Halloween Evenings

I'm not really a fan of scary movies.  At all.  Sometimes I don't mind funny, "scary" movies, but I just don't like being scared, and mostly I think they are stupid. Each to their own though.  

But one thing I LOVE about Halloween is the kids shows and movies.  I've had to watch the Dora Trick or Treat episode a million times over the past 5 years, and I can't say I mind.  It's fun watching little Mikey watch it and interact and now it's Mia watching it and singing along.  (And Mikey too - he was off school today and happily watched Dora with Mia.)  

My personal favorite is Spookly the Square Pumpkin.  For starters, he is adorable, and it makes me want my own square pumpkin.  He's the outcast of the patch because he's square, and he tries to compete in the Jack A Lympics to be the best in patch.  But the contests are designed more for round pumpkins.  He's got 3 spiders helping him out called Edgar, Allen and Poe (teehee).  And at the end of the movie Spookly saves the day and all is well.  It's really sweet actually.  But the best part is snuggling on the couch with the kids, Halloween cake baking and just having a good time together.  In fact, that's what we're doing right now.

My AFS Year

During my last year of high school I left to go to Sweden for a year. It really was the best year of my life and changed me a lot. Before I left, I was the quiet music geek who was over-protected.  If it wasn't related to music or theater, you wouldn't find me there after school.  But in August 1997 I left for Sweden.

My first impression was me wondering why there were Swedish flags everywhere.  I found out later that it was because it was a national holiday. And flying over Sweden you will see some of the most breathtaking scenery.  

My first family didn't really work out well.  I lived in this 4 story building in the middle of nowhere that was being restored. It was an old orphanage and heavens only knows what else it was in the past.  Very creepy to say the least.  And they owned horses which were pretty cool actually. It just wasn't working out for me, but I did wind up with the best host family known to man once I moved into Karlstad.

To this day I still miss Pappa sitting down and explaining things to me.  Both in Swedish and in English.  I appreciate so much how he would tell me how it is, and then take the time to explain why things are the way they are. He really opened my eyes to some issues, both political and cultural which have really shaped the way I view things.  (And is the reason why my kids are going to be out of the house when they finish High School).

Mamma was the best cook ever! I can't wait until I can take my family there and we can all cook and eat together - I know her and Jeremy would have a blast together.  And secretly I hope he learns how to make the Cod dish with carrots and leeks because it was delicious and I miss it. And she always managed to make holidays so special with all the traditions, songs, meals, stories. 

And then there were my siblings.  My little brother towered over me last time I saw him which freaked me out, and Martin has 3 adorable kids now too.  And Helena really is just like my sister....we even bickered over how to cut carrots when she was visiting in New Zealand.  Fun times. I can just imagine all our kids getting together now.

I don't what has got me thinking of Sweden today.  I'm getting updates from AFS about all these people who are having the time of their lives now, and how decades later they still value their experiences. There are so many things I screwed up when I was there that I wish I could change.  But I can't dwell on it.  Thanks to Facebook I still have contact people I met over there, and Maggie and I are still close. And yes, I never really did reintergrate back into New Zealand - I had a wicked case of reverse culture shock.  I've only lived at "home" for 4 years since leaving Sweden in June 1998. This probably contributes to my feelings of not fitting in back home anymore.

I'm still the shy kid, but at least I'm the well traveled geek.  I've had so many experiences in that one year of my life which has helped me survive 3 deployments in America, and given me a lot of strength and insight. And maybe it's time to return "home" soon.  And to start brushing up on my Swedish.....

So remember a few weeks ago....

I posted about hating couponers at the grocery store.  Well, not that I have the time and energy to go extreme, but I have made a coupon folder in the past few weeks, and today Jeremy and I are going to........A Couponing Class!!!  

So, the story with the couponing folder is that it's actually a lot easier than one of those coupon wallet things - you can lay it all out in front of you and see them all, without having to stop and sort through them all.  Time saver.  

And the couponing class is free and we get an hour or so away from the kids.  And everyone wants to save some money.  I still maintain that I will never be extreme since I have no need to buy 50 of some items, I don't want a massive stockpile, and we don't eat a whole lot of junk food.  But if we can save money on cleaning supplies and canned goods, dairy products etc then it may be worth it.  And if it doesn't help, then it didn't cost us anything.

Anyway, yesterday Jeremy and I did something very scary and grown up.  We picked out a granite slab that will eventually be our kitchen countertop. Now, I don't know how many of you have actually gone and looked at granite, but it's very overwhelming and well....if you make a mistake it's an extremely expensive mistake.  There are grades varying from grade 1 to exotic.  Level 1 is very common, and the patterns and colors get more intricate and complex due to the patterns and rarity.  Apparently I have an eye for the exotic ones.  Then you have to take into account your floor color, backsplash color, your wall color, your cabinet color, and the color the person who buys the house next may like.  Then there are the patterns that looks like patterned tortishell cats, or look like a paintbrush have been flicked at it; larger uniform patterns; patterns with movement......AAAAAAaaaaaarrrrggghