Bullets and hashtags

1.  The boys had no school on Monday for President's Day (or mid-winter break...whatever you want to call it, but there was no school).  Which means, I think today is Tuesday and will be off a day for the remainder of the week. #todayiswednesdaytodayiswednesdaytodayiswednesday

2.  I did not do my menu planning for February.  I don't know why I never did it, but I'm lost without it.  And I'm blowing my grocery budget. #properpriorplanningpreventspisspoorperformance

3.  Last night, A. asked if he could make dinner.  SURE!  Grilled Cheese for everyone!  Thanks to a FANTASTIC gf bread I found in the freezers at Costco, I was able to enjoy my first grilled cheese in over 4 years.  Actually, it was a grilled cheese with cream cheese, ham and thin apple slices.  Oh yum. #UdisIloveyou

4.  Oh look, more snow. Because you know we don't have enough.  #clearly

5.  I have been whole-heartedly enjoying Michelle's Laid Back Book Club.  Even though I couldn't make it to every meeting, I've read all the books as scheduled.  I've really enjoyed reading books outside my usual genre, and then talking to friends about it.  This month, the book is a long(er) one, and I know that since I read in 5-10 minutes sections a few times a day, I need to get cracking on it.  HOWEVER, a book that I've been eagerly anticipating was released yesterday and is on my kindle.  I spent over an hour reading and crying over this book last night.  I have a feeling that nothing is going to get accomplished until I get through this book.  #readon

6.  Yesterday was so weird.  I ran a bazillion errands.  With baby in tow.  EVERY place we went, a Moody Blues song came on.  Every.single.place.  Even Hobby Lobby played a lovely elevator-music version of "Tuesday afternoon." #Iknowyoureouttheresomewhere #Inyourwildestdreams #Nightsinwhitesatin #melancholyman

7.  I bit it three times on the ice yesterday.  Coming home from grocery shopping, I realized that there was no longer a spot to park that didn't have 7 inches of snow.  So, I parked the (still running) van half in the top of the driveway and half in the road with baby inside...and started shoveling.  The first time I fell, the only thing hurt was my pride.  But hey- no one saw, so I'm all good.  The second time I crunched my back side, hands, wrists and elbows.  The third fall....was the hardest of all- I went down (hard) on my left shin/knee/thigh and left arm.  I just sat there and whimpered for a good 5 minutes until I heard Baby L crying her little heart in the van.  I managed to pick myself up and pull the van into the semi-cleared out parking spot.  Thanks to an overloaded baby stroller, I managed to get the groceries into the house in one trip...but it took me the rest of the day to get them put away due to the pain.  Today it feels like the day after a car accident- stiff and painful.  That's what I get for trying to save my tired husband from shoveling.  #nogooddeedgoesunpunished  #ouch

8.  I cleared off my treadmill and am back on the hamster wheel.  I've signed up for a 5k this summer, so it's time.  It's actually PAST time to get back on it.  My pelvic bone still hurts from Baby L's delivery, and my feet hurt more than ever, but I'll push through.  At least until I can no longer walk on my own. #flatfeetIhateyou #ouchmyhips #colorrunhereIcome

9.  I think there need to be something said about trust.  When it's not there in the past, but hope for it in the future, you need to be totally transparent in the present.  Especially when you're making large decisions that affect many.  You can't drop big decisions on people and expect them to just be accepting and ok with it. Many of you won't understand this comment, and that's ok.  Sorry to be cryptic.  #justsayin #publishthedarnmeetingminutesalready  #thankyouverymuch.

10. C's permanent teeth are starting to come in.  He lost all four front teeth last fall and has had an adorable hole in his smile for a few months.  While it's neat to see him grow (and be able to chew things again), it's sad to see him mature and see his smile change.  In my head he's still my baby boy.  I don't like this growing up-bit one bit.  Not one little bit.  #Iknowyou'renotsupposedtohavefavoritesbutifIhadtochooseonehe'sit.

