Drawings on the Wall

Father's Day is Coming Up!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 28 May 2012 05:10:00 +0000

Father's Day is coming up next month. It's a day to honor all the great Dad's out there. Since I lost my dad many years ago, I've gotten into the habit of getting my older brother something for Father's day. He's not "my" dad, but he is a great dad to his daughter, and I think that deserves a great gift. This year he's really gotten into grilling, so I'm looking at gifts for the griller this year. I was thinking a nice set of BBQ utensils or a grill cleaner of some sort. I'm not really sure yet, but I think he'll really appreciate his gift this year. Make sure you get the dad in your life a great gift!

Work Is Slow!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 28 May 2012 02:32:00 +0000

I've been hitting the refresh button on my work page so much today that I think I may have developed carpal tunnel! Because of the holiday weekend, work has been pretty much non-existent. Which really sucks, because I was hoping to get caught back up. I guess the work Gods thought differently though. I guess I'll be working like crazy Tuesday though Thursday now. That's something to look forward. Gotta make that money somehow though!

Hard To Believe!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:56:00 +0000

So, I've been thinking more about the future lately. There are several things that I would really like to invest in now that I'm getting older, like a fixed immediate annuity, life insurance, and I would love to purchase a home. Right now we are stuck renting, but eventually I would love to buy a "fixer upper". I know that it would be a lot of work, but I definitely think it would be worth it in the end. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I'm growing up? lol! My mind is consumed with grown up things now! How weird!

Time to Breathe

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:22:00 +0000

Today has been a hectic one. I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Between running the kids all over, going to the store, preparing dinner, and giving showers... I 've barely had a second to just sit down and breathe. I just put the kids to bed though, and I have a few minutes before I myself have to go to bed, so I'm going to use my time wisely. I have a few things to look up online... summer clothes for my kids, control cables, and insurance quotes AGAIN. Well that is if my kids every go to sleep, and I can hear myself think...lol. Wish me luck!

Fingers Crossed

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:25:00 +0000

I'm sitting here trying to get some work done, but my kids are yapping up a storm, while they're supposed to be going to sleep. One of the hassles of having your work space be combined with your bedroom and also your children's bedroom. Sharing a room is not fun. At all. Hopefully it won't be too much longer though. Fingers crossed. :)

Toys Galore!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:21:00 +0000

In just a few short months my boyfriend will be moving and we will be doing some rearranging of the household. Right now I share a room with my children and my mom has a room to herself. After the move though my mom will be sharing a room with the kids. It's not an ideal situation, but it's to save money to get a bigger place, which we desperately need. My mom has a ton of stuff that she'll be moving with her into the kids room. The room is big, but right now it is overtaken with TOYS.

There are toys everywhere, in every nook and cranny it seems. We have everything from my daughters precious yoyo's from yoyojam, to my son's gigantic collection of batman toys. That alone takes up a LOT of space. So over the next few months I will be teaching them a lesson about donating to the less fortunate. We will be going through things and sorting out what is played with and what is not.

I'm sure my kids will be sad to see some things go, but will enjoy the extra floor space too. Any tips on toy organization for small spaces?

Hang on Tight!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:44:00 +0000

I looked out the window earlier and was surprised to see our garbage cans tumbling down the road. I had no idea it was so windy out. I ran outside to retrieve them and was about blown away. My hair was whipping all over the place, and I received an eyeful of sand. It's a lovely day out there. lol! On the bright side though, it's warm and sunny! So I guess we have to take the good with the bad. I hope everyone is enjoying their day, no matter what the weather is.

A Busy May

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:48:00 +0000

May is going to be a super busy month for me. Not only is it the last full month of school for my kids, which means lots of extra stuff going on. There's a school sleepover, usually quite a few field trips and class parties. Which my daughter being kind of shy, likes me to attend. She feels more comfortable I think with me there.

It's also my birthday month. I'm looking forward to having a nice night out that night. I figure we'll go out to dinner, do a little shopping, and probably catch a movie. The new Avengers movie coming out right before, so I would really like to go see that. Call me a geek, but I've loved all the movies leading up to it... especially Thor. I can't wait for the Avengers!

I've also already received a couple of baby shower invitations for the month of May. One is from my ex's sister in law and the other is from an old high school friend of mine. I probably won't go to the latter one. I've hardly seen her since school, and we just recently reunited through facebook. So, I think I will just go ahead and pass on that one. I will need to do a little baby shopping for the other one.

Anyways... I have lots of stuff to do next month. I'm actually kind of looking forward to it. I've kind of been on the lazy side lately, so this will get me up and off my behind quite a bit. I also need to get ready for summer break with the kids. That will definitely be keeping me on my toes! I love summer vacation with them though. The rest of the year it seems like I never get to see them. So it will be nice to spend some quality time together.

