Spring Break "Staycation"

Okay so it hasn't really been a "Staycation" as much as "days we don't go to work or school so we kind of just loaf around and do random things".  Ick.   I had hoped to plan some actual activities for the boys this week (aka... going fun places like a museum etc) but at 36 weeks pregnant I'm just slightly exhausted.

Monday we ran to the post office (I sold a book on Amazon and ooops forgot to mail it!!) and then picked up McD's and ate at the park.  The boys had fun and I guess that's all that matters.  I attempted to get them to nap but Hudson was the only one who succumbed to sleep.  Meaning- I didn't nap therefore I was really grumpy that evening.

Today we attempted to have a big playdate with some friends but woke up to rain and storm.  Then one friend wasn't feeling well and had to be around home for a serviceman, and I didn't hear from the other, so I told Jess to come on over and I made myself decent and headed to Meijer to pick up some snacks, milk etc... On the way there I ran into Sadie at the end of our road- turns out she was still coming over, rain and all!  So she and her 3 boys joined us at Meijer and then we spent the afternoon at my house.  It wasn't too bad for 8 kids in the house!  It did get sunny early in the afternoon so the big boys got to go outside and play.

Jess and her kids hung out until nearly 4pm and once Ryan got home at 4:15 I laid down for a 2.5 hour nap!  EEEK!  I was exhausted and my feet were swollen and hurt.  The boys were exhausted too, and bedtime tonight was a MESS!  I had hoped to go visit a friend and her son in Lansing tomorrow but not sure if I want to skip rest time again!

I've been trying to get some little projects done around the house.  This past weekend Ryan got the Christmas lights down off the house,  Meanwhile I've been working on little decorating (aka Pinterest) projects around the house.  I made some baby bibs, embellished some burp clothes, made a cute spring wreath and a wooden pallet-type art for the mantle.  I'm still not done with the art- not sure what to paint/write on it.  I'd like some kind of quote, inspirational or family/home related... but just not sure.

I finally got my "new old van".  It is nice to have an easy-to-get-into vehicle again (I have been driving the truck).  Ry keeps saying I'm never satisfied with my vehicle but that's only because he keeps asking "Do you love your van" to which I reply... "No.  I like it, and I'm glad I have a vehicle that is running and is in great shape and fits the kids, but it's a van and, well, I don't really LOVE vans."  LOL!  I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, just truthful.  I DON'T love it, but it works for us and the price is excellent and it gets me where I need to go.  What more do I need?  Love is not required for a vehicle.  HAHA!

Today the kids were all playing with the rats and I noticed Cricket had a lump on her chest.  I did a little googling and it sounds like she has a mammary tumor. :(  I knew that tumors (likely it is benign) are common in female rats if they are not spayed (our females are not... its like $80+/rat to spay them and their life expectancy is only 3ish years) but I didn't think it'd happen this soon.  They just turned 1 year old.  So... I'm going to call around to vets and see what we should do about it.  I'm torn between thinking maybe we should have just spayed them, because if we do any type of surgery it will likely cost the same amount or more (and I'm not paying that much for surgery!).  I did read online some vets are cheap for rodent tumor removals (as low as $35) but I'm sure that won't be the case.  If that is what it comes down to I think we'll just have to have her put to sleep once the tumor gets too large for her to get around.  Poor Crickey!

The Final Days + Car Dreaming

This is my last week of my grad class (RDG 656).... everything is due on Sunday.  I finally got caught up on Week 2 and Week 3 assignments I'd skipped, and now just have my final case study to put together.  I am skipping the screencast we are supposed to do.... powerpoint plus creating the screencast.  Lots of work for just 15points.  I'm probably going to end up with a C in the class, but I'm not worrying about it.  I typically get A's, some B's.  I'm just so unmotivated right now.  So much else on my mind... being excited and anxious for Baby Sis' arrival but also hoping I get everything done before she is here.  I just feel like I have so much to do!  Most of it comes down to financial things... getting my taxes ready for my accountant so he can hopefully be speedy quick and CROSS.MY.FINGERS we get a decent return.

We sold my van Wednesday.  We came across a great deal on another van (yes... ANOTHER VAN... iiiiiccccckkkk) that my grandma's friend was selling.  Its a few years newer than mine, in excellent condition, has half the miles, has a hitch (BONUS for if we ever get a hybrid camper!), stow and go and power doors.  So, it's an upgrade.  I don't love it.  I'm not that excited about it.  It's a van.  Ick.  I wish I were getting a sweet SUV or something like that.... BUT... there is nothing equivalent to this great of a price, these specs, in an suv.  I've looked, believe me.  Plus... I drive 40+ miles a day for work and gas efficiency is important.   We're just waiting on the loan to come through and hopefully we'll pick it up next week.

