, fans, brooms, ladders, misc kitchen and bathroom stuff, work benches in the basement and garage - so I set the kids up on a little table with footstools to sit on, and with a small lamp, we ate our Wendy's chicken nuggets :)

Then the kids ran through the house like maniacs, Haleigh claiming her room and learning where all the light switches are. Hayden just wanted to keep eating.

The entire place needs wallpaper stripped and painted, carpets cleaned, some drywall hung, a bathroom update, and some new light fixtures. I will probably keep updating with before and after pictures. I'm so excited to get started!!!

Photos and Walking

2008-10-16T10:34:00.001-07:00

My little preschooler :)

Hayden is now officially walking, and actually sleeping all night for the first time. His little brain must finally be able to shut off at night, now that he's mastered the walking. It's wonderful :)

October Updates

2008-10-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

Since we'll actually have a neighborhood to go trick-or-treating in this year (YAHOO!!), and Haleigh is having a parade and a party at school next week, I've decided to get/make the kids costumes this year. (I didn't do anything last year and that was just fine with everybody)

So. Haleigh has mentioned the following things she "wants to be" lately:

Pink Power Ranger
Hannah Montana
Sleeping Beauty "Lororora" (her name is Aurora lol)
a butterfly
Tinkerbell
Iron Man

I love the idea of having the kids kind of match, like a princess and a knight... but I just have no good ideas, so any are welcome :)

Hayden is officially a toddler now, and no longer my sweet immobile infant baby. Just this weekend, at 14 months old, he started standing up from the floor without holding on to anything, and he can now walk all over the place. This is upsetting and thrilling both at the same time to Haleigh, who now has someone to chase her, but also now has someone to chase her. I am constantly hearing, "NO Hayden!! Leave my baby/markers/paper/stuff/breathing air/carpet... alone!!" She's taken to barricading herself in the corner of the dining room with chairs, and playing with her stuff up on the table. And Hayden doesn't like that at all.

He still listens very well when he's told NO, but he gets that "look" now, that testing what-are-you-going-to-do look that shows he kinda wants to know what will happen if he does touch mommy's BlackBerry, but not enough to actually go for it.

Haleigh is still loving preschool... she had school photos taken, which is just unbelievable that my 3 year-old will bring home school pictures this week. But totally cool. She has been practicing writing letters and drawing snowpeople and cutting little shapes out of paper. I have all of her assignments and papers from school in a little file, except the last two because she cut them into tiny triangles. I should save the triangles.

Enjoying a small bonfire at my parents' this weekend... and some marshmallows :)

Happy Hayden :)

First Words

2008-09-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

For the past 13 months I've whined almost daily that my son does not sleep. I was spoiled with Haleigh, who ASKS to go to bed and take naps, and averages about 15 hours of sleep every day. Hayden, on the other hand, loves to cuddle, and if he realizes he's not in someone's arms, he screams.

Around 2am this morning I was rocking him, pleading for him to close his little sleepy eyes, because mine already were. Please just go night-night, Hayden. All of a sudden, he sat up and put his face close to mine...

'night-night! night-night!'

Not just nah-nah, it was clearly 'night' and nobody was there to hear it but myself and the cats. He had the biggest grin on his face because he was so proud of himself. It was making me smile, and in turn he'd smile even bigger and say it even more.

So, the first words of my non-walking 13 month-old...

night-night

Yeah kid, sounds good to me.

From the Preschooler

2008-09-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Haleigh is learning so much in school, it didn't surprise me when she asked to play with a tape measure. I thought, wow! She is learning this stuff already! So I happily handed it over and sat back to watch.

"I have to measure how big this is"

She stretched it out across a table.

"I think it weighs eighty degrees down to forty"

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree...

2008-09-18T06:45:00.001-07:00

Both kiddos had well-checks yesterday afternoon... Haleigh's was long overdue (tax season! I swear!) and Hayden was about a month late. But they're both healthy and happy and growing just fine.

Haleigh is in the 25th percentile for both weight (30 lbs) and height, she got one vaccine which she was so brave for, and her ears still look great. We did get a referral to a pediatric cardiologist though, to do an echo on her heart to make sure it isn't too close to her breast bone. Like her dad, her little chest caves inward, called something like pectus excavatum, and it would be good to get a baseline test done so they can take action quicker if the condition worsens. Right now she's not having any pain or trouble breathing. She spiked quite a fever last night due to that vaccine I assume, but seems better this morning.