Anyone else have a busy month coming up? Care to share?

Nice Neighbors!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:48:00 +0000

Today I had a nice little chat with my new neighbor. I'm not usually one to just start a conversation with a stranger, but I wanted to know what she plans on doing with the metal arch buildings on her property. Yes, I'm nosy. lol! Apparently she is just using them for storage, and she said that if we ever wanted to store anything over there, to just let her know. Little does she know that we might just take her up on that offer. She said she has more than enough room her stuff. So it's not like we'd be pushing her stuff out. I thought that was a lovely offer, especially being that we might have to rent a storage unit soon..lol. I love nice neighbors!

Time Management

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:46:00 +0000

I'm really trying to work on managing my time better. It seems like between daily errands, taking care of my kids, and housework... I'm left with very little time to do actual work. I know it's a balance, and it's a tricky thing to get right. It just seems like by now I would of figured out what works best. Anyone have any time management tips to share? How do you balance the kids and home with work? This is mostly for those that work from home.

The P word: Plateau

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:41:00 +0000

As all of you probably know, I've been on a diet for about a month now. Actually about seven weeks. In that seven weeks I have lost 13 pounds. Not too shabby in my opinion. I'm very happy with my results. I've had a few ups and downs, but for the most part I've been going down at a steady rate. I'm sure eventually my weight loss will slow and I'll have to change things up a bit, maybe add some diet supplements that work, or change my exercise routine. Plateaus are not fun, but there are things to get around them. I've done a lot of research, but I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions? Is there anything that worked for you?

Is That the Beach You're Wearing?

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Yesterday I was at the grocery store, yes that was the exciting part of my day..lol. Anyways, I was doing a little shopping and this tall blonde girl, that looked like she was plucked off a beach volleyball course somewhere, walked past me. I'm not one for wearing perfume usually, but this girl's perfume was awesome. It was kind of beachy smelling, there was definitely a hint of coconut. I'm not big on eating coconut, but I love, love, love the smell of it. I've been looking at wholesale perfume today and am thinking about getting some. I figure if I can't go to the beach, the beach can come to me...in the convenience of a pump spray... LOL!

Lessons?

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:44:00 +0000

I have always wanted to learn how to play the keyboard or piano. When I was a small child I really wanted to take lessons, but my mom couldn't afford it. Now that I'm older, and can afford to get lessons for myself, it's very tempting. I also would love to be able to teach my own daughter. I've been looking at kurzweil keyboards on and off all afternoon. I might just go ahead and get one next week. I have learned over the last few years to do what makes you happy, and I definitely think being able to play an instrument would put a smile on my face. Anyone else take lessons at an older age? Did you pick it right up, or did it take you a while? Let me know!

Pool Heater Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:35:00 +0000

So I've been thinking more about the pool I would like to get this summer, and decided that a heated pool would be great! I looked at some raypak pool heaters, and they are very reasonable in price. I think the benefit of having a nice warm pool on a chilly night far outweighs the price. Definitely something to think about! Anyone have a pool heater? Do you use it often and enjoy it? Leave a comment!

Get Busy!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:30:00 +0000

I'm adding up my earnings totals for the last months. Whoa..I need to get busy! LOL! I seriously have been slacking in the work dept! Starting tomorrow I need to buckle down, and make some serious money. My boyfriend and I are trying to save up for a bigger house, and with the money I'm making... we might get it in like ten YEARS! LOL! So if we want to make our dream come true, I have to start working harder!

Global Warming

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Author: Elias Massey

When I got home from work yesterday I decided to replace a few boards on my deck. I built this deck 2 years ago and several boards have already begun to warp. I figured it would be nice in cool in the evening but man was I wrong. Where did spring go? Down here in Georgia it went straight from winter to summer. There is no sense in it being 85 degrees in the middle of March! Maybe those global warming people are on to something. I have never put much credence in the whole global warming thing, but now I may have to revisit my past assumptions. I saw a special on the http://www.direct.tv/ satellite TV that talked about global warming. In this special they pointed out that the planet is warming but it may not be due to man. They propose that the planet is warming due to natural phenomenon on earth and that this has been going on since the beginning of time. Regardless of whether we cause global warming or not, I think it is wise to be good stewards of our planet.

Yeah, It's Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:00:00 +0000

I've been doing great with my weight loss. I've lost 10 lbs in the last three weeks. I am attributing some of that success to a little app on my phone. The app is for counting calories, but it also a has feature that I love. A barcode scanner. Now, most people think of the scanner you see in the grocery store, such as a Honeywell Barcode Scanner, but this is different. This uses the camera on your phone to scan products information for the nutritional values. It's very handy. It makes looking stuff up a breeze. It's also just a teeny bit fun..lol!