  

What I'd really love?  Is a crossover.  Captain's chairs in the middle, please.  Oh and a nice, deep, rich color like a mocha brown, or deep charcoal grey or black.  :)

Like the Chevy Traverse...

Or the Buick Enclave.

Or the GMC Acadia (though I know FOUR people in my immediate group of friends with Acadias LOL!  Car of choice right now, I suppose? So, this would be third choice on my list of Cars-I-Want)

Aaaaand... if money were not an issue?  I'd loove a Suburban.  I had a brand new one as my "nanny vehicle" when I was in college and I LOVE LOVE LOVED it.  I

OOooohhhkay, that's enough dreaming for now.  :)  'Tis not going to happen anytime soon.  I'm a cheap-o mini-van driving mama for now, because that's what's in the budget.  BOO!   

So, tell me your "Dream Vehicle" of choice today!

Clumps

I would title this "Chapters" but clumps seem a little more appropriate.  Just some little "clumps" of things going on... nothing huge enough to warrant as a chapter HAHA!

• Today was a busy day... met Jessica and Katie at Java Jungle and boy was that a GREAT idea.  The place was an effing madhouse.  $13 to get in, $18 for lunch and left with a few extra wrinkles than I came with.  Never. Again.   Its a great place, but on a holiday week... no no no way.
  
  
  
  
• After Mother's Hell-Date, I had to run to a client's house to drop off some pictures.  And the boys were being so good that I decided we'd swing by the Natural History Museum for a stroll through the Dinosaur exhibits.  The boys LOVED this and even though we'd visited earlier this year, they seemed to approach everything as if it were something new.  I love that!
  
  
• While in A2, I decided to splurge on myself a tad bit.  Which isn't something I do often (unless it pertains to camera equipment).  Earlier this month my mom sent me some birthday money and I'd been telling myself it'd be more responsible to use that towards bills or whatnot. However, I decided to forgo re-doing my highlights (and plan to have my whole hair color darkened) and just went my old route of $3 box color.  I love it.  And it left me money to pick up a few goodies for myself. I tried to be cost efficient in choosing my splurges.  Happy birthday to me (thanks, Mom!).

>>>El cheap hair dye.  Does the job for $3/box.  Yippee!

>>>A black Northface (I actually bought the Salathe but am returning it and purchased the Khumbu instead).  Ryan said I needed to get rid of 3 jackets if I brought another one in the house.  Easy peasy! (did I forget to mention I'm a jacket hoarder???).  I tossed out my oooold Columbia ski jacket that is PURRRRPLE, a tan Old Navy pea coat and a grey wool coat I got in uhm.. high school?  Seeeerrrriously.  Oh and BONUS for Ryan... I also threw in a Gap jean jacket that's too small.  

>>>Slippers to keep my feet warm on the faaarrreeeezing slate tile and dining room floor.  Our mudroom is SO not insulated and literally the temp drops like 15* (or something) when you walk into the mudroom.  It makes the dining room/kitchen SO cold.  That's probably the next project we need to tackle... insulating that room or putting a door on the mudroom.  I'm sure we lose a lot of heat/$$ because of that.  

>>>A Fiskars circle punch.  There have been SO many projects/scrapbook things I've needed various punch sizes for.  I'm going to slowly build up my collection.  So, punch #1 is a 2" Round n' Round. 

• For the past week we've been limited to 1 vehicle.  Ryan took the van into Dodge last Thursday to have some weird grinding/rattling noise looked at and it ended up costing us $460 to fix.  (add that to the $400 tires we just bought a few weeks ago and Merry Christmas Barczaks!!)  UGH.  Well... then turns out (how embarrassing) we were uhm... broke. (hence my plan to use my b-day money to pay bills).  Soooo... we left the van at Dodge and figured we'd save up or somehow come up with the money.  Luckily, Ryan got a bonus this month so YAY the van is paid for and now home.  Never thought I'd be happy to see that POS.  HAHA!
  
