RTT: Music, E-Mealz and Fun Times

Hello Tuesday!  You seem like Monday to me since I got a 3 day weekend due to me working this upcoming Saturday.  And while that is not exciting it was very nice to have 3 days that I didn't have any real plans.  Amazing even!  We will get right on this random train because I didn't hook up last week and there is a lot of random going on!

If you read my post yesterday it was about music.  And while I love music (former Sam Goody employee!) I can't stand some country music.  I love the ballads and even some up-beat songs but the songs that really grate on my nerves are the hard-core country songs.  Like the Checking For Ticks song and then I heard a new song about a camouflage truck.  Sadly they are both by Brad Paisley who I think has really good songs but those are the two that stick out the most.  So I guess I have to take the bad with the good.

I bought a Groupon to E-Mealz and I signed up.  It's pretty exciting stuff.  It will tell me what to make for dinner and what I need to buy and that should make dinners so easy.  I've seen the website on quite a few blogs and I followed them on Twitter for a giveaway which I unfortunately did not win but I saw there was a Groupon for a years membership so I figured I would try it.  I took one recipe to finish off this week and then starting Thursday it will be my first full week to use it.  I signed up for the Wal-Mart family one where it gives me 7 days worth of meal plans for between $75-$85 for groceries.  That is a little on the high end for what I spend but I also don't cook 7 nights a week.  So my plan is to choose 4-5 recipes per week and then the other days eat leftovers or do whatever we had planned for that night.  Hopefully it will work out!  Right now I have chicken in the oven and it told me what sides I should have with it and everything.  Easy peasy!

I read The Help this weekend and I really enjoyed it.  I know that I'm WAY late to this party but I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie.  And with all the awards Octavia Spencer was winning for her portrayal of Minnie I wanted to hurry and read it.  So I did.  And then Sunday night after I finished it I ran over to the nearest Redbox that had it and I rented it and watched it that night.  I will say the book was amazing.  And it was a little difficult to get over the bad grammar of the maids talking but I overlooked it.  And of course...the book was way better than the movie.  The movie was ok but I wasn't supremely impressed by it.  And it kills me that they chose Emma Stone as the "ugly, gangly" main character.  Because she is far from ugly.  They definitely uglied her up for the part but she still looked very pretty.  When reading I get very involved in the characters and seeing her playing the Skeeter part was a little unbelievable.  Oh well.  And of course they had to cut stuff out and change it.  I guess I wished they would have gone a little bit more into the snubbing of Skeeter by Elizabeth and Hilly and also the relationship between her and Stuart.  And I thought the way they portrayed her relationship with her mother in the movie was a lot nicer than it was in the book.  Oh well.  I still enjoyed both!

Oh and it's the last day of January.  What?!  So crazy how fast time is going.

Ok and I'll end this post with a few questions...

1) We have a long, rectangular living room.  We also have wood floors and big picture windows in the front.  Needless to say, in the winter it gets pretty chilly.  I saw at Wal-Mart that they have area rugs for about $20.  My question is...do you just randomly put it in the middle of your floor?  I've never lived anywhere that just had a random rug in the middle.  But with Leo wanting to play on the floor and sometimes us putting Jacoby on the floor I would like a little area where I don't have to layer up the blankets for them to be on.

2) Any HR people out there here's a question.  Is it common practice when someone applies for a position if they are not selected the never receive a courtesy call letting them know?  I have applied for several jobs in the last few months at different businesses and I haven't heard from any of them.  I've even called and not even received a call back.  I obviously realize I didn't get the job and I'm ok with that, but it seems like a pretty crappy way to conduct yourself as the HR department.  I don't need to know why I wasn't chosen or anything like that but a simple phone call or email would help.  I would just like to not have to wait for a month before deciding I didn't get the job and looking elsewhere.  Just curious!

Now that you've read my random check out Stacy and all the other rebel randomers.  It will definitely be worth your time!

It's a good day

You know you're going to have a good day when every song that comes on the radio station you're listening to you like.  That's what happened this morning.  I flipped to the country station since Leo is on a country kick and there were 5 songs in a row that I enjoyed.  And of course one took me back to high school.  It was Should've Been A Cowboy by Toby Keith.  There are a few songs that will transport me to a specific place and time and this is one of them.  It takes me back to my sophomore year in high school sitting in the back of a van on my way home from a wrestling meet that I had cheered for.  I had 5 of my closest friends with me and we made up stupid dance moves in the back of the van to go with the song.  And every time I hear that song I still do the dance moves.  And I think about the relationships I built and then eventually lost to growing up and apart.  But it still always makes me smile!

