Friday, December 19, 2008

Tagged By Jenny, My Eights

8 TV Shows I Watch

1. Criminal Minds
2. American Idol
3. Big Brother
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. The Office
6. Greys Anatomy
7. Desperate Housewives
8. Ghost Whisperer


8 Favorite Restaurants

1. Carrabas
2. Ted's
3. Bill and Ruths
4. Chilis
5. Papa John's
6. My Cooking
7. Shiloh's
8. Pete's

8 Things That Happened Today

1. Laundry
2. Cooked breakfast
3. Cleaned kitchen
4. Made lunch
5. Gave Ben a bottle
6. Watched Sesame Street
7. Wrapped Christmas presents
8. Made my bed

8 Things I Look Forward To

1. Finding a house
2. Christmas
3. Benjamin's first birthday
4. Growing old with John
5. Heaven
6. More children
7. Summer vacation
8. My Graduation Day!

8 Things I Wish For

1. No more anxiety
2. More children
3. Buying a great house
4. To be happy with my motherly figure
5. For my children to grow into strong Christians
6. Long healthy life
7. To be excepted into a nursing program
8. Contentment

I tag everyone who read this.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

10 Months



This time last year I thought, "I will have a ten month old on Christmas next year." And now, he is ten months old and Christmas is right around the corner.
Likes: His mobile, baths, Christmas lights, Mommy's singing, actually just music in general, remote controls and cell phones, necklaces, a pink baby doll (I know, John's favorite), Cherrios and crackers, apple juice, sweet peas, mirrors, crawling backwards, kisses and standing.
Dislikes: Being in the car at night, naps, being woken abruptly, short baths, and runny noses.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Benjamin helping us move

It has been so long since my last post I am going to have to do it bulletin style so I don't forget anything.

School- Done. Well, at least for this semester. I got an A and a B. I worked hard for my B in Physiology, I had quite the struggle in that class and the only reason I was able to pull off a B, was with the 94% I got on my final. I am glad this semester is over, although next semester won't be a picnic. In order to get into TCC nursing program you have to have your CNA. For four weeks M-F 8:30-2:30 I have class to get my CNA. For sixteen weeks I have MIcrobiology Tuesday 5:30-7:20 PM and Thursday 5:30-9:30. Those first four weeks I have both CNA and Micro is going to be a killer. After Micro I will be done with the prerequisites for nursing, so then I will just have to be accepted into the program.

The Move- Well, it wasn't smooth. We should have asked for more help. So be ready to be asked in the next few months for the next move. Living with the parents is going well. John has been gone for the last week, so it has been nice to have extra hands to help me with Ben. House hunting has been discouraging. As of today we have no prospects.

Thanksgiving-It was small this year. The food was great. My sister Jenny was quite the chef this year and I was quite impressed! We had two huge feast one at the Richardson's and one at the LeMaster's. Good people and good food, no complaints from me!

Man, to have been so busy, I don't feel like I have as much to write as I thought. I hope everyone's holidays are going well!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

9 Months Old


Wow, nine months old, what a big boy! Benjamin is now 21.6 pounds (75%) and 28 inches long (over 50%). I sit in awe when I think of the little scrawny guy who was barely on the growth chart (under 15%) to this little rolly polly boy he is now. My favorite part of being Benjamin's mom is the way he looks at me, pure love, it really melts my heart.
Likes: Sitting on laps, being outside, jumper, food (all, except green beans), walks, Dayton, Mommy and Daddy, all people who will give him attention (as long as Mommy is in clear sight), baths, talking, Mommy's singing and funny songs, playing on the floor, rolling, crawling backwards, pulling up on anything that he can reach, playing in your crib, and turing on and off light switches.
Dislikes: Being ignored (how dare you walk in and out of a room without making a big tada of seeing him!), being put in his car seat (likes car rides, just the initial strap down makes him cry), green beans, big toys that he can't hold, and not doing things on his terms (he should really right a handbook).