Hayden is also in the 25th percentile for both weight (21 lbs) and height, and he got three vaccines, about which he screamed his widdle head off. His foot is much better and not turned out hardly at all anymore... he just needed to start walking. He takes about 4 steps at a time alone, and he's really good at walking along a wall. He was kind of grouchy last night, but a dose of Tylenol around dinner time helped and he ended up sleeping all night in his own bed. Wow!

Of course our doctor's office changed over to paperless medical records YESTERDAY, so the staff was extra slow in processing everything and it's exactly why two easy appointments took 2.5 hours. But I was patient, and my iPod, Cheerios, and a camera phone really saved us from complete meltdowns.

Other news... Haleigh loves preschool and I love the work she brings home. She's learning to draw in the lines, and she can already recognize just about every letter of the alphabet and even write a few of them.

I looked at another house last night... in a great neighborhood with a really great elementary school. It's super close to the preschool and is closer to my work. It needs some updating, but for the right price I think it's a great house.

rain rain

2008-09-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I graduated high school in, yikes, 1997.

Did you marry someone from your high school?
Not married yet, so who knows?

Did you car pool to school?
Bus for 2 years, rode with Judi our junior year, and had my own car senior year.

What kind of car did you have?
'95 Grand Am

What kind of car do you have now?
'08 Grand Caravan LOL

It's Friday night... where were you?
Football games in the fall, work the rest of the year.

It's Friday night... where are you now?
Home with the kiddos, or dinner with my parents.

What kind of job did you have in high school?
Customer service at Food Town

What do you do now?
Accounting/HR Manager for a non profit animal shelter

Were you a party animal?
Not even a little

Were you considered a flirt?
I don't know

Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Um, all of the bands

Did you get suspended/expelled?
One detention?

Can you sing the fight song?
Of course

Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)?
Mr. Malcolm, Frau Kohler

Where did you sit during lunch?
The cafeteria?

What was your school's full name?
Whitmer Senior High School

When did you graduate?
Ninety-seven ninety-seven ninety ninety ninety-seven

What was your school mascot?
Panther (Pete, right?)

If you could go back and do it again... would you?
Hmmm... I might

What do you remember most about graduation?
How long it was

Who took you to your sr prom?
Did not go

Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with?
Well I hung out with Laura L that night and yep, we still talk

Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?
Oh wow, it was last yèar! I didn't go because Hayden was only 2 weeks old

Do you still talk to people from school?
Sure do

Charlie, Bob and Sam

2008-09-02T18:03:00.001-07:00

Me: Let's go have lunch at Charlie's

H1: Okay... Who is Charlie?

Me: No, it's a place you eat, called Charlie's. Kinda like Bob Evans. You like Bob Evans, remember? Then we have to run to Sam's.

H1: Oh, okay!

A few minutes later, in the van, pretending to talk to her dad on an old cell phone...

H1: ... Yeah Dad, we're going to Charlie's house to have lunch with Bob, and Sam too... And Hay-Bob too! (laughs hysterically... Hayden Robert, get it? Yeah, I can thank the grandparents for that and she knows I don't like that nickname lol)

Some new photos are finally on Flickr... Link is over on the right.

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

First day of school! sob

2008-09-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Haleigh did so great today... She had new shoes, and her shiny new (and huge!) backpack with her 'homework' in it. I took her to work with me for a few minutes this morning to kill some time, where she fell in love with a giant bunny (whoops), then we were off to the pre-school.

I definitely cried more than she did... She bounced off to play and barely said goodbye to me! But when I returned to pick her up, she was not happy to see me at all, and pouted the whole way back to the babysitter's. Most of that was because she was ready for lunch and a nap though, I suspect.

But I think she's going to do great! Hayden was really happy when I brought her back to him at the sitter, but then he had to say goodbye to me again! Oh poor baby, so tough!
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Busy Busy

2008-08-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

I was waiting to update until I had some good pictures to share, but I have a minute now so I'll throw something together.

