Relief!

I've been without my computer for about a week now and I finally got it back Monday. Yippie!!!! I'm so happy. I've felt so out of touch. I don't know what's been going on anywhere. It's truly amazing to me how dependent we get on these little things. I had a really nasty virus attack my computer and since I actually know very little about computers in general, I had to find someone who could fix it for me. Luckily, the local High School computer teacher took a shot at it. He had to take everything off, clean it down to the basics and now I have to put everything back on it. Yikes. A learning experience for sure.



So, what have I been up to this week? Well, my husband took all 3 girls to the beach to see his parents. And my girls couldn't have been more excited. The love, love, love their Grandparents. As an added bonus, they got to see their Aunt Marti too. The didn't get back until Sunday afternoon...and I have to say, that was just a little bit too long for me to be away from them. I really missed them. However, I took the opportunity to do nothing. And lay things down and come back to them. Whatever I put away, stayed put away. Nice.



I also took myself to downtown Atlanta to the High Museum of Art to see China's Terracotta Army. Very cool. I don't go down to Atlanta very often because I don't know my way around and I don't like that. It wasn't so bad when I was by myself though, because I could concentrate on what I was doing. Plus, I didn't have to be anywhere at anytime, so no pressure. The exhibit was really cool. I'm glad I went. I actually wish I would have spend a little more time there.

This summer, I plan to take the girls down there for some different things...the aquarium, the zoo...that kind of thing.

But now it's back to the daily grindstone!

Rockin' the spending freeze

The girls were in preschool for only 2 hours yesterday and I had alot of errands to run. And no money to spend. My panic induced spending freeze really paid off yesterday.

First, I dropped the girls off at preschool and headed to the bank where I cashed in rolled change. $80.00.

Next, I headed to Hallmark to get a card for hubby's birthday next week. I had a $4.00 gift rebate and the card cost $4.27. Whoo hoo.

Next, I headed to Belk. I had about $11.00 on a very old gift card and Rena really needs some spring clothes. I bought her 2 mix and match outfits. Original price - $77.00. On sale for 30% off. Opened a Belks credit card for 20% and 15% more off (note to salesclerk: a 20% discount then a 15% discount does not add up to a 35% discount. That's not the way it works) Final cost to me - $23.00. Whoo hoo!

Passed by the county 'free' woodchips pile. (I don't know why they put quotes around free. They really are free.) Fresh pile! I go hook up my trailor, discover that my garden fork broke the last time I got mulch. Stop by Home Depot and use my 'free' gift card to purchase new garden fork. Load trailor with free mulch. Whooooo hooooo!

So, I got a birthday card, a pair of cropped pants, a skirt, 2 shirts, a garden fork (and it wasn't cheap) and a trailor for of mulch all for $23.27. Whoooo hooooo!

Oh, oh! And the tax accountant called and says she thinks we'll be getting a refund!

The recession can kiss my ass!

Never Ending

It's been raining here for day, as it has been in much of the south. While I really am happy that we are getting rain, and Lake Lanier is filling up, I'm really hating my backyard in a big way.

Believe it or not, this is the sodded part of the backyard. Our builder told us we don't have a drainage problem. asshole.

Here's the problem. My backyard is divided into 2 parts: kids' yard, dogs' yard. The kids yard is sodded, the dogs yard is not. As you may have noticed, I hate my builder and blame most things on him. The fact that we have NO grass in the dogs yard is his fault. If it weren't for the sod, we wouldn't have grass in the kids yard either. Now, at the height of the drought, this didn't cause any problems. But because I don't want wet muddy dogs in the house, I let the dogs go into the kids yard when it rains. And they poop there. Alot. And the only real way for that to get 'cleaned up' is to pick up the poop and let the rain wash away the rest. But when it's raining, the dogs are in that yard...pooping. See the vicious cycle? This time around the dogs have access to the whole yard. So they are sopping wet and muddy. And when they come in, they come into the kitchen, which is now sopping wet and muddy. There's no other place for them to go. And I hate it.

The dogs are already on my shit-list. At least Jake is. Here's that story. Sunday, I went upstairs to do some laundry (never ending). When I headed down the hall to put clothes away for Rena, I discovered a big pile of poop. Great. I hadn't noticed it earlier because Rena doesn't actually sleep in her bedroom. Her bed got moved to the twins room, so the only reason to go to her room is for clothes. When I walked into her room, I discovered another pile of poop! CRAP! That pile had been there since Saturday. Gross! So, as I'm finishing the laundry, Rena comes and asks me why I'm not cleaning it up! Well, 'cause I'm finishing the laundry! Then I drag the vacuum cleaner upstairs and go back for my new friend the carpet steam clean, which has already paid for itself! I clean up just the spot in the hall since I'd already cleaned the whole hall last week. Then I picked up all the toys in Rena's room, vacuumed and steam clean that whole room. As I'm backing out of that room, Rena comes and tells me that Jake just peed under the dining room table. WHAT! Damn dog! At least the steam cleaner was still plugged in. So I drag it back downstairs and clean up the dining room. So it feels like all I did was clean up pee and poop all day Sunday. That and pick up those infernal beads.