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Locks of Love







I have been torn on whether to cut my hair or not. I finally decided to take the plunge and cut it. I was so excited that it was long enough to donate to Locks of Love.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Mylicon Drops Recall

Body:​ Infan​t Gas-​Relie​f Drops​ Recal​led
Johns​on & Johns​on has recal​led 12,​000 bottl​es of Mylic​on Infan​t Dye-​Free Gas-​relie​f drops​ due to the possi​bilit​y that some bottl​es may conta​in metal​ fragm​ents.​ The recal​led drops​ come in one ounce​ plast​ic bottl​es and were sold over-​the-​count​er on or after​ Octob​er 5, 2008.​The lot numbe​rs of the drops​ are SMF00​7 and SMF00​8,​ and the numbe​rs can be found​ on the botto​m of the recal​led boxes​ or on the lower​ left side of the bottl​e'​s stick​er.​

Tuesday, November 11, 2008


Benjamin on the plane. He did a great! He loved looking out the window.


Benjamin and John at the Fort Worth Zoo. What a great beautiful zoo. We all had a great time.


Benjamin at the hotel. He loved looking out the window.


Benjamin working with his Daddy


Ben at the rodeo. He loved it! Well, he loved all the lights and noises.

Our trip went great, except at night. Ben is not a big fan of not being in his crib. He woke up about every 2-3 hours. It was like having a newborn again! The zoo was so much fun and well worth the money. The rodeo was fun, extremely long, too long, we almost missed our flight. John and I both agreed, we are glad we are home.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

He is all mine ladies, all mine.

Green Beans


First hits the taste buds

Ick, hit the bitter buds

Down the hatch

No MORE!

Friday, October 31, 2008

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

SOLD!

Our house sold. Now we just have to find a place to live.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Walks


He usually loves walks, but for some reason he wasn't too thrilled this morning. Maybe because he couldn't move.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Bixby Pumpkin Patch


We went to Bixby Pumpkin today and what a wonderful place. If you haven't got your pumpkins yet I recommend going to Bixby. They had a petting zoo, pony rides, camel rides, tons and tons of pumpkins, and tons of fall paraphernalia . It was a wonderful place for kids. Ben really enjoyed watching all the kids.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

8 Months...


and he speaks. Benjamin said Dada for the first time Thursday, waited a few days and said it five or six times Saturday.
Likes: Baths, taking his precious time while eating his bottle, rushing through each scrumptious bite of baby food, his exersaucer, walks, car rides, all animals, elmo, his mobile (still), moving across the floor (when no one is looking, I am still not for sure if he is army crawling or rolling across the room. If I walk into the room he stops and usually cries for me to get him.), clapping, jumper, an his best friend Dayton.
Dislikes: dirty diapers, big people applesauce, slow feeder's (Pick up the pace Dada!), being over stimulated, bright rooms while napping, being ignored, being woken up (HUGE No, No), and teething biscuits (he always ends up crying).

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Whew!

I went to the doctor yesterday and everything is fine. The lump is a fat globular and has been there my whole life. There use to be more breast tissue there, but gravity, pregnancy and breast feeding has changed that and now I can feel the lump. Thank you for all the prayers, it really means a lot to us.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Updates

We had an realtor come over on Friday. A woman that John use to work with who now works as a realtor for McGraw offered to sell our house cutting her commission to 2%. We immediately took her up on her generous offer. We have found a house in Prattwood that we really want and are hoping everything falls into place time wise and money wise.

We went to the fair on Friday too. Ben seemed to really enjoy it. I got free entrance tickets from my teacher, thank you Dr. Peabody. We got to use all our money on fair food. Mmmmm DELICIOUS! Has anyone tried an Indian Taco? It is probably now my favorite. I also tried fried pickles. Not my favorite, but interesting. Ben liked the petting zoo. I do believe he will be an animal lover.