The kids are well... Haleigh is coming home today after spending the week with her grandparents up north. Hayden and I missed her really a lot. She starts preschool next Tuesday, just two mornings a week. I think she's really excited.

Hayden has been sick for about a week now... a fever is his only symptom. Hopefully these antibiotics the dr. gave us will start to work soon. He turned one year old a couple of weeks ago, and has started babbling like crazy. He has his own little language. No walking yet, but cruising around holding onto things like crazy. He has six teeth now, and eats anything and everything. Dry cereal is his favorite.

Hayden and I looked at a few houses last night, and found one we really like. Going back this weekend to take another look. So exciting!

Some not-so-good-quality cell phone pics...

The Preschool

2008-08-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

We LOVE the preschool. It is really perfect for Haleigh. They have little 20 minute classes - Art, Math, Science, Music and Gym! - some group reading time, play time, a snack, and even Kindergarten prep. I am so excited for her to start next month. She loved it too... she buzzed around playing with stuff in each room while the admin and I were talking, and she even joined a game of dodgeball in the gym before we left with no prompting from me at all! She was not happy when we had to leave, and can't wait to go back. She'll start just two days a week for this school year, and maybe more next year.

So exciting! (and scary that she's old enough for SCHOOL, yikes!)

Updates Updates Updates

2008-08-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been forever since I've posted anything worthwhile. Here goes...

Haleigh and I are going to visit her pre-school tomorrow morning! I am so excited for her to go to school. Our sitter will take her two days a week, and she gets to play and learn for 3 hours. Unfortunately, she is the only kiddo at the sitter that is going this fall, so she'll have to make some new friends. But I am excited for her to do just that, and get away from the attitudes she's been picking up from the older girls at the sitter.

I've decided I don't want to renew my lease in my little cave-apartment in October. So I'm on the hunt for a good bank and to find the perfect little house with a little yard for the kiddos. Maybe a dog. (If you know where I work, don't be scared... I only want ONE dog.) But I need to get moving on it! Banks call me back!

Hayden turns one year old next week, and he's THISCLOSE to walking. He pulls up and cruises really well and even gets up on all fours like a bear-walk. He babbles like crazy, repeats a lot of sounds and short words (fan, mah, dah, ooo, yay!), and points at everything so you tell him what it is. That makes him smile so big. His only sign is "more" but he doesn't do it unless you remind him - mostly he just points and grunts for what he wants. Poor baby can't figure out a sippy cup (we're done with formula and bottles), but he LOVES straws. He eats anything and everything now, with his four teeth (two on bottom, and top fangs, my little vampire), even in the car. Haleigh takes cereal and a juice box for the drive to the sitter every morning, and Hayden's been super jealous of that lately. So I gave him his own bag of puffs, which he promptly dumped out on the seat between his legs and ate every one.

Still having trouble with his sleeping patterns... he thinks going to bed at 9 is a NAP, and wakes around 11 ready to play. No idea what I'm doing anymore with him, we just get through one night at a time. I moved Haleigh's bed into my bedroom to see if I can let Hayden fuss and put himself back to sleep without worrying he'll wake her. Hasn't worked yet.

We've been going to the park after dinner a few nights a week when it's not too hot, and swimming at my parent's on the weekends. Kids love the swings and the baby pool :) Had to fish Hayden out this past weekend though, he put his face in the water accidentally, freaked out, flipped over onto his back and just laid there, his little face peeking out of the water. He was fine, a little upset, but Haleigh started laughing at his wet head and he was giggling again in no time. They play so well together!

That's all I've got at the moment... I should get back to work ;)

So Many Happenings

2008-06-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

Finally able to be online again. No internet at home, and training at my new job meant no internet on my breaks or anything for a few weeks. Nice to be back. I have 436 unread blog posts in my feed reader. I kinda just want to hit 'mark all read' and start over!

So I have a new job, closer to home, fewer hours, more $$, better mission, more challenging work. Really couldn't be any better. I've had my eye on this job for years and it finally all just fell into place :) I also joined the ranks of soccer moms everywhere and bought my first minivan last weekend. It's a fun burnt-orange color and we all love it. Well, the kids love the DVD players, and I love the quiet.

