Thursday, November 27, 2008
Mr. Mustache
Eli insisted I photograph him with his milkshake mustache. Perhaps this is only cute to me...I think this little man's smile is just one more thing to be thankful for, don't you?
Thanksgiving
As I mentioned in a previous post, an evil cold virus has taken hold upon my lungs and sinuses adn has rendered me useless for these past several days. Graeme had taken vacation the whole week, and I had all my plans laid out. I even had an afternoon alone at Panera to blog in the plan. None of my plans happened. My 6 year old first grader didn't learn about the first Thanksgiving (I'm a bad homeschool Mom), we did abbreviated school at best. The house was a mess and is now in greater shambles. I have cooked for no one. I changed our Thanksgiving plans due to this illness, and here I sit, at 5 o'clock on Turkey day, holed up in my bedroom with a humidifier and a hack that can be heard all the way to Cinncinatti. Sometimes the Lord changes our plans, doesn't he?
I had noble goals for the week, doable, not overboard. We had R&R planned for both of us, a special craft to do with the big kids, a little pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping. I've realized this week how unimportant and insignificant "my plans" are. None of those things were done. We are all still alive. The children are happy and thriving. Graeme may be a little tired of being Mr. Mom, but he isn't complaining - he's so wonderful. I have a long list before me of un-done things, but in the short term, it really doesn't matter much to anyone but me.
I've spent a lot of time in bed the last few days. Because I have such a dry cough, talking makes it worse, so I've had to be near mute this week....it's been very hard to not speak! I have made up twenty-eleven or so blog posts up in my head because I just have pent up words. :)
From the sickbed, I caught up on the news, which I really don't follow too closely, but hey, I was bored. I read about bombings and shootings in India. I don't normally look at pictures from such events because (my own personal soapbox) I don't like all the gorey pictures. I think people need dignity and we don't need to see such things, but that' my own soapbox. Anyway, in my boredom, I strayed from my soapbox and looked at some pictures of the events. What struck me the most was the dirty conditions in India. The poor hurt people were being transported to a hospital on what looked to me like a filthy Home Depot flatbed cart. You know, the cart we put pieces of wood on? Wounded people with open wounds on a cart so dirty we wouldn't even think of using it to haul our 2X4's. There was also a picture of a crowded hospital room. It looked so primitive and to me, not the least sanitary.
We are such spoiled people aren't we? We complain about not being able to afford our fancy coffees and huge SUV's. There are headlines plastered across the news (believe me, I've read them from my sick-room :)), about how American's don't have enough money for Christmas this year, blah, blah, blah. I complain about not getting anything accomplished this week and missing the normal Thanksgiving festivities. Shame on me, I am so blessed. I can walk into a store and buy the medicine I need (not to mention, we can get free meds with coupons and rebates!). I have clean water to drink when I'm sick and to humidify my room. I have cough drops and Campbell's Chicken noodle soup, although, I think I'm going to explode from excessive sodium intake if I have any more Campbells.
Think about it, even in our discouraging moments, isn't our God good to us, and aren't we extremely blessed?
Ps 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
I had noble goals for the week, doable, not overboard. We had R&R planned for both of us, a special craft to do with the big kids, a little pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping. I've realized this week how unimportant and insignificant "my plans" are. None of those things were done. We are all still alive. The children are happy and thriving. Graeme may be a little tired of being Mr. Mom, but he isn't complaining - he's so wonderful. I have a long list before me of un-done things, but in the short term, it really doesn't matter much to anyone but me.
I've spent a lot of time in bed the last few days. Because I have such a dry cough, talking makes it worse, so I've had to be near mute this week....it's been very hard to not speak! I have made up twenty-eleven or so blog posts up in my head because I just have pent up words. :)
From the sickbed, I caught up on the news, which I really don't follow too closely, but hey, I was bored. I read about bombings and shootings in India. I don't normally look at pictures from such events because (my own personal soapbox) I don't like all the gorey pictures. I think people need dignity and we don't need to see such things, but that' my own soapbox. Anyway, in my boredom, I strayed from my soapbox and looked at some pictures of the events. What struck me the most was the dirty conditions in India. The poor hurt people were being transported to a hospital on what looked to me like a filthy Home Depot flatbed cart. You know, the cart we put pieces of wood on? Wounded people with open wounds on a cart so dirty we wouldn't even think of using it to haul our 2X4's. There was also a picture of a crowded hospital room. It looked so primitive and to me, not the least sanitary.