I got a call from my doctor on Thursday. After going over the radiologist report he decided he would refer me to a breast surgeon. I have a consult on Wednesday. I try not to think about the 'what ifs'. Luckily, I have a lot to keep me busy and distract me.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

On September 17

A few days before Hayley's wedding I found a lump in my breast. My first thought was that it was a blocked milk duct. When I woke up the next morning with the lump still there with no pain, I knew it wasn't a blocked milk duct (Milk Dud as Jenny calls them). I called the doctor, they couldn't get me in until Monday. I go and see Dr Parham, one of my all time favorite doctors. He could definitely feel a lump. I was right, it was not a blocked milk duct. He said he wasn't too concerned but would like me to go and get an ultrasound. Good. I would like that peace of mind. I go to schedule an appointment, they could get me in the following Monday. I guess I don't have much say so on when, and hope the wait doesn't give me ulcers. So, the following Monday I go to have an ultrasound. During the ultrasound I try desperately to "read" the ultrasound with no prevail. She stops, says she wants to go and show the Radiologist to see if he would also like a Mammogram. She is gone for maybe two minutes. She's found something that looks suspicious that must be why she had to go and consult with the Radiologist. I can feel the tears building in my eyes. She comes back in and says, "No, he doesn't want a mammogram. And he would also like me to tell you, he doesn't really see anything." Ahhhh, a sigh of relief, until I get to my car. Doesn't see anything? Anything at all? Nothing suspicious? There is something there I can feel it, John can feel it, Dr Parham can feel it, the tech can feel it. Now I wait. The rest of Monday passes, Tuesday passes, Wednesday morning passes, afternoon is passing, I decide to call the doctor. I then wait for a call back. 4:30 I get a call back from the nurse. "Well, the reports says he didn't really see anything." Yeah, I know I got that part. "It does say the fibers are showing...I will have Dr Parham go over that after he signs off on the report. More than likely he will set you up with a breast surgeon. Dr Parham will be in tomorrow." Thanks Jan. I now feel I know less.
I do know I am scared. Every abnormality, I have felt tired lately, my hormones seem out of wack, is this a sign? Its now Thursday 11:00 AM, and I still wait for that promised phone call more than likely to be set up for another appointment to yet wait some more.
Keep me in your prayers.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Little Socks



I was doing laundry last week and I noticed this sock, way too little for John and I, but way too big for Ben. It was perfect size for Wyatt or Cooper. Hmmmm....one must have snuck into our bag last weekend during our visit. Wait a minute, here's the match. And, I have already done laundry once since our visit to Blanchard. Where did these little socks come from. I go and ask John, "Did you wear these?" "Yeah, I thought you got new socks." "Did you notice they were a little small and the heel of the sock hit you right in the middle of your foot?" "Yeah, I though they were just a different type of ankle sock." I later remembered Cooper had left a pair of socks at our house last January. They sat on top of our dresser for months so I would remember to take them to my Mom and Dad's. They never made it.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Hayley's Wedding






My best friend Hayley got married this past weekend. I have been teasing her about her shot-gun wedding. She called me 5 weeks ago to tell me she and Doug had decided to get married while her little brother was on military leave. Between her traveling with work, Doug travels with work, and Dylan being home for 1 month before his next assignment in Germany for three years, it was hectic! If anyone could plan a fantastic wedding in 5 weeks it would be Hayley. The wedding was beautiful. My brother Jonathan did the ceremony and did a wonderful job as usual. Hayley made a gorgeous bride. They did the wedding and reception at her Mom's house (where I had my reception). It looked like a fairy tale wedding. There was only one small gliche which was during the vows, my son letting out a huge belch. He truly is a boy. Congratulations to Doug and Hayley Orr!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Cooking

I have tried a few new things and thought I would pass them on. I am not a huge fan of boxed meals but have tried a few due to some great coupons! Wanchai Ferry, an Asian cuisine meal kit was the first kit I tried. I must say, quite delicious. It took about thirty minutes to make. I only had to add chicken, water, oil, and bell peppers. It was inexpensive, about $3 with a coupon. I would give it 5 stars for a kit meal and 3 stars for a meal in general.
The next I tried was a Macaroni Meal kit. These must have made an impression on me, we have now tried 3 different kinds, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala, and Basil Chicken. All three needed the typical add ins, chicken, oil or butter, and water. They all took about 30 minutes to cook and were fairly easy. The alfredo was way too creamy for John and I's taste, the marsala was our favorite and made me feel like a 5 star chef, and the basil was delicious but was a bit too spicy (not in a hot way) for me. I rate them as follows Alfredo 3 stars, Marsala 5 stars, Basil 4 stars.
A great website for recipes is www.allrecipes.com. It rates all the recipes and gives helpful hints.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