Is it really a job?

This week's spin is about your dream job.  Unfortunately I'm not working at my dream job now and I doubt I ever will be until retirement.  But...my dream job is to be a stay at home wife!  Now a stay at home mom would be a fine job to have but I would prefer to not have that aspect play into my "job." 

My job description would read: A loving wife who takes care of getting the kids off to school or daycare.  Then she can come and go as she pleases (and gets to spend as much money doing that) as long as the house is kept clean and dinner is made.  And of course having delicious snacks ready when the kiddos get home.  Sounds pretty cush right?! 

Here are the requirements:

• General upkeep of the house to make sure it is clean and presentable
• Having dinner ready (or at least getting made) by the time the hubby gets home
• Being a room mother to the kiddos when they get to school
• Getting monthly pedicures and massages

Now some may ask...don't you have to do these things already?  And my answer is, why yes I do (other than the monthly pedis and massages).  Unfortunately I work 40+ hours a week and am still required (by myself) to do these things because that is what I feel need to be done.  I of course have help with dinner and the kids and some cleaning but if I were able to just focus on that as my "job" that would be amazing! 

So that's my dream job.  What is yours? To see other dream jobs check out the spin this week!

Hilarity

I picked Leo up from school this morning to take him to the doctor. On the way we saw a bird an he said it was an eagle. He also said that brown eagles weren't called that but they were called gold eagles and they laid golden eggs. I said ok and he went on to say not like the gold eggs like in Mad Birds (what he calls Angry Birds) but real gold eggs that hatch.

Mini-RTT

 

A quick RTT while I have a minute…

 

I’m still not sure how I feel about girls/women wearing shirts and leggings.  If it is a nicer, longer shirt then I can kind of imagine it but just like a t-shirt and leggings?  Eh.  I will pass!

 

I have been seeing a plethora of Facebook posts from SAHM’s complaining about Mondays.  Now I’m not judging them but are Monday’s really any different than any other day?  In my 10 weeks of being one (J) Monday’s felt no different than Friday’s.  All the days that I had to get Leo up and out the door to school felt the same.  I had no more hatred for one more than another. 

 

I watched the announcing of the Oscar nominations this morning and it was a little anticlimactic.  The old dude kept staring at the young girl while she was announcing names.  I kept thinking that he was going to turn and correct her for mispronouncing names or something.

 

Jacoby has another ear infection.  Ugh.  I questioned the doctor on the breast feeding vs. formula feeding babies and the correlation of getting sick and he just laughed.  He said that that’s what they tell you but he hasn’t seen that that is always the case.  He also told me 3 more ear infections before tubes.  Awesome.  Let’s hope he can shake this and not get any more!

 

Jacoby is also getting a tooth.  Double ugh.

 

My little Leo will be 5 in 1 month.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I can’t even believe it.  We are opting out of a party since he really doesn’t have “friends” so to speak that we would invite but are going to have a few days of activities to just spend time with him.  Dinner with the family on his actual birthday and then Jacoby will spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa while we take Leo out on the town.  We are even going to stay in a hotel that night so he will be excited!

 

Alright.  That’s all I have! Happy Tuesday to you all!

 

 

 

 

Sushi

After a long day at work I met up with some friends (and Jacoby) and went for sushi. Oh ma gah. This was my first try of sushi and it was...different. The first bite was shocking. Not terrible but not great. Then I had some that was fried on the outside and on the inside was crab, shrimp and cream cheese. That one was pretty good. But I could only eat a little because I was just not sure about it. I think it was the mix of texture and flavor. Strange. But I stepped out of my food bubble and I'm proud of myself!

New Year's Resolution

Well it's not the new year anymore technically but my new year's resolution was to attend church more frequently this year.  Last year I started off really well but then I got pregnant and had a lot of morning sickness and was exhausted all the time and excuses excuses but I quit going.  Again.  So this year I decided no more excuses and for the past 3 Sunday's I've made it to church and 2 of them I've even taken Leo.  But after attending the past few weeks I've been thinking a lot about religion and the thoughts involved with religion.  These thoughts are all my own and I am not here to offend anyone so if you are easily offended due to religious babbling please click away now.  If you're not feel free to peruse what I have to say.  Here we go...

• We have a new priest and the 2 homilies that he has given have been culture-related.  My mom said these are the only 2 since he's been here that he's given sermons like this but it is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.  The first one was about pornography and being chaste and the one last Sunday was about having lots of kids and guiding them to become holy people (ie: nuns, priests, etc).  Do I think pornography is an issue? Yes.  Is it something I feel needs to be discussed in church in front of children? No.  I also don't think this is an issue the church needs to be dealing with in such a broad aspect.  The main reason I think this is because there are SOOOO many other things that need to be focused on such as poverty, hunger, homelessness, etc.  I also don't think it is the church's place to tell me how many kids to have.  At least he said he wasn't saying to just go out and have babies to have them.  He said though to keep an open mind to having more kids if you could and guiding them to the church.  I'm ok with the guiding but I also think it would be hard as a parent knowing that one of your two (in my case) wouldn't be getting married or having kids since being Catholic it means the priests don't partake in that activity.  (edited to add: The thought of your kid not having kids was given to me by my mom...so credit where credit is due but I really do think it would be hard as a parent knowing that.)
• There have been a lot of crappy things going on for me job-wise and I have applied for many jobs and haven't heard back at all on quite a few.  I think that is horrible business practice but that's how it goes.  I was thinking about it and was praying about getting a new job when I started thinking that maybe this wasn't something I should be praying for.  Now, praying for peace regarding my situation is one thing but I don't think that God needs to be concerned with my getting a new job.  Another one is selling our house.  Not something tha needs to be prayed for.  We at least have a house and the financial means to pay for it so not something that I should be wasting my prayers on.  And I feel this about a lot of things I'm sure people pray for.  Now if I had no job and had no means of getting another job or feeding my family then it becomes something (in my opinion) to be praying for.  But just because I'm annoyed with how things have played out for me?  That seems kind of selfish.  Especially when there are so many other things that are much bigger to be prayed about. 
• Tim Tebow.  There I said it.  I am so annoyed with the God's quarterback business.  I think it is ridiculous how people have said that God had a hand in controlling how games turned out.  First...see above.  I'm pretty sure God has a lot bigger fish to fry than worry about how the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow are doing on a few Sunday's a year.  Second...It's football.  Get a clue.  I'm not a fan of Tim Tebow as a quarterback but as a person he seems like a super-awesome guy.  He does a lot of charitable work and I even cried when I watched a little segment on Sportcenter showing him meeting a little kid with cancer who tweeted he was Tebowing while Chemoing.  I think that shows amazing character.  There is no reason every celebrity/musician/athlete couldn't do more of that in their community.  But going back to God...I don't think so.  I'm of the belief that God gives you the talent and you have to decide what you're going to do with it.  Tim has shown that not only will he (try) to be a good quarterback but he will use his celebrity status to do good.  And I'm ok with that.
• Finally...I am sick of all the kids that have cancer.  I know that God doesn't give people cancer but I would really like if he could take it away.  I also know that they say He never gives you more than you can handle but I don't believe that.  Because I don't believe that any set of parents can handle the deaht of a child.  Just in our small community I have been reading the stories of 2 little kids under the age of 2 who have leukemia.  1 of them has overcome it and gone into remission and the other one had a bone marrow transplant a week or two ago and is fighting for her life.  So again...this really doesn't go with everything else other than the fact that I think it's crappy that kids are even allowed to have cancer. 

So there you have it.  My ridiculous thoughts on religion.  And again...if you have read through all of this I'm guessing you are not offended but if you were I'm sorry.  These are just the simple thoughts of a girl who's been brought up Catholic and trying to make heads or tails of everything!

Problem Solving

Last week I posted about not knowing how to handle mommy duty and adult-sanity keeping-duty.  And I got a few responses.  According to Jen and Gretchen they both think that adult time is a must-have for sanity keeping and that really benefits everyone.  So I am keeping that advice and running with it.  This week already I've gone to visit my grandpa at the hospital and gone out to dinner with my grandma and mom (in the same night) sans kids.  But I also have decided that the time spent with the kids will be time spent together and not just sitting in front of the tv where we all do different things.  I decided that this would be a great resolution for the new year to try as much as I could to stay more connected to them and not as connected to the electronics.  So far it's going pretty well. 

The hubby is part of a paranormal investigation group (that is a whole other story for a different time) and they went on an investigation last Friday.  So while he was out until the early morning Saturday I was spending quality time with my boys.  I picked them up from daycare and took Leo to get a haircut.  After that we all went to the bowling alley and ate dinner and bowled a few games.  We ended our evening playing Phineas and Ferb dominos and then bedtime.  The rest of the weekend went about like that.  I spent a lot of time with the family.  I took a walk with Jacoby and my mom, went to church with Leo, and just all around had a nice time.  And this week has been a lot like that as well.  Every night I've played a few games of Dominos or Pictureka with Leo and had a lot of cuddle time with Jacoby.  I know not every week will go like this but I'm going to put this week so far in the win column.  And hopefully with the quality time it will help with Leo's attitude and with my patience!

Stand Up

To honor Dr. King this week our spin topic is something we would or have taken a stand for.  I don't have any issues that I am passionate about.  Especially something that I have ever taken a stand for.  I guess I took a stand when I felt there were injustices at work but that really didn't get me anywhere.  But I think as a mother the one thing that I would always take a stand for would be my kids.  Thankfully they are still little and at daycare so I don't feel like they have faced any injustices there, but I'm sure as they get bigger there will be things that I have to do to help them get ahead.  I'm not talking crazy cheerleader mom from Texas killing people things, but making sure they are getting their fair shake in life.   Again, I know that life isn't always fair and I won't be able to be there for them their entire life but going through school and with friends I hope that if I see something that I don't think they can handle on their own and are really struggling it will be something that I will be able to.  Except Algebra.  I can't help them there.  Wow...this has really been a rambly post but I guess the main gist of it was I will always take a stand for my kids.  Period.

Make sure and go visit the other spinners to see what they have taken a stand on. 

Ipod Shuffle

Have a listen into my eclectic brand of music:

On a 35 minute walk the other day my Ipod shuffled through:
Slipknot
TLC
Foo Fighters
Garth Brooks
Goo Goo Dolls
Avril Lavigne
Shakira
and ending with
 B.O.B

And yes I did sing every song while walking down the sidewalk by myself.  I'm sure people were looking at me like a crazy person.  I was just thankful that mid-January I was able to take a walk outside in just capri yoga pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt and my ear warmers. 

Dream a little dream

Did you hear the Spin Cycle went to Hollywood?  Gretchen took over from Jen and so we will bow down to our new leader and keep the spins coming.  I definitely want to thank Jen for starting the spin cycle because a lot of my posts were prompted by it and I "met" a lot of new people through reading the other spinners.  So definitely a win in my book!  Anyways...the spin topic this week is dreams and boy do I dream.  Actually my whole little family is a bunch of dreamers.  The hubby constantly tells me about dreams he had and even Leo has started telling me he's had dreams.  Who knows if he's just making up stories and passing them off as dreams or not but it's interesting to hear what his imagination has come up with.  But I'm going to tell you about 2 of my most recent dreams I've had and remembered.

The first one just happened on Saturday night.  I was heading to a Wal-Mart with a friend and we were slowly driving by the entry and saw that they were being held up by a robber.  We spotted a police officer just down the way and so we drove by and stopped and told him what was happening.  He told us to get out of car and hide behind him.  So we did (because it's a dream...).  The officer snuck closer to the door of the Wal-Mart and let us know that he was a sharp-shooter.  He shot the robber who was standing in the doorway and he turned to let us know and then all of a sudden another robber busted out of the doors and shot the police officer, shot my friend and was standing over me about to shoot me when I just screamed out Jesus don't let him shoot me.  (I think I was thinking about Jesus and church because I had made plans to go to church with one of my cousins before I went to bed Saturday).  The robber ended up shooting me in the leg and the police arrived.  I'm not sure of the next sequence but it's after the robber has gotten out of jail and he is forcing me to go to a birthday party for one of his friends kids.  I am at the party and I apparently got the kid a toy that made a lot of noise and I looked at the parents and told them sorry.