Our roadtrip, two weekends ago, by the numbers:
448 - miles driven, round trip
448 - deer spotted along the way, both dead and alive (seriously, at least one every mile, stupid deer)
2 - successful potty stops on the way up
5 - snacks and drinks distributed
88 - creative answers to the questions, "Whatcha doin' Mommy?" and the inevitable "Are we at Michigan yet?"
32 - wild turkeys chased off the driveway upon our arrival
1 - super duper cute and adorable 8 week old baby raccoon named Niko
8 - total hours slept all weekend, due to a not-so-sleepy baby named Hayden
1 - barefoot hillbilly playing in the dirt all weekend (not me this time)
3.5 - hours of quiet on the drive home, since we left Haleigh up there for the week!
All together a good trip. Haleigh came home Friday. She always runs around like a maniac and says she loves my carpet when she comes home from up there. They have soft plushy carpet so berber is quite a different feeling. Silly girl.

Hide-And-Seek with a Rookie

2008-05-19T05:11:00.000-07:00

Haleigh has never played real hide-and-seek before. I can tell they play at the babysitter, but mostly they just run around and scream. She doesn't know the 'rules' about being quiet and hiding until found, then running for 'base.' But she does know how to sit and count with her eyes closed, so we started there.

Me: okay you sit here and count to 10. Hayden and I will hide and you come find us, okay?!
Haleigh: OKAY!

I go sit on her bed with Hayden and wait.

Haleigh: ONE... TWO... FREEEEE!!! READY NOT HERE I COME!!! (yes she is yelling the entire time)

She finds us, squeals, and runs for the chair (base).

Me: Okay, now it's our turn. We're gonna count to 10 and you go hide! Stay there and be quiet until we find you, okay?!
Haleigh: OKAY!!
Me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10! Ready or not here we come!

(Hayden is loving all of this and keeps whooping and squealing with excitement as I run around the apartment carrying him)

Me: (peeking into kitchen and talking softly to Hayden) Hmmm... I wonder if she's in the KITCHEN?
Haleigh: NO, I'M IN MY BEDROOM!
Me: ...
Me: ssshh! You are HIDING
Haleigh: OKAY! (GIGGLE)
Me: (peeking into the bathroom) Is she in the bathroom, Hayden?
Haleigh: NO!!! I. AM. IN. MY BED. ROOOOM! (getting annoyed)
Me: (whipping around the corner and scaring the bejezus out of her) HERE YOU ARE!
Haleigh: (SQUEAL!) MOMMM YOU SCARED ME! (insert Look of Death)
Me: ...
Haleigh: LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!!

So I stood with Hayden inside the doorway of my closet this time, and he kept trying to peek out and look for her. He'd peek and then giggle and wiggle, totally anticipating her coming to look for us. His laughing gave us away and she found us quick. And then she'd take her turn to hide. In exactly the same spot as we had just picked. Every time.

But it never got old :)

I'm sleepy today

2008-05-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

Up way late with the boy last night... the little teething monster. I think he's getting one on top and one on the bottom too, so he's just a painful drooly mess. The Tylenol did nothing, and sucking on the binky made it hurt more apparently, but no sucking = no sleep. So we paced the apartment and took a bath and sang lullabyes and sucked on cold wet washcloths... well Hayden did that part anyways.

Some good news... Haleigh is done with pacifiers! (Read: This Is A Big Deal) We went cold turkey two nights ago and last night was a breeze. The "Binky Fairy" came and took her binkys and gave them to new little babies that need them. She bought it haha.

Today is just otherwise blah. The weather is dreary, I feel like I'm disappointing people left and right, and sometimes I feel like I don't deserve what I've been blessed with. Sometimes. I just want everyone to be happy and be able to have everything they want. *sigh*

I start the new job next week though, so things should start looking up :) I am super excited about that.

Tuesday

2008-05-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Breakfast: Twinkie and Fuze slenderize low carb drink thingie
Lunch: LC Panini and some potato chips... and a light cranberry juice cocktail
Dinner: nothing planned... bad!

The 20 minutes of yoga last night totally cancels out the Twinkie. Totally. Yoga Basics + Buns/Thighs.

Budget: not bad so far this month. First month of really trying to keep within the actual budget. I saved a little bit in daycare this month, but used a vacation day so I guess I'm not ahead at all. I'm still putting the student loans payment towards CC debt while its still in forbearance. Going to have to adjust the gasoline budget again... maybe that student loans payment should go straight to the gas category! Still haven't touched the savings.