7 Months



Likes: Baths, Dayton, John getting him out of bed, car rides, applesauce, bananas, being outside, books, his sippy cup, tags on anything, little dogs, hugs and kisses.
Dislikes: being cold, teething, nasal aspirators, seeing his bottle and not getting it...immediately, being patient and being ignored.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Ugh...I had caffeine

I don't know why I drink caffeine. Whenever I do, I always get worked up about something. This time, school. I am taking a math internet class. Mistake #1. I am having trouble managing my time, baby, nap time, study physiology, clean house, cook dinner, grocery shop, get house ready to sell, get online do an excessive amount of math homework. I really thought this would be an easy A class. I get online today to get this weeks assignments, three sections of homework to do, roughly 60 problems, and a quiz to complete my Monday at midnight. What!?! The class week is from Sunday to Saturday, I have been doing one section a day and it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half. This means I have five hours of math to do by tomorrow at midnight. So, instead of doing it, I blog about not being able to do it. Not really, I have been trying to do it for the last hour and my mind is fried. I wrote the instructor an email as to why we have so much to do in such a short period of time. Internet classes are not for me, neither is math.
I am really enjoying my Physiology class ("enjoying" is probably a bit extreme). I am just ready to not be in school spending money and am ready to be a nurse making money. I have to tell myself constantly why I went back to school.
Ben has been wonderful. He is really funny. I went to go get him up from his nap and snuck in quietly to see what he was doing. He was talking away and had his legs propped up on his little aquarium toy. He still has quite the temper (I guess that is something that doesn't just go away). He attempted his first crawl on Saturday. Watch out Dayton! You will be his first target. I got a MAAAAA out of him other day. Does that count as Mama?

Thursday, September 04, 2008

The loyalist




You Are 6: The Loyalist



I took a "test" and this is what it said about my personality. I found it quite interesting.


You have strong relationships and are intensely loyal.

People find you easy to love and care for.



You like your world to be stable and secure, no surprises.

You're cautious. You prefer your inner circle to the outside world.



At Your Best: You are courageous, a positive thinker, and expressive. You can take on the world.



At Your Worst: You are secretly insecure - which makes you sarcastic, cold, and argumentative.



Your Fixation: Doubt



Your Primary Fear: Abandonment



Your Primary Desire: Security and support



Other Number 6's: Mel Gibson, Woody Allen, Jay Leno, Marilyn Monroe, and Julia Roberts.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Saturday, August 23, 2008



Ben has officially outgrown his baby bath tub. We have moved on to the sink for now. I don't know how long this will last, he has discovered his splashing skills.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Welcome to the Jungle




Monday morning I walked into my Physiology class and "Welcome to the Jungle" was playing. Hmmm...am I in the right class? About 3 minutes later and big guy, with long white hair, a bandana wrapped around his head, harley boots, shirt, and vest on, walked into the class. "I am Dr. Peabody and this is Human Physiology." Interesting. I must say, his class seems to be just as interesting as himself and I am really looking forward to this semester. I have a five credit math class that I am taking online. I am not a computer whiz, but I do consider myself very computer literate, but I am having some difficult just figuring out how to do the online class.
I am slowly but surely getting our house ready to sell. It is exhausting and somewhat overwhelming. We found a house in Sand Springs we are interested in, but we must first sell our house. Now some fun pictures.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

6 Months Old

My little boy is 6 months old. He is 18.6 pounds (75%) and 25 1/2 inches (25%). I know, John and I both laughed about it. John calls him our little catcher. I guess he didn't get John's tall and lean genes.
Likes: Mommy and Daddy, Dayton, Jumper, Exercsaucer, Outside, his bottle, Bananas and Apples, ice water out of his sippy cup, Mommy's funny songs, Daddy's chest hair (he likes to pull it), Daddy's arm hair (he pets John's arms, it hilarious), Walks, watching us eat, other little kids, especially girls with high pitched voices, car rides, ice, baths and books.
Dislikes: being ignored, naptime, shots, seeing a bottle and not getting it, not putting the food in his mouth quick enough, Dayton to walk away from him, being woke up, doing things not on "Ben's Time".

