Shoe Fetish

September 29, 2008 at 8:10 am (momblog, shopping)

My daughter has a thing for shoes. I mean, REALLY. She notices them like an adult would. If you are wearing shoes she deems “cute,” she will tell you. She asks to buy shoes when we’re in the store. She puts shoes on each morning – even if still in her PJs – and will change into different pairs throughout the day.

So yesterday, we went into Payless to find a pair for Gabriel and possibly a pair for her too. Unprompted, she told the sales lady, “I’d like a pair of black shoes.”

Then, Mikaela looked over to the rack, where a pair had caught her eyes. Picking them up, she gushed, “OH! Look at these!” She then looked up at the sales lady and said, “I’d like to buy these!”

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Mikaela’s not the only one who loves her doggie

September 27, 2008 at 7:42 pm (pets)

I found Daisy like this. Guess she needed a friend to snuggle with. :)

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Ha

September 25, 2008 at 11:49 am (momblog)

The boy I babysit, R, is having a hard time pronouncing certain words:

Me: R, do you want ketchup or mustard on your hotdog?

R: mustahd and checkup

Me: ketchup

R: checkup

Me: keeetttchuuupp

R: yeah, that.

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Teaching Charlie Brown to Read

September 25, 2008 at 11:46 am (momblog)

Read the rest of this entry »

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Dave Ramsey on the bailout

September 24, 2008 at 10:27 am (politics)

My bro-in-law Glen has brought to my attention a Dave Ramsey clip on the government’s pending bailout of the mortgage/finance industry. It’s a good listen!

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Your take?

September 23, 2008 at 10:58 am (politics)

So what do you think, dear readers (all five of you), about the fact that we’re now a semi-socialist country now that we’ve nationalized some of our major real estate and investment banks? Good/bad/indifferent?

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Random thoughts of the day

September 22, 2008 at 6:28 pm (momblog)

This is going to be a busy and rather odd week. This week’s babysitting responsibilities include my usual two kids, plus a friends’ grandmother and a bearded dragon. There’s no punchline there, although it sounds like there should be. Other stuff includes Gabriel’s soccer practice and game, and a benefit yard sale I’m hosting Saturday. Oh, darn … I just realize I double-booked myself on Saturday. Argh. I’m not good at this busy schedule yet!

Aside from all that, I’m still working with my kids to try to teach them a thing or two. We’ve been doing fall-themed worksheets this week to celebrate the first week of fall; I’ve also been working with both of them on lessons from “How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.” I’ve apparently been pushing too hard on it, though, because Gabriel looked up from the lesson to say, “Mama, my reading is making my head hurting.”

I feel bad for neglecting this blog. I long to write, but after watching the kids and everything I have to get done each day – my brain is just too fried for it. Hopefully this season (the babysitting part of it, anyway) is going to be a short one!

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Cute-isms, vol. 348

September 20, 2008 at 9:46 pm (momblog)

Gabriel had run into the room, tattling for seemingly the hundredth time of the day: “Mama, Mikaela just …”
Me: “NO tattling.”
Gabriel, indignant: “I not tattling! I just telling!”

Mikaela was holding a movie in her hand, looking at it intently.
Jay: “Mikaela, do you want to watch that?”
Mikaela: “Sure do!”

Gabriel: “I want some ant stickers!”
Me: “You’ll have to wait, I don’t have any money right now.”
Gabriel: “BUT I WANT SOME.”
Me: “Do you have any money?”
Gabriel: “No. But you have to get some.”
Me: “And where am I going to get this money from?”
Gabriel: “A cash register!”

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Faithful

September 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm (God)

Jay and I are having another one of those tight months, despite our numerous jobs. Mostly due to auto-related fines, tickets, and fees. I’ve been wondering how in the world we were going to make it through the end of the month … but God came through, like He always does.

We got a notice in the mail today telling us that we have a surplus in our escrow account for our home, and that they’re cutting us a $150 check. Woo hoo.

Why am I always surprised? Like subconsiously I think that God’s not going to show up or something? I obviously haven’t starved yet, despite years of $ trouble. So why do I waste so much of my life on worry?

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Fulfilling my destiny

September 20, 2008 at 7:35 pm (momblog)

It’s official. I am a soccer mom.

Gabriel has started playing in one of the local towns’ Parks & Rec leagues, and today he played his first actual game. It went about as well as you’d expect from a bunch of four- and five-year-olds. For example? In the last photo below, that’s my son kicking the ball towards the wrong goal, and one of the coaches holding her hand up, telling him to turn it around. Honestly, most of the game he ran far behind the pack, or stood staring off at the game on the next field, not paying attention. The coaches had to call his name every play to tell him to watch the ball.

It’s okay, though .. it doesn’t feel super-competitive and I don’t think he’s being picked on. Hopefully his soccer skills will improve in the coming years before either of those two things happen.