In non debt/food news... I used a FURminator brush on the cats last night. Whew! They were each carrying a whole extra cat I think. I didn't even do the best job because they were not excited about it, but the shedding is a lot better now.

2008-05-13T09:43:00.001-07:00

Testing? Posting from my phone!

Just a Survey

2008-05-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

What would I find on your bed?
jersey sheets and a down comforter

Did someone see you kiss the last person you kissed?
besides the kids? nope ;)

Are your underwear and socks folded in your drawer or just thrown in?
mine are just thrown in one of 4 drawers. the kids' are neater

Are you a cuddler?
yep

What would I find if I looked UNDER your bed?
probably a binky or two, a few cat toys, and i think there's a curtain rod under there for some reason

Something that happened today that made you angry?
the amount of money I spent before 8am... gas, sitter, diapers

What were you doing before this survey?
daydreaming

What will you do after the survey?
maybe another

Marriage or living together?
marriage

What shirt are you wearing now?
black short-sleeved sweater

Do you sing?
only with the kids

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
more talking than hiding

First thing you do when you wake up?
shower

Ever had surgery?
wisdom teeth

Do you tend to rip the paper off water bottles?
nah

How long does it take for you to fall asleep at night?
which time?

Current song on myspace?
no song

it's midnight, who are you texting?
nobody texts me that late

it's Wednesday afternoon, where are you usually?
woooorrrrkkkk

Who was the last person to text you?
Autumn

Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet?
bare feet and slip-slops

Do you know how to play poker?
yeap

What's so good about Friday?
um jeans to work and two days off ahead?

Plans for next week?
wrapping things up here and getting ready for the new job

What's your favorite thing to spend money on?
food... I don't cook at home much

Are you nervous?
yes! so many changes happening. all GOOD things :)

Were you happy when you woke up today?
no! Haleigh invaded the bed at 3, Hayden woke up at 4 and ended up in bed with us, Haleigh started kicking at 5 so I made her to back to her own bed... the alarm went off at 5:30 and I don't think I even slept.

How about now?
sure, I've had my McD's bucket of sweet tea and a York Peppermint Patty. doing fine.

Do you eat candy on a daily basis?
nope, treated myself today

Who was the last person you ate with?
ice cream with Autumn last night!

Are you currently taking a science class in school?
uh, last science class was in maybe 2003

What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself?
just water

Can you live a day without tv?
oh yes... i don't turn it on anymore unless there's something specific i'm going to watch

I Said SLEEP

2008-04-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

Well our sleep situation has not gotten any better... it's probably worse. I don't think he's teething - his gums look the same and he's eating and pooping the same - but I suppose he could be. If that was the case though, wouldn't he be awake and cranky? Instead, he's a wide awake, playful, happy, babbling little monkey that just loves to cuddle and explore at 3am. I've tried moving mealtimes, tried bathing him by himself to relax him instead of getting him all riled up with the splashing that ensues when his sister is involved, tried cereal in his bedtime bottle... but he's not really even hungry at 3am, just bored. He goes to bed no problem by 9, but is up again between 12 and 3.

Ah, just venting. It's just a phase, it's just a phase... gives me more time with him at this precious age, right?

The good news this weekend: I got my cats back! C brought them over Saturday night and they have mostly settled in. Shan was MIA for a good 12 hours until I finally found him inside the drawer under the crib. Belle is already back to herself, burrowing under the covers to sleep with me. Man I missed them. Not the hair though. They both need a good bath and brush-out.

And they make trying to crochet very interesting!

Mission: Sleeping Babies... Night 236

2008-04-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

12:32am, Night 236

Baby-waking sounds heard through baby monitor

Jump out of bed and slip into dark kids’ room all stealthily like a cat

Hover over stirring baby, checking to see whether eyes are open or closed

Eyes: closed, but time is limited

Locate pacifier lodged under baby’s neck, and attempt to retrieve without further waking baby

Success

Re-insert pacifier and gently-but-quickly roll baby on side to better facilitate sleep

Hands in the air (woo!)

Slowly back out of room

...