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Monday, August 11, 2008

The ABC's of things I am grateful for

I have been down and stressed, so I have decided to focus on my blessings.

A. Animals
B. Baby boy Benjamin
C. Chicken Casseroles
D. Dark Chocolate
E. Easter Eggs. I really love coloring easter eggs. I can't wait to hide them for my children.
F. Family
G. God
H. My hair, its thick and shiny.
I. Ice, I love lots of ice in my drinks.
J. John
K. Kisses
L. Love
M. Music
N. My Nieces and Nephews
O. The opportunity to go back to school
P. Pepsi. The sweet nectar of the gods.
Q. Quiet time, ahhhhhh quiet time.
R. Rafts. I love laying on a raft in water.
S. Sugar. I dig it.
T. Television.
U. Umbrellas
V. My Voice
W. Washing Machines. Could you imagine washing everything by hand?
X. X-tra kisses.
Y. You. I am grateful for every person in my life.
Z. Zebra print. I really like animal print, even if it is out of style.

Hmmm, I do feel better.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Looking

I am looking for another house to clean. I would be available every other Wednesday 2:00-5:00PM. I charge $40.00 for 2 hours or $50.00 for 3 hours. Any type of house work I am up for, deep cleaning, organizing, laundry, or just "normal cleaning".
We are also looking for a house. Yep, we are planning on moving. Where? Sand Springs. I know, I never thought I would move back to Sand Springs, but at this point in our lives John and I both agree its the best place. Our plan over the next 5 years is to get out of debt. To start off we want to get a smaller mortgage. Have you eyes peeled for 2-3 bedroom homes, preferably in Prattville, safe neighborhood, fenced backyards, around 75,000 to 90,000. Now we need advice on where to start on selling our home.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

This and That

I went to a cooking class on Saturday and it was so much fun! One of the chefs from Akin's came to our Church to do a class. I didn't realize they do cooking classes at Akin's bimonthly at no charge. They only do it at the 51st and Memorial store, but if it is anything like the class on Saturday, it would be well worth the drive. A few tid bits I learned: If you cook pasta and put in a ziploc bag it is good for ten days (perfect if you need a quick dinner one night), Smart Balance "butter" is the best diet margarine to use cooking, spray cheese on top of casseroles, pizzas, etc. with PAM before cooking and it prevents it from hardening and sticking together, try using organic tomatoes if you have problems with reflux, if a recipe calls for whipping cream you can use milk with 2 tbl spoons of cornstarch, you can dry your own fresh herbs by laying on a paper towel, leaf by leaf, cover with another paper towel and microwave for 5 minutes, cooked then frozen pasta is good for 6 weeks, spaghetti is the cheapest meal to cook for a lot of people. I also got four new recipes. We tried them after the class and they were delicious and easy to make.
Benjamin is really enjoying his baby food, maybe too much. I have no idea how much he is suppose to eat. I figured when he is full he will stop eating, but he just keeps opening his mouth. He has his 6th month (I know already 6 months!) appointment next Thursday. He is becoming such a big boy. His new favorite toy is Dayton. He loves Dayton. He talks to and laughs more at Dayt than me or John.
I start school in less than two weeks. My stomach churns thinking about it. I am very excited, but am realizing how different being a student will be now that I have a child.
Well, thats it in the LeMaster's household. I hope everyone is doing well.

Charged With Neglect

Updated: Mother of mauled baby accused of neglect


By DAVID SCHULTE World Staff Writer
8/4/2008 5:53 PM
Last Modified: 8/4/2008 10:38 PM

A 17-year-old mother whose 2-month-old son was mauled to death by a family pet is accused in a police affidavit of child neglect.