  
• Earlier this week I talked to Dot (my parenting angel... serious.).  I haven't met with her since the end of the summer when we completed our parenting class.  We'd had a discussion about some issues I feel I have (and that she agrees), and she wanted to either send me to a psychiatrist or if I felt comfortable with her to do some anger management counseling.  Yes.  Anger management (is Adam Sandler popping into your mind right now?).  She wanted to dig deeper into my childhood/history and help me get control of my often "fly off the handle" emotional rages.  However, with school starting and me beginning my Master's classes I just never got around to following up with her.  Anyhow, I called her a week or so ago to finally schedule a time to meet with her.  I actually feel I've been doing okay with things, but I know that that doesn't mean I'm "better" or "okay."  I still have issues with things and I still have behaviors I need to find a way to eliminate and replace with better actions/reactions.  Dot told me she was proud that I was acknowledging these things and that I was seeking help to be a better mom and example for the boys.  I'd felt stupid for calling her in the first place because things have been good (or morseo... "I" have been good), but I liked her reassurance.
  
  I also mentioned to her the Manic Monday Madness that happened around here and she applauded me for my reaction to it (staying calm, making Porter clean up the mess, not losing my cool and yelling or saying mean things to the boys).  She reassured me that by not losing my cool I didn't let that anger overcome me... I didn't let myself STAY angry at the situation but instead dealt with it in a calm way.  Did I forget to include that I haven't been taking my Happy Mommy Pills lately?  Since the week the flu swept through here I'd either forgotten to take my meds or had puked them up.  So far I feel like I'm doing okay... I actually feel a lot calmer lately than usual and I'm not sure what's up with that.  Things might end up different once I get back to work and pile on all that chaos, but we'll see.  I feel good that I feel capable of being rational and calm without medication right now.
  
  
• I'm not sure if this has anything to do with my quitting the Happy Mommy Pills but OMG I've been so effing emotional lately about the dumbest things.  Mostly TV shows or anything having to do with parenting.  I've been watching Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant and I Used to be Fat and I kid you not, I cry at least once in each episode I watch.  Some I end up bawling.  And then tonight I read Janie Mac's letters to Lyla and Jilli and I ended up all choked up and teary.  WTH!
  
  
• Christmas break is almost over and I cannot believe tomorrow (errr... today) is the LAST DAY of 2010!  Where is time going?  I wish I could freeze the clock a bit.  I'm now down to my "normal" weekend (Fri off, then Sat and Sun)... then its back to work!  I feel like I haven't worked in ages since I missed a few days of work during the last week before break.  It'll be nice to get back into the groove of things and uh, get a paycheck!

Well, that's about it for now.  I still have a few blog posts to catch up on:  Christmas Day and my Christmas projects.... I'll get around to that this weekend.  Promise. 

Since Porter is starting soccer....

We're at it again... the ever-year-vehicle-switch. Drives me nuts!

Ryan....

Remember he just go the "Polar Bear" car not too long ago?

Well, he's finally driving in manly style.... *drumroll please!* in his new Quad-cab Dodge Ram.

We really are a truck-needing family. We're always borrowing Ry's dad's truck... needing to haul something, dump something, load something.... and with 2 kids, the quad cab is a must. I'm excited to take it camping this summer!

And it's about time Ryan got the 'new' vehicle... and not just the cheap ride.

However... its come at a price- we traded in the Pacifica.

And you're probably wondering exactly what I'm driving....

I swear on my life I would have NEVER thought. NEVER. But, I've joined the ranks of "soccer moms"!

A little piece of me died as I turned in the Pacifica... my last thread reminiscent of pre-motherhood. Of a time I was "cooler" than a mini-van.

And now I drive a mom-mobile.

I didn't think I'd take it as hard as I have. I kind of despise it right now. Kind of despise Ryan's truck. Tears were in my eyes as I unloaded my carseats from the Pacifica. But... I know its what is best for our family right now (both space wise and financially). And, its about time I did a little sacrificing for Ryan to drive a vehicle he loves.

Honestly, though, I'm kind of excited about my new ride... probably just because now I can cram a friend and 3 more kids in with me! As much as I cringe at how uncool my van is (Jesus H. did I just say "MY van?"), it really is quite convenient. And, I'm sure the embarrassment will fade in time and I'll grow to love my kid-cart.

*sigh* We're now a "typical suburbia family"... hubby has his man-truck, wife carts the 2.5 kids in the mini. (Ok, so "cool" suburbia families would have a truck and an suv.... but whateva!!)

I just hope this is the end of car swapping for awhile. I hope we stick with these vehicles for more than a year... or two. Right, Ry? Right???