Halfway to the door, 28-year old ankle snap-crackle-pops, echoing like a gunshot in the tiny bedroom

(Crap)

Baby flings arms and opens eyes wide

...

FREEZE

...

If you do not move, it cannot see you

...

Do not breathe either

...

Baby relaxes, takes a deep breath, and falls asleep effortlessly

FLOAT out of room

Snuggle back down in a now-cold bed

Begin to drift off, dreaming of Christian Bale rescuing you from...

"Mommy?"

...

"Mommy? I want to hold you."

Open one squinty eye and see pitiful-looking 3 year-old, toting blankie and care bear, standing shivery at the edge of the bed

*sigh* at least she’ll help keep the bed warm?

(Some pics at Flickr too.)

Lost

2008-04-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

You know when you lose something very important, and you can always remember the few seconds before it completely disappeared, but not any of the details? Because I can remember taking this small piece of paper with Very Important Information on it, and putting it away because I didn’t need it yet. When I did that, I thought to myself, "You will remember it is HERE because it totally makes sense for it to be HERE with this other STUFF and you know what? you can probably even forget you’re putting it HERE because THIS is the first place you’d look for it anyway when you need it."

Soooo I can remember thinking all of that but I don’t remember where I was or what I did next! Did I change my mind? because now it’s NOT THERE. My first mistake was obviously telling myself that I didn’t NEED to remember where I was putting the Very Important Information. I’ve looked in the most obvious place, no. Second and third? no. I even looked in places that said information has no place ever showing it’s stupid beautifully written face.

But I’ll keep looking, and I’ll keep you updated. Because I’m sure you’re sitting on the edge of your seat in suspense. Sure of it.

One-Word Survey

2008-04-02T05:20:00.000-07:00

Haleigh is spending the week with her grandparents up in MI so it’s just the boy and myself here, trying to entertain each other. I thought things would be easier with just one kiddo around for a bit but it’s actually harder! I never realized what a good job Haleigh does entertaining her baby brother so I can do things like the dishes and the laundry and ~~do surveys online~~...

The One-Word Answer Survey

1. Where is your cell phone?
bag

2. Your significant other?
undefined

3. Your hair?
annoying

4. Your mother?
classy

5. Your father?
comforting

6. Your favorite thing?
dreaming

7. Your dream last night?
chaotic

8. Your favorite drink?
milkshake

9. Your dream/goal?
contentment

10. The room you’re in?
chilly

11. Do you fake it?
rarely

12. Your fear?
failure

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
successful

14. Where were you last night?
elsewhere

15. What you’re not?
sorry

16. Muffins?
unexciting

17. One of your wish list items?
tulips

18. Where you grew up?
safe

21. Your TV?
overused

22. Your pet?
missed

23. Your computer?
touchy

24. Your life?
comfortable

25. Your mood?
cheery

26. Missing someone?
seriously

27. Your butt?
yoga!

28. Something you’re not wearing?
makeup

29. Favorite Store?
Target

30. Your summer?
enjoyment

31. Like someone?
truly

32. Your favorite color?
cerulean

33. The last time you laughed?
playtime

34. Last time you cried?
non-issue

35. The last thing you did?
stretch

10-for-10

2008-03-26T05:20:00.000-07:00

No, it’s no the latest big sale at Kroger... and by the way it’s KROGER, not KROGERS or KROGER’S. There is no ’s’, trust me. Same with Meijer. It’s MEIJER, people, not MEIJERS.

Wow somebody’s kinda bitchy today, eh?

Anyways, here’s your 10 for 10. Look out, I’m having a craptastic day (as if you couldn’t already tell). The first one is not about a person. lol.

1. I miss you! I wish you could come home with me. We could try, but I’d probably get busted. Then what. At least I can see you every day.

2. I don’t know if you were having a generally bad day, but your actions were absolutely hateful. How was she to know you’d be ’offended’ at her doing her job?

3. I sincerely hope you’re making the right decision, and that you’re listening to your heart.

4. Even knowing what I know, I hope that someday you can be happy where you are.

5. Your miserable attempts to talk to me are wasteful. Things have changed, I will never feel the same about you. Your comment still stings.

6. If I was able to stay at home all day, I wouldn’t complain about my minor daily annoyances to a largely working-mother audience.