Love it!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:57:00 +0000

I found this earlier, and it pretty much sums up everything about today...lol. I love these vintage humor cards. I have a pretty large collection of them. Whenever I find a new funny one, I always add it. They are definitely my style of humor! Love them!

Too Techy for a Grandma?

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:12:00 +0000

My mother's birthday is coming up in a few months. She's going to be 59. You would think I'd be buying her knitting supplies or some other "grandmotherly" type thing, but nope. I am going to be getting her a kindle ebook. She's an avid reader, and her collection of actual paperback books is starting to overrun the house. To save space, I think this would be a great thing for her. I really think she'd enjoy it too. I'm sure I'll have to show her numerous times how things work, but I'm sure she'll get the hang of it. So... anyone's mom or grandma have one? Do they like it? Or is it just to "techy" for them?

Silver Obsessed!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:42:00 +0000

I have a new small obsession. That new obsession? Well it's sterling silver jewelry. I used to be a gold girl. Meaning that I wore strictly gold. Well lately, as I have gotten older, my tastes have changed, and I've branched out. I now have a new love for silver. I've been looking at right hand rings for a long time now. I'm extremely picky, and I want something that will last a long time. I'm looking for a silver and purple amethyst ring. That is, by far, my favorite look. Once I find the perfect ring, I'll most likely wear it for years! Do you have any special jewelry that you wear? Besides a wedding a ring, of course..lol!

Back to the Grind

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Well Spring Break is officially over. Tomorrow the kiddos go back to school, and life returns to normal. The first few days were hectic, with the kids being home all day long, but last few days has been relaxing, since they've been at their Dad's. They're home now though, and will be going to bed in a few minutes, so they will be all nice and rested for a full day back at school. This little break has reminded me that in just a couple months they will be out for summer break. It's going to be a crazy summer!

Internet Forums are the Best!

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:33:00 +0000

After many years of using the internet, and taking advantage of the many things that can be found online, my favorite thing is probably the internet forum. The internet forum is a great place to debate about many different topics. Some forums are specific to one topic, while there are many that are general topic forums.

One of my favorite things about forums is how diverse the members can be. The forum that I frequent the most, and have been a member of for about 4 years, has members from all over the world. I frequently talk to people from Australia, Germany, and England. It's interesting to see the language differences. Slang is something that is very different depending on the country. I find I have to look things up online quite often, just to figure out what they're saying..lol.

One of my favorite members is a girl from London. We've been friends on there for several years, and talk quite often. She works for a translation agency in London . I thought that was pretty cool and we talked about that for quite a while. Now we talk almost daily. I'd love to go visit and actually meet in person. To finally meet in person and see some tourist attractions would be an awesome trip. Maybe someday though!

Scale Dilemmas

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:39:00 +0000

So Last week I started being serious about weight loss again. I don't really know what happened, but something clicked again, and it's been a week and a half, and I've lost 8lbs so far. I'm very happy with my results. I have become slightly obsessed though with weighing myself on a almost daily basis. I know that I shouldn't, but I can't help it. I haven't lost anything in the last 3 days, and it's driving me nuts. I also haven't gained anything, so I guess that's good.

I decided that I need to step up my game a bit. I've been looking online at food scales all morning. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of scales. I guess I just never thought about buying a lab scale or an industrial scale. I guess now I know..lol. Anyway, I found a very nice food scale, that is going to work out just great I think. Hopefully these stubborn pounds will fall off!

Dreaming of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:19:00 +0000

So it's going to be spring pretty soon. I cannot wait. Yesterday it was in the 50's outside! Today was a little cooler, but still very nice. I was carrying in groceries today, and noticed a little caterpillar on the ground. Apparently he came out just a wee bit too early with the warmer temps we've been having. He was crawling through the snow. Poor thing.

Today I'm wishing it was summer. We had a small taste of warmth yesterday, so it's making me yearn for summer. I really am hoping that this summer we will be able to afford a pool. Last year we looked at pools and pool fences, and decided that we would wait til this year. Well summer time is getting closer, so I'm itching to get one. How great it would be to be lounging in a pool right now. :)

Husband

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Guest written by our friend Katie Callahan

If you ever go out to dinner with my husband you will see how bad he is at making decisions! I always try and make sure I am not starving when I go out to eat with him because I know it is going to take him at least fifteen minutes to decide what he wants to eat! The worst restaurant to go to with him is The Cheesecake Factory! They have an obscene amount of different kinds of cheesecake and he always has the hardest time decided which one he wants to get. When we are planning a vacation or making a big purchase, I know to just wait to look at our options until he has researched every possible one. So when we were trying to decide on a TV provider I was so happy to find a Cable TV Advisor. I sent him to it and all the facts were laid out perfectly in one place. That was the fastest decision he has ever made! Now, if only every decision could go like that!