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Archive for October, 2009

This Gramma's POOPED

October 25th, 2009 at 03:38 pm

"Mom, can you watch (GS-14months old) for the weekend"...sure..+ "Gramma Ray, can I come spend the night" (GS- 5yrs)...sure = ONE POOPED GRAMMA!!! But we had a blast!!

Wowza. Thankfully, my playtime ends at 10am today and I can have a few of my weekend hours to catch back up this afternoon!

Last night when the hub called he said that the company had laid off one of its employees until December..???? He doesnt know if any more employees will be laid off or not. Oh boy...THIS WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET!! I am hoping that he doesn't get laid off... I am suddently second guessing my decision to buy this house...but...it is what it is. We will make it work if the other shoe falls...somehow.

My mom left dialysis very sick a couple of weeks ago...they usually call me when this happens and I go pick her up...but for some reason they didnt. On the way home, she swerved into the other lane and caused a driver to go off the road. There was no accident, so she just kept driving...(???) A few mins later a sheriffs officer arrived at her house and cited her for careless driving...and now she has to go to court and may lose her license. If she does, there is a likelihood that she will have to stay with me at least 3 nights a week so that I can take her to dialysis. I really love my mom...but she and I can be oil and water...she sees the negative first and always...she always assumes the worst and she is very suspicious of others motives...and I tend to see the bright side until there is no alternative and then I am still looking for it... Her negativity drives me crazy.

Oh boy...could you imagine if the hub (who tolerates just small doses of my mom) gets laid off and my mom moves in...I may be heading back to live with Ima Saver or Boomeyers....lol.

Aside from all of that, life is good. We are just about caught back up financially from the new house stuff. I am about half way through with Christmas shopping! And my job is going great!

I tried a new soup recipe yesterday and it was GREAT (and easy!) A can of black beans, a can of Rotel Tomatoes (has peppers, jalapenos in it), chicken broth (about a cup) about a 1/4 cup red wine, a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and a shredded left over chicken breast. YUMMY.
I will be making this for dinner for a friend who is coming over tonight.

Life is good!

Costly, but fun, weekend

October 13th, 2009 at 05:22 am

This past weekend was out annual 'girls trip'. This is an annual trip that my three daughters, DIL, mom and I take to Portland each year in October to kick off our holiday shopping.

We stay at a Residence Inn that we can stay together in and enjoy a free breakfast each morning.

This year was a little different than most...but it was still a very memorable trip that we all enjoyed.

First change, the hub joined us this year so that he could spend some extra time with us before heading back to ALaska...this meant getting a second room so that there was ample sleeping arrangements for everyone.

On Saturday, we went to Roloff Farms, which is owned by the family who star on 'Little People, Big World". It was very busy there, but we still managed to meet mom, Amy, and sons Jeremy and Zach...and had photo ops with the other Roloffs. Amy was so gracious and just as down-to-earth as she comes across on her show.

On Sunday, we took a 4 hour train ride that included brunch on a gorgeous trip with all the wonderful fall foliage.

We shopped, dined and played our way through Portland and had several days of girl time bonding.

Last night, the hub flew back to Alaska for a month...

What made this weekend costly is that the hub and I paid for the hotel rooms this year AND the train trip, which was totally my idea. We were in a better place to pay than our girls, so we did. Fortunately, I booked the rooms using AAA membership and saved about 1/2 the cost. The train trip...well, that was just an added treat that I wanted to do.

Tonight, I am home getting ready for the busy week ahead, thankful for the weekend of fun that we were able to spend as a family, together.



It's Been a While....

October 4th, 2009 at 04:39 am

I visit this site several times a week..and try to read up on how everyone is doing. I have even started a few posts of my own...only to delete them after a sentence or two. Why? Well, much has happened..and not all financial, inspiring or even interesting...

The hubs job is going well. He LOVES working in Alaska. I have to say, it is tough to have a long distance marriage..but so far, it is going ok.

The new house is coming along. The work on the kitchen is still 'in progress' I anticipate 3 more weeks before we are done. When the hub comes home he says he likes 'my house'...in other words, this is my house...not ours...

However, I LOVE this house and if it is 'mine' then so be it.

GD (age 2) had her steroid shot to hopefully put her arthritis into remission for a while...and so far, it seems to be working. Her doctor is concerned about her weight, which is a mere 20lb. She is very petite like her mom. It is just concerning, considering hse has a cousin who is a full year younger, who weighs 3 lbs more than her already. She is a little cutie pie...looks just like her dad when he was a baby...she is just a tiny girl...

Next weekend, we have our annual girls trip planned. My mom, daughters and DIL are going to Portland for a weekend away without kids. The hub is joining us this year...since we only see him for two weeks out of six...he can just catch the plane out of Portland on his way back to Alaska.

A co-worker sadly lost her husband to a motorcycle accident last week. He was only 32. They have a 6 year old son. It brought back so many feelings from my brothers motorcycle accident/death...21 years ago. My brother was only 29.

Ok...enough of non-financial stuff.

If you have followed my blog, you know that we have had many labrador dogs over the years. We currently own 3...a black, chocolate and yellow. Unfortunately, the hub failed to keep up on their heart worm shots before he left...and they have all been diagnosed with heartworms now....so almost $1500 later, we have them all in treatment and kenneled so that they are as inactive as possible while they recover. Thankfully, DD2 has agreed to be the caregiver for them...(for which I will gladly repay her)

I am working hard on paying off debt incurred from buying and fixing up this house. I am confident that I have it up to a standard that I could recoup the amount I have put into it if we decided that we had to sell it. However, I would definately argue moving back to the country at this point. I so enjoy living in town. And DD1 is loving living in the old house...

Otherwise, things are plugging along. My job is good, kids are doing well...and I am looking forward to the time off next weekend and getting away with the girls.


Oh...got a free flu shot at work...my arm is a little sore, but otherwise, no side effects...hopefully, this will keep me from getting sick this winter!