7. We so need a girls’ night.

8. I know you want out of here, but I don’t know what I’ll do if you leave.

9. You make me smile every day. I am hopeful.

10. Though it’s none of my business anymore, I hope this ends well. I wish I understood, because I truly do not and when I try to think about it, I get angry and sad.

100 Things

2008-03-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

100. What’s your profile song and why?
I don’t have a profile song

99.Do you have a job?
I do! and I kinda like it

98.What did you do today?
so far just same thing as every Monday... get myself ready, get two squirmy monkeys ready, one happy one crabby, drive too far one way, drive even farther the other way, hit up ’Bucks in between, now getting some work done.

97. Where were you last night?
my parent’s house

96. Who was the last person to call you baby/babe?
Haleigh calls me babe sometimes b/c I call her that

95. What is your current ring tone?
plain phone ringing sound

93. What is the last movie you watched, with who?
watched Pride and Prejudice last night... by myself :)

92. What makes you mad?
not much

91. Name?
Laurie
Laurie Lu
Mom
Mommy
Mama
MOTHER
Hey You
Bill’s Secretary (um no)

90. When you’re at the grocery store do you use the self checkout?
anytime I can

89. Do you return the cart?
to a cart corral, yes. I know how it is.

88. Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?
sure

87. What are you doing?
working hard

86. Are you afraid of growing old?
no, I know I’ll get to do all the things I want to

85. Has anyone ever sung to you?
the kids do all the time

84. Has anyone ever given you roses?
yep but not in a loooong time, and never ’just because’

83. Are you happy?
mostly

82. What is sitting to your right, right now?
pink mug of writing utensils, adding machine, files, printer, post-ts, eraser, stapler, gum, water, mouse

81. If you were abandoned in the wilderness, would you survive?
if I could get a fire going, yes

80. Do you have any kids?
two of the best

79. Do you have a favorite stuffed animal?
um, no I really don’t like them

78. Closest black object?
a sharpie

77. Who do you text the most?
not sure

76. What do you hear?
Main St traffic, the phone now, my heater

75. Do you sing in the shower?
no way

74. What does your last incoming text say?
hmm the phone is off and I don’t remember

73. What does your last outgoing text say?
see above

74. Last time you listened to country music?
the commute this morning

71. What is your favorite color(s)?
light blue and brown at the moment - I love little boy clothes!

70. What color are your eyes?
blue/gray

69. What is a compliment you receive often?
"oh I like your haaair" from Haleigh

68. How tall are you?
5’5"

67. Would you pass a drug test right now?
yep

66. Who was the last person to say they loved you and when?
Haleigh last night, but I said it once and she was quiet, so I shouted it from the hallway and she shouted back, "jeez I LOVE YOU TOOOOO! leave me alone!" ah the attitude...

65. Do you like your parents?
very much

64. Last person to comment you?
Melissa

63. Do you sing?
only to Disney stuff at home, or in the car

62. Scream-o or country?
country

61. Rock or rap?
rock

60. Do you like cheese?
I loooove cheese

59. Who did you last call?
babysitter

58. Are you ready for summer?
anything warmer

57. What jewelry do you wear constantly?
my grandma’s engagement ring (on my right hand)

56. The last person to call you?
Dad?

55. Who was the last person you saw?
a client

54. Do you secretly like someone?
hmm good question, I will say yes

53. Who was the last person you said you loved on the phone?
Dad

52. Which do you prefer, to eat or sleep?
ooo toughie... both get interrupted repeatedly... both make me happy... ack... SLEEP