Well, I SAY it’s okay – but I hope the other parents aren’t in super-competitive mode already. I mean, not that I should really care, because I’m doing this for Gabriel, because he says he likes it, and because I think (well, I hope anyway) that it will help with his gross motor and skills and attentiveness. I guess we’ll see. Read the rest of this entry »

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Smart aleck

September 17, 2008 at 8:24 am (men)

Me: “So yesterday, I was at the same stop sign I got the ticket at, and I saw the cop waiting in the same place he was when I got the ticket (for not coming to a complete stop). To thumb my nose at him, I waited at the stop sign for, like, 20 seconds – is that long enough for you?!?”

Jay: “That’ll show him!”

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She’s got it all figured out

September 16, 2008 at 5:15 pm (momblog)

Mikaela and I were outside a neighbor’s house today, talking to the neighbor when a kitten walked by. Mikaela stooped down to pet it and asked me if she could have one. I told her that she should ask her father.

Later on, I overheard Mikaela play-acting that conversation out: “Papa, can I have a kitten?” (switching to a deep voice): “No!”

——

When I was relating this story to my mom, Mikaela overheard and wanted to talk to her about it. My mom asked what she would give the cat to eat and drink if she had one, and Mikaela said, “cheerios, chips and pink water.”

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I’m still alive

September 15, 2008 at 7:03 am (life)

Contrary to what it seemed to look like on national weather maps, we did not get anything from Ike here in the Austin area. Well, not much more than a March breeze and a few sprinkles. I was looking forward to a nice long rain and some storms. Hmph. Oh, well … I’m sure I should watch what I wish for.

We had a friend stay Friday night into Saturday with her son because we still weren’t sure how bad it was going to be here, and this friend lives in a 2nd-story apartment. I also had another friend and her family come over on Saturday to scrapbook. So, we had 5 adults, my kids, two 6-year-olds and one 1-year-old.  It was a nice (albeit loud) time. We had sandwiches for lunch and spaghetti for dinner. I love to entertain but I don’t usually have the money to entertain like I think I should … but I had an epiphany this weekend that I just need to lower my perfectionistic standards and enjoy. I hope my friends weren’t offended by my no-frills meals. But I sure did enjoy myself.

We went to church yesterday morning and then to lunch at a friends’ house, where we also had a small group leaders’ meeting while our 9 children played together. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here, but Jay and I are in training to be small group leaders and plans are for us to branch out from our existing small group to form our own by the end of this year.

Our lives are anything but dull these days. Between my babysitting, freelance work and trying to teach our kids – plus Jay’s two jobs that keep him gone almost all day – not to mention our church involvement and Gabriel’s soccer … we are crazy-busy. It’s a season, though, I know. And other than one of the children I babysit, things are going really well.

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Not learning from their mistakes

September 9, 2008 at 4:27 pm (momblog)

My kids are playing with three different sizes of chip clips, which they have dubbed a mommy, a daddy and a baby. They are moving them open and closed and “talking” for them in high-pitched voices. But every minute or so, I hear the clips snap shut on someone’s finger, followed by an “OUCH!”

Is it wrong I think things like this are really funny? Oh, come on … they’re not really hurt.

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Out of the mouths of babes

September 9, 2008 at 2:02 pm (momblog)

The latest edition:

Mikaela, to Gabriel: “I’m going to the dark side” (said in a singsong voice as if she was going to Target or the toy store).

R, to me, at McDonald’s: “Can you get me some checkup?”
Me: “Checkup??”
R, pointing to the ketchup dispenser: “Yeah, checkup!”

Gabriel, to me, at McDonald’s: “I want some fa-chize!” (french fries)

Me to Mikaela, after her bath: “Put your underwear on”
Mikeala: “NOT unnerwear. Panties.“
Me, rolling eyes: “Sorry. PANTIES.“
Mikaela, mimicing my eye-roll and tone: “Not PAAAANTIES. Panties.”

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Ike

September 9, 2008 at 1:50 pm (weather)

So it looks like Ike might be headed our way. The last couple (or few?) hurricanes – or the remnants thereof – that have wandered over Texas have completely dissipated before getting to our area. I don’t want death and destruction or anything, but I want to see a good storm out of this one! I love storms so long as I’m in the safety of my own home. Unless they start looking like a tornado and then I get scared.

Anyway, I guess I’d better hurry up and get my weekly grocery shopping trip out of the way before people start going out to stock up like they do every time someone whispers a word about a hurricaine, snow storm or ice storm headed our way. Read the rest of this entry »

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Argh

September 9, 2008 at 1:43 pm (life)

Well, I was late picking Gabriel up from school today becasue I was stopped by a cop who ticketed me for “running a stop sign.” Actually, I didn’t run it at all. I may have not ‘rocked all the way back’ and sat there at the stop sign for five minutes, but I stopped and looked both ways. And then he ticketed me for not getting my address changed over on my license.