Then on Monday, just when I might just get a step ahead, Riley helped me unload groceries. She dropped a glass jar of salsa in the driveway, which broke into a million piece IN a puddle of water. (God forbid the builder know how to make water drain away from a house) Do you know how impossible it is to see shards of glass in a puddle of water? Well, it is.

It's been kinda tense around here. I'm in serious need of a vacation. A little 'me' time that isn't interrupted by anyone or anythings bathroom habits. Some quiet, still time.

Mommy, don't you argue me!

That is what Rachel has been telling me lately. In her best Mommy voice. And no, I didn't accidently leave a word out. That's how she says it. Just like Riley asks for a peanut butter and sandwich. God, they crack me up.

This morning on the way to preschool, Rena was trying to get her sisters to say her name the right way. I know it was rather cruel to give my children names that start with R and they can't really be expected to pronounce it correctly until they're about 6, but what's a mother to do? Rachel pronounces it 'Wena' and Riley say either 'Glena or Lena'. So the conversation on Rena's part went something like this. "Wiley, say Wena, not Lena. With an Awwr. Wena. Twy again. Wena." Oh, how I wish I had a recording of that.

This day got off to a rough start. It's a good thing I'm adaptable. And that I showered last night after tennis practice. First off, I'd like you to meet my new best friend.

That's right. My new carpet steam cleaner. He's getting lots of use already. Yesterday, as I mentioned, while the girls were in school I cleaned my bedroom and the hall. Last night, one of the dogs threw up in the hall. For no apparent reason. Then, this morning, poor Max didn't make it, again. Started peeing in the bedroom, down the steps, well, you get the idea. Poor guy. Luckily, Stanley the Steam cleaner was still plugged in! Problem solved.

Of course, I'd like to wake up a little slower than that. My eyes weren't even really open as I cleaned the floor. Next task was to get Rena bathed before my neighbor came to pick her up for school. While Rena was in the tub, my neighbor called and said her son was sick and they weren't going to school. Crap. It's only a half day today, which in preschool, means a 2 hour day. Since it takes me almost half an hour to get to school, there no sense in coming home. So, I had 45 minutes to get not 1 but 3 kids ready and out the door. Kinda stressful. I must say a big Thank You to my hubby who made coffee for me!

I dropped Rena off, took the little girls to IHOP for breakfast. They played. I ate. Way too expensive. Off to Home Depot, no, not here, Lowe's to find a hanging clothes weekly organizer. Hopefully this will quell some of the clothing battles I've been having with Riley. The outfit will have to be approved and stored the day before, so come morning time we can just get dressed in our PRETTY outfit with our PRETTY shoes. This kid's killing me.!

Back to pick up Rena and home. Then they wanted to finger paint. It was almost 12:30 before things settled down. I'm sure I don't even want to see the aftermath of the painting. It might be time to go back to bed and try to start over on a smoother day!

March!

Where did that come from?!? February seemed to be over in a flash. A slow, monotonous flash. We have been inside wayyyyy to long and I can't wait for Spring to really get here so that we can go outside and play! It has been a cold, warm, wet, dry winter! Make up your mind already. One day, I had the girls play in the closet...we were under a tornado warning and we've had some serious wind around these parts. One storm moved through at 45mph. Then one came through at 75mph. That is a seriously fast moving storm. Luckily, we managed to make it through with no damage.

Other than that, it's just been the same old, same old.

I did get Rena registered for Kindergarten. I have seriously mixed emotions about the whole thing. I'm excited for her that she's getting ready to start this journey. I'm sad for me that my oldest is starting school. Real school... that will dictate our lives and schedules for the next 13 years. I don't know much about public school and what I do know I don't necessarily agree with. I think schools are too big and classes are too big, and teachers' don't have enough power over how children behave. I worry that someone will tarnish the world my sweet innocent child lives in. And she is. Sweet and innocent. There's always one kid that is wize beyond their years that spoils it for the group. And I wonder why that child's parent's didn't help them hold on to their innocence for just a little while longer. Once it's gone, it's gone. So I worry. And mourn. And I'll miss her. Im not ready to be away from her for that long.

However, she's ready. And I'm sure she's going to love it. She thrives on the whole social scene. She's smart, and articulate and happy. So, come August, I will have to let her go just a little bit more.

The battles with Riley have subsided just a little. She still insists on being pretty all the time. Did I tell ya'll she sleeps in a headband - everynight! Gosh, she cracks me up.

Rachel continues to march to the beat of her own drum. Such a cool kid. She's been so sweet singing the theme song to Sleeping Beauty. She's watched it a million time.

I've been sick. A stubborn head cold that finally put me in bed for a day and a half. Not an easy task to accomplish. I finally called Blair to see if he could come home early Friday. He made it here about 11:30 and I spent the rest of the day in bed. Which put me seriously behind.

Today I've been playing a little bit of catch up. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a steam cleaner...an executive decision I made after our geriatric dog, with an incontinent bladder and a pendulus penis walked down the step, through the entry, through the living room and through the kitchen. There was no way to clean that up! I'm so happy I got it, though. But I'm completely disgusted by how much dirt was on my floors. I think this things going to get a work out in this house. I did the living room last week, Blair did the dining room, I did the affected stairs, the hallway and my bedroom today. Much better!

Well, that's it for now. I'm rambling anyway. Have a good day!