51. What do you smell?
minty gum

50. Is anything bothering you right now?
just life/job/family decisions always weighing on my mind

49. Do you like anyone?
I do

48. Does somebody like you?
I think so?

47. Plans for the weekend?
nada, working I suppose

46. Do you look more like your mom or your dad?
mom for sure

45. How long does it take you to shower?
as long as i can get away with - ditto Rita!

44. Color of your room walls?
apartment beige

43. Do you love someone?
I love my family, my friends, my kiddos, and myself!

42. Do you like HOT showers?
as opposed to cold? yes

41. Can you do splits?
hahahaha

40. Are you flexible?
not even a little bit

39. Can you swim?
sure can

38. What did you do on New Years Eve 2007?
celebrated alone at home, but it’s better than where i was in 2006 :)

36. Can you speak any other language than English?
a good amount of German

35. United States or Canada?
US

34. What toothpaste do you use?
Aquafresh Extreme Clean

33. What do you want right now?
a cook that cleans also

32. What is the last letter of your first name?
e

31. What should you be doing?
your taxes

30. Are you going to do it?
oh yes, in a minute... so stop calling

29. Do you have socks on?
sure do

28. Do you own big sunglasses?
no, they’re plain and boring

27. Have you ever cried so hard, you made yourself sick?
not in a long time

26. Do you like techno?
not even a little

25. How many hours of sleep did you get last night?
4-5

24. Do you wear your seatbelt in the car?
always

23. Are you scared of flying?
nope, I love to fly

22. What do you sleep in?
flannel pajama pants or scrubs and a tshirt

20. Have you ever been to Los Angeles?
nope

19. Favorite TV show?
Grey’s Anatomy
Heroes
Friday Night Lights

18. Do you like ’80s movies?
meh

17. Do you like "Pour some sugar on me" by Def Leppard?
yep

16. What did you eat last?
(bad) lemon pound cake from ’Bucks

15. What kind of music do you like?
mostly rock

14. What do you have planned for tonight?
couple of TV shows after the kiddos go to bed, maybe some taxes... oo thrilling

13. Is the last person you kissed older than you?
yes

12. Been to London?
not yet

11. Can you lick your toe?
no sorry

10. Favorite shoe brand?
I don’t care

9. Been to California?
not yet

8. Wallpaper on your cell phone?
pic of flowers I took

7. Favorite time of day?
early morning, right before the sun comes up, when the birds are all making noise and it’s so still

6. Ever licked someone’s cheek?
sure

5. If you could have one thing right now what would it be?
$$ duh

4. What was the last thing you drank?
(bad) mocha latte

3. What are you looking forward to?
going back to my regular work schedule and having time for my friends

2. Ever got lost in the dark?
sure

1.Where is your number one friend?
at work, or class... probably work this early

Sick x 3

2008-02-20T10:21:00.000-08:00

All 3 of us are fighting this fever/cold/ear infection thing. H1 is supposed to have surgery Friday for her tonsils/adenoids/tubes, and I so hope it will still happen with her being sick. It's the only thing that's going to help her not get sick anymore!

Ugh I can't write anymore :(

Workin' on a Saturday

2007-12-29T08:35:00.000-08:00

Tim Horton's for breakfast... sausage sandwich, chocolate glazed donut and hot chocolate! Don't want to think about that anymore. But it was goood. I need to have more control on the drive to work so I don't stop anywhere for breakfast!

We're having lunch from the new restaurant next door today. I think I'm getting chicken strips because none of the salads sound good, and they're always too big anyways.

I haven't put up a starting weight yet... I will soon. Probably on the 1st to make it nice and easy. I'll also list my debt out, but my budget will have to wait a few days until I talk with the boss about my 2008 salary.

**Updated to add-
The chicken strips were horrid and the fries were even worse. Probably not eating there again. I'll stick with the little sports bar across the street! Oh, and I had a chocolate chip cookie this morning to tide me over since boss was taking forever with his client and ordering lunch was nowhere in sight.

Magic Bullet - the blender!

2007-12-28T19:10:00.001-08:00

I made chicken quesadillas for H1 tonight and they were a big hit! I blended the velveeta and fajita chicken longer than I should have, but it was good for her because she didn't know there was meat in it then. She's had an issue with texture lately and has turned extremely picky on me. But I sauteed? the mixture between two tortillas with some butter spray, and cut it with a pizza cutter. She ate the entire thing. Success!

Then after she went to bed I made a yummy chocolate milkshake. I love it!

2007-12-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

So right now I'm eating chocolate covered caramel corn.

But I'm drinking a water... that's good, right?

Good eating starts... tomorrow!

Welcome

2007-12-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

I've decided to start this blog at the beginning of 2008 to journal my struggles and successes with

losing weight
getting my family to eat right
eliminate my debt so I can purchase a home in 2009

It's not going to be easy, but it has to be done. So! Stay tuned for hopefully frequent posts, on everything from my debt and budget to my kids and what we eat for dinner. It should be interesting!