I mean, technically what I did was wrong, but seriously? Get a life and go find someone committing a real crime.

Needless to say, I’m a bit grouchy. Just another complete waste of my money … never seems to end.

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Husband meme (amended)

September 6, 2008 at 11:41 pm (marriage, memes, men)

I really need to steal my memes from someone else other than Karen. But no other blogs I read currently have them.

1. Sitting in front of the tv, what’s on the screen?
If it’s Saturday, football. If it’s a late weeknight, probably comedy. sci-fi or something educational. Specific programs he likes include How It’s Made, Mythbusters, Andy Griffith, Little House on the Prairie and most anything on TLC or Discovery. Oh, and he likes many classic movies as well (TCM).

2. You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?

Caesar? Gosh, I’m not really sure. I think he changes it up between Caesar and Ranch.

3. What’s one food he doesn’t like?
Black-eyed peas

4. You go out to the bar. What does he order?
We don’t do bars but he has an occasional Dos Equis or Shiner with his Tex-Mex


5. Where did he go to high school?
Lorena High School in TX

6. What size shoe does he wear?
9

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
He has a neat little collection of world percussion instruments but he hasn’t added to it recently.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
meatball or ruben

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
Tex-Mex or Chinese

10. What is his favorite cereal?
Cookie Crisp

11. What would he never wear?
A short-sleeved dress shirt. Don’t know what he has against them?

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Texas Longhorns by a landslide

13. Who will he vote for?
Do we really have a choice?

14. Who is his best friend?
Glen (bro-in-law), Eric and Woody in TN, Curt (TX)


15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?

He’s watching the TX game and I just asked him this question and he said, “talk during football games.” :P

16. How many states has he lived in?
two – TX and TN

17. What is his heritage?
German

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Pineapple upside-down cake, although it always looks like a mess. I never claimed to be Betty Crocker.

19. Did he play sports in high school?
He ran track

20. What could he spend hours doing?
playing drums or woodworking

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Opportunity taken

September 6, 2008 at 12:08 pm (momblog)

Last night, right around sunset, I went out in our backyard to see if the sunset was going to be a good one (it was).  While I was out there, I picked some tomatoes from our garden and encountered a garden spider knitting a web. I went inside and grabbed a flashlight and got the kids to come and look. Mikaela was fascinated, watching how fast the spider was working. She got right up close to the web with me – less than a foot away – and watched, transfixed. She mentioned that it looked like a crab.

Gabriel, on the other hand, stood five feet away screaming, “watch out! It’s going to bite you! Mama! Mikaela!!!”

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Another day in the life

September 4, 2008 at 7:10 am (momblog)

Mikaela, Gabriel and the little girl I watch in the mornings before taking her and Gabriel to school are all playing a game of doctor. As part of their game, Mikaela faked a very convincing coughing fit. For some reason, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off popped in my head … she’s probably going to be the kid outwitting adults when she’s older. But not her parents … we already know every trick in the book. :)

I’m having a hard time with the little boy I keep again. I’m torn between keeping it up and not having the money that I need. I know, sounds cold. But let’s be really honest here … most people do NOT babysit just because they love kids. I treat the child very well, but I’m growing increasingly frustrated with him thumbing his nose at almost every rule I give him. I have a feeling he’s never been made to mind at home. And I also have a feeling he’s never been read to. I’m trying to teach him the letters of the alphabet and read short books to him (very short … like one sentence per page) but he refuses to sit still and listen. The only activity that seems to hold his attention for any length of time is playing with my dog, which she enjoys until he gets too rough. Anyway, after the child disobeyed me all day yesterday and then picked two fights on the playground (I had to physically pull him off of another child), I told his mom about the situation. She picked him up to talk to him and he went limp like a noodle. Then she put him down, he ran to my pantry and grabbed some Ramen and demanded it. She wrestled it away from him, then he bolted out the front door and ran off. She looked exasperated. I wanted to suggest that she take him out to the ‘ol woodshed, but something tells me that’s not happening. I don’t know how much more I’m going to be able to take. But at the same time, the “job” itself has been such a blessing. We’ve had plenty for gas and groceries and even the occasional meal out. We’ve been on such a tight budget for so long – a sacrifice most stay-at-home-moms are willing to take – but it’s still hard.

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Mid-afternoon sleepies

September 3, 2008 at 6:09 pm (life)

I’m so exhausted. I want to go to bed right this second. I had a very hard day with the little boy I watch, who defied me at every turn and picked several fights on the playground I took he and my children to today. And I’m still not used to getting up at 6 am, neither are my children – even Mikaela, my early-bird, says: “But mama, the sun’s not on yet!”

Neither is my brain. YAWN.

This whole routine’s going to get easier … right?

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