Thursday drivel

1.  Today is Uncle Matt's birthday.  For those of you that know Uncle Matt, this is a national holiday.  You only think I jest....unless you know Matt.  :)  (Who by the way is D's younger brother).  He and D are working here at the love shack today.  The boys and I have exactly 4 hours before lunch time to put together a little lunch celebration for him.  Hopefully he'll be pleasantly surprised.  Again, it's his national holiday...so I'm thinking any celebration shall be welcomed.

2.  How is it that I spent 12 hours at my computer yesterday, and wrote up a crap-load of audits...only to wake up today and see my audit status as still far-far behind?  Grrrrr...

3.  There are certain semantics that people in the general population use that just get under my skin.  I realize that my parochial upbringing made me a bit of a grammar snob, however the problem seems to get worse as we get lazier with our autocorrect (myself included!). 

For example:  There is a difference between "breath" and "breathe." 

Used correctly in sentences:

"I need a breath of fresh air."

"My sinuses are so congested, I can hardly breathe."

In addition, mislabeling nouns or positions really irks me lately.  For instance:  there is a difference between a Godparent and a Guardian.

Defined:

A Godparent has 3 jobs:  to witness a baptism, to remind thier Godchild of his/her baptism, and to hold the parents accountable for the vow they took to raise that child to know God.

A Guardian has one job:  In the unfortunate event of the premature death of both parents, the guardian would assume care for the child.

If you walk into a lawyer's office to define Godparents in your will, you will be laughed at.  Setting up legal guardianship?  Yep...they can do that for ya.

4.  It's going to be a hot one here.  Apparently, this starts an 8-day heat wave.  I realize that "heat wave" for Texans includes more than one or two days with heat indexes over 100, however, there are swelling pregnant women here in Michigan who are planning to hide out in her air conditioned basement for the next week.  Who needs Vitamin D anyway, right?

5.  Our neighborhood really leaves a LOT to be desired in the way of kids for my boys to play with.  There's ONE boy on our road.  And he's a wierdo.  Even A. has stated that he doesn't want to play with him anymore - which is saying a lot.  We have a part time neighbor who comes every other weekend, but unfortunately, that does nothing for me him during the week.

6.  I think that my openness about being debt free has given other's a free license to complain about their finances to me.  I'm normally a person who has very few boundries, so this is fine by me.  However, if you bring it up, be prepared to hear something you may not be ready for.  Something like, "I see you have a new iphone, and you were at the bar three nights last week, oh....and that trip you are planning to take next month, you may want to cancel it...and the fact that you're bragging about drinking beer every night may have something to do with some poor spending choices."  Just sayin.'  If you don't plan on DOING anything about your dire situation, please don't bring it up to me.

7.  There were a bunch of my favorite people travelling this past week.  As of yesterday, the returns started.  I'm glad they were able to get away (yes, all of them), but I'd be remiss to say that I was just a teensy bit jealous of thier ability to head out of Michigan for a bit.  I do have a travelling bug that hasn't been fed for quite some time, and I'm craving some pack-up-and-go.  However, I do realize that our lifestyle choices will not make that possible for the next 5-10 years.  It makes me sad, but I'll still stick by our choices...cause that's what they are....choices.  Well, except for baby girl....but she's a blessing, so I'll take that too.  :)

8.  Our Plan A for swimming lessons (which was supposed to start last night) dissolved into a pile of nuthin' in about 2 minutes on Tuesday.  Sad.  However, I'm on to Plan B, and have started the pre-registration for it...I'm hoping and praying that there's still room.  Nothing like waiting to the last minute to get them in, Sandy!  (If you didn't know....I'm sooooo NOT a "type A" personality. Nope, not at all.)

9.  I have zero fruit in the house, and only $22 left in the envelopes until the end of the month.  I think that the lack of fruit is an emergency, and therefore a reason to spend that last $22.  Who needs gas in the van anyway, right?!?!?  Yes, even hard-core budgeters can have a wee bit too much month left at the end of the money.

10.  I'm a tad, wee little bit snarky today, if ya can't tell.  I'm attributing it to a wee bit of stomach trouble, swelling, a few bad night's sleep, and an overwhelming to-do list.  I'm hoping that by spewing it all out on my blog (I'm calling is spewing and "keeping it real" instead of whining) will help me with an early-morning attitude adjustment.  Onward and upward, right?