SO RANDOM!  Then my other dream that I remember happened while my brother and his family and my mom all went to visit his son in Missouri.  So I was probably thinking of them when I went to bed.  But I was at my parent's house and they were having a pool party.  My brother walked by me and I pushed him into the pool.  As he was falling in he grabbed me and took me in the pool also.  We were both under water and he was holding me under being a mean big brother.  I was ok but then I tried swimming to the surface and he wouldn't let me up.  I was struggling and he knew it and he just wouldn't let me up.  I was starting to lose consciousness and was starting to sink to the bottom dying when I woke up.  Another very random dream!

Well...that's enough of looking into my dreams!  Don't forget to check out the other spinners and see their take on dreams!

Mama Trouble

I have run into a predicament and I read on someone else's blog about a similar situation. She was talking about not wanting to go out with her friends because she wanted to spend time with her kids (I'm sorry whoever I read this from...I honestly can't remember!). So I have a group of girls I graduated college with and we try to get together once every 1 to 2 months. Well now that I'm back to work and having to close some nights I don't always get home to see the boys at a decent hour. While I hate my hours right now there is nothing I can do about them. So what do you mama's do? Do you take the time to recharge and go with your friends or do you sacrifice yourself and your sanity and stay home with the kiddos?

I went out tonight with them but I feel really badly about it because Monday night after I got home from work around 8:30 Leo wanted to play.  We played a quick game of basketball on his Nerf basketball goal and then I read him a book and got him into bed by 9. While this is a later night than normal I liked that he was still up so I could at least see him before he went to bed. About 10 minutes after he went to bed he came in our room crying because he was sad because he didn't hardly get to see me that night. It about broke my heart. I just don't know what to do. While I'm looking for another job none of them seem to be panning out so I feel more and more stuck in the position I am in. And it was recently announced that Boeing will be leaving the Wichita area (which we are a suburb of) and so about 2100 will be out of work. That is on top of the people who have been laid off in the previous few years with all of the other aircraft companies and the economy. So I hate to be to frustrated because at least I have a job. 

RTT: Massage thoughts and craziness that is when a new mom goes back to work

Well hello there.  I've missed you...have you missed me?  Well I've missed some of you anyways.  And I've really missed the time I get to sit in peace and write.  But apparently that is a thing of the past now that I've gone back to work.  Anywho...I figured I would start back easy and do a random Tuesday thoughts because that's all that seems to be floating around my muddled brain right now!  So let's go.

__________

I was given a few gift certificates to get massages when I was given my baby sprinkle.  Needless to say the first one has already been used and it felt amazing.  But there were a few things floating in my brain as my body was getting rubbed down.

• While getting a massage I'm pretty sure the massage therapist could do whatever he/she wanted to do to me (ie: murder me) because my eyes are closed the entire time.  I just don't feel comfortable keeping my eyes open while someone is rubbing me.  It's like when I go to the dentist.  I either close my eyes or focus on the spot on the ceiling that looks like a duck.  That way I don't have to see someone that close in my business.
• Also, apparently since giving birth to two children I have lost all sense of privacy for my body.  The massage lady says strip down, I do it.  She asks if I want her to work on my gluts I say Heck yes.  She asks if I want a happy ending...just kidding! :) But seriously.  I don't care who or what sees my speckled behind because I know I'm going to get something out of it.
• I also find it very strange when a complete stranger wants to divulge very personal things one, while I'm naked and two, while we are in a just met situation.  I'm also not big on my massage people talking while massaging but I'll let some things slide.  But when this lady told me that while she was pregnant with her twins she got super sick and almost died and then when she was pregnant with her third child her husband died it kind of ruins my relaxing vibe.  And I know that is a really bitchy thing to say but in a situation where I would not be naked I would have something much more comforting to say than me lying on my stomach while she is massaging my ass.  I'm just saying.
• I think Enya needs to be compensated for all the massage therapists out there using her music.  I've been to 3 different massage places in my life and all 3 have played Enya.  And her music is definitely relaxing, but I wonder if there is a CD for massages.  Hmmm.
• And finally...I sometimes think that I could spend less money and just rent out the massage room for an hour and just lay in there in the peace with the stillness and the little waterfall and the Enya music.  Because that might be just as relaxing!

______________________

I started back to work 2 weeks ago.  It has been a pretty hectic 2 1/2 weeks and I am still trying to get back into the swing of work.  And it totally sucks.  So if someone has the winning lottery numbers please let me know.  I will even share it with you as long as I have enough money to quit my job forever and ever!

_____________________

Ok that's enough.  Check out Stacy and keep the rebellion of randoming alive!