We are such spoiled people aren't we? We complain about not being able to afford our fancy coffees and huge SUV's. There are headlines plastered across the news (believe me, I've read them from my sick-room :)), about how American's don't have enough money for Christmas this year, blah, blah, blah. I complain about not getting anything accomplished this week and missing the normal Thanksgiving festivities. Shame on me, I am so blessed. I can walk into a store and buy the medicine I need (not to mention, we can get free meds with coupons and rebates!). I have clean water to drink when I'm sick and to humidify my room. I have cough drops and Campbell's Chicken noodle soup, although, I think I'm going to explode from excessive sodium intake if I have any more Campbells.
Think about it, even in our discouraging moments, isn't our God good to us, and aren't we extremely blessed?
Ps 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Bug Has Got Me
Graeme took off this whole week. We had the entire week spelled out of things we were going to do, who was going to do what, etc. I was looking forward to getting a few things done. I haven't looked at the lists. It seems I have caught a nasty cold-bug which has me hacking until my muscles hurt. All my big plans out the window.
I am thankful that Graeme is home though. It would be hard to do much of anything feeling this sick. And, I suppose you could say I'm getting some R&R. Isn't that a funny thing, Moms have to get sick to get R&R!
Another thing I am most thankful for is my hubs. He is so good with the kids and he doesn't complain that his plans were messed up and that he has to clean up pee-pee. He took the kids to his fav. store, Radio Shack and came home and made them a cardboard house for their animals complete with a light with a switch. They were so excited, and I thought him rather brave to take all three kids with him alone to a small electronics boutique. It was reported that Noah did dent some packaging on one of the items in the store.
He also things I deserve diamonds and a raise after being Mr. Mom for a day. :) It's nice to be appreciated, but I would like to get back on the job soon.
I am thankful that Graeme is home though. It would be hard to do much of anything feeling this sick. And, I suppose you could say I'm getting some R&R. Isn't that a funny thing, Moms have to get sick to get R&R!
Another thing I am most thankful for is my hubs. He is so good with the kids and he doesn't complain that his plans were messed up and that he has to clean up pee-pee. He took the kids to his fav. store, Radio Shack and came home and made them a cardboard house for their animals complete with a light with a switch. They were so excited, and I thought him rather brave to take all three kids with him alone to a small electronics boutique. It was reported that Noah did dent some packaging on one of the items in the store.
He also things I deserve diamonds and a raise after being Mr. Mom for a day. :) It's nice to be appreciated, but I would like to get back on the job soon.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Potty Fest 2008
I have been on a little bloggy break because my littlest man is potty training. We started last Tuesday, and he seemed to start to get the hang of it on Sunday. I was so thankful for some progress. It was all week with nothing...but accidents.
Potty training is not my maternal forte. I dread it like childbirth. But, like childbirth, its a necessary progression, and its good to get started. Childbirth is only the beginning. There are weeks of sleep deprivation, physical weakness and pain, etc. But birth is good, because it is the beginning. So is potty training. It's only the beginning of rushing to the potty and numerous accidents and frustration, but its good to take the first step and get started.
Bravo, little potty boy, potty on!
Isn't he a cute little thumb-sucking, potty training, care bear holdin' boy? His "geen ganket" (green blanket) is his favorite, and it has accompanied him all week to the potty...it even was partially submerged in the potty....oh the joys....
Potty training is not my maternal forte. I dread it like childbirth. But, like childbirth, its a necessary progression, and its good to get started. Childbirth is only the beginning. There are weeks of sleep deprivation, physical weakness and pain, etc. But birth is good, because it is the beginning. So is potty training. It's only the beginning of rushing to the potty and numerous accidents and frustration, but its good to take the first step and get started.
Bravo, little potty boy, potty on!
Isn't he a cute little thumb-sucking, potty training, care bear holdin' boy? His "geen ganket" (green blanket) is his favorite, and it has accompanied him all week to the potty...it even was partially submerged in the potty....oh the joys....
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Super Savings Saturday: Giant PA
I had a very fun time this week at Giant!
GiantPa has a great promotion for their gas stations. Basically, you get 1 gas points for every dollar you spend (before coupons..teehee!). 100 points = $.10/per gallon off gas. Almost every week there are also deals where if you buy 8 of a group of items you get an additional $.20 off per gallon. There is no limit to the number of $.20 deals you do each week. This week I did 2 of the $.20/off deals three times each!
Here's what I spent on all the goodies pictured above:
Total before coupons: $157.17
Total savings: $83.96
Total OOP (out of pocket cost to me): $74.33
BUT, it gets better! This trip I earned $1.30/per gallon off of my gas. Now my big huge minivan tank takes 25 gallons of gas. That's an additional savings of $32.50! So, you could say I spent $41.83 on all those groceries. I love a good shopping week!!!
CVS was fun this week too, but I don't have pictures to post. Let's just say I got a LOT of cheap batteries, just in time for all the battery sucking Christmas toys! :)
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