Police allege that Linzy Earles has a history of drug abuse and was neglectful when her baby, Zane Earles, was “eaten alive” by a black Labrador puppy at the home of his mother and grandparents, Stan and Holly Earles, in the 2900 block of East 102nd Street on July 28.

On that day, police received a call from the Emergency Medical Services Authority about a reported dog mauling at the home, according to the police affidavit.

When officers arrived, they found that Zane, who had been left unattended in a baby swing for about two hours, had “suffered multiple dog bites” and had “been eaten alive” by the puppy.

Authorities pronounced the baby dead at the scene.

When the mauling occurred, Linzy Earles was asleep in her bedroom 65 to 85 feet away from her son at the other end of the house, according to the affidavit.

Initial reports indicated that the baby’s grandmother was also asleep on the far side of the home.

His father and grandfather had left the home earlier that morning.

The affidavit indicates that Linzy Earles was “taken off juvenile probation on June 2nd for drug charges.”

Police have obtained a search warrant to retrieve blood and hair samples from her to determine whether “she was under the influence of alcohol or narcotics during the time that her baby was left unattended and eaten alive,” according to the affidavit.

A positive drug test could indicate why she was unable to hear the baby’s screams when he was being mauled, according to the affidavit.

Police have also obtained a search warrant to conduct a decibel test at the home to find out whether the baby’s screams could have been heard from the other end of the house and to collect any bodily fluids that may have been left by the dog when it walked through the home after killing the baby.

The Labrador was taken to the Tulsa Animal Shelter, where it was euthanized at the request of police so that evidence could be recovered from it, Officer Leland Ashley said last week.

It could be several weeks before all of the tests connected to the case are conducted and a report is completed by the state Medical Examiner’s Office.

Family members have declined interviews and have not returned phone calls.

Police have been called to their home three times previously since May 2007. In May and June last year, police were dispatched there to investigate reports about a runaway.

In May of this year, they were called to investigate a report of an attempted first-degree burglary.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Growing Up


This week Ben has started putting himself to sleep. Monday, I laid him in his crib with his blankie. I turned on his mobile and then he started fussing. I turned off the mobile and started to get him out of bed, but before I had the chance, he stopped crying, and plugged his little mouth with his thumb. I watched out of view for awhile and sure enough he went right to sleep. I was so proud, but also heartbroken. I enjoyed our little rituals before naps and bedtime. I have a feeling he is going to be quite the independent little boy. What a man he will make : )

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Labrador Mauls Baby

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Police say a puppy has attacked and killed a 2-month-old boy who was left unattended in a swing.
Officer Jason Willingham said Monday the baby was mauled by the Labrador at the boy's home and died at the scene. He says the dog will most likely be destroyed.
Authorities have not yet released the infant's name.
Willingham says the baby's mother and grandmother were home, but nobody was in the room at the time.
Police are unsure why the dog attacked.
The child's body was taken to the Medical Examiner's office. Willingham says police will forward their investigation to the district attorney to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.


When I heard this on the news yesterday I was sickened. My immediate reaction was what is wrong with that dog! After doing some reading my reaction changed. What is wrong with the parents? The puppy was only 3-4 months old. Anyone who has had a labrador, or any puppy knows they chew on everything! My sweet Dayton chewed all the siding off the back of our house. Thats just what Labs do, they chew. From the news last night, it looked as if there home was an apartment. How could they not hear that baby screaming? It seems really fishy to me. I do feel sorry for the mom. We all make stupid decisions, must of us do not lose a child because of it. I wouldn't be surprised if they charged the mother will neglect. It is just a horrible situation. I am curious the outcome. Anyways, I thought I would share this story in case you missed it on the news last night.

Monday, July 28, 2008

What Makes Me, Me

While in the shower this morning I was thinking about what I do, and do not like about myself.

Dislikes:

1. I constantly think I have upset someone. If someone walks by me, that I know, and they don't say anything, I automatically think I have done something to upset them. I may have only said hi so them in the last 4 hours, but maybe my tone was wrong. Maybe they thought I was saying they looked high. Maybe they didn't hear me when I said hi and they think I am ignoring them. Did I accidentally spit on them while taking and they were offended? The endless concerns go on.

2. I am emotional. When I tell someone something nice about them I get teary eyed.

3. I sometimes have nothing to say. This sometimes comes across as being moody. (Shut up Jenny, I am not moody. That right bringing out the S word.) I really have nothing to say, not because I am upset, I just have no input.

4. I get my feelings hurt...really easy.

5. I care about what other people think of me.

6. I hate my stomach. If I could just cut out my midsection and stick my head on my legs it would be great.

7. I am scared of squirrels, bugs and mice. Not normal fears.."oooo they are gross." I have actually ran when I thought a squirrel was chasing me, more than once, more than ten times. When I have to kill a bug, I cry. Not because I am sad to kill it, I have this irrational fear that it is going to jump on me. ( I have never thought what it might do while it was on me.) Mice, mice are just sneaky, and small and have teeth. I picture them gnawing on my feet while I sleep.

8. I cannot drive in the rain. Let me rephrase, I cannot be in the car when it is storming. John had the priveledge of seeing a full blown panic attack in the car when it starting raining on our way home from Oklahoma City. In my defense, I did total my car on the Turner Turnpike in the rain.

9. If I read something, its true. I take everything as a fact. Did you know Elvis is still alive?

10. For someone who cares so much about what other people think, I share a lot. Maybe I share too much. I learned in Psychology revealing your vulnerabilities is how you become close to people. The more I thought about this, the more it made sense. The people in my life who share very little personal things I am not very close too.

Likes

1. I am funny. I make myself laugh a lot. If I can make someone else laugh during the day, I think that day is a success.

2. I have pretty eyes.

3. I am kind hearted, compassionate, and empathetic.

4. I am a good, no, a great cook.

5. I can sing very well.

6. I am a very hard worker.

7. I am physically strong woman. (Not in a creepy way.)

8. I can joke about my downfalls.

9. (How sad, its getting hard to name things I like) I am emotional. I know I listed this as a dislike, but it is also one of my likes. I'm real. I cry when I am sad, you can tell I am angry when I am mad, I laugh way out loud when I am happy.

10. I share a lot about my life. I have been burnt, I have felt vulnerable, but thats what makes me, me.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Pinching Pennies

We have NO cable. And yes, this was our decision. In order for me to stay home with Ben we have had to trim the fat, cable being a big chunk of fat. We changed our internet service (to a slower service, we really can't tell a difference though), telephone server, and of course cable. We were paying $130 plus for these services, now we pay around $60. John and I have yet to drive each other crazy without cable, so I think it was a good decision. I have also changed some of my shopping habits. I no longer buy bottled water or pop (saved about $25 a month), no ziploc bags (we use reusable tupperware, not much of a savings though), I go to three different grocery stores to get the best deals and spend an average of 3 hours a week looking at grocery ads, cutting coupons, and finding internet coupons. I saved about $40 in coupons last shopping trip. I don't use lights during the day, I just open the blinds. We don't eat out. Well, we occasionally do. I've eaten at a restaurant maybe 3 times since Benjamin was born and I eat fast food maybe once every other week. I have also started cleaning houses, two houses. There is just something humbling about cleaning someone else's toilet. It puts gas in my car though!
I'm curious. How does everyone else save money?

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

5 Months Old (I'm a little behind)




Likes: Mommy and Daddy, Sesame Street, Car Rides (yep, this moved from the dislike side last month), Bottles (he now gets excited when he sees them), Exersaucer, Dayton (He loves his doggy), being outside, the water, bath time, Hyland teething tablets, sitting on Mommy's lap during dinner time with spoon in hand, his mobile, pacifier, and his airplane blankie.
Dislikes: His Jumper, teething (we all hate this), eating cereal, waiting too long for his bottle, nap time, the music at Church (he screams every Sunday when they start singing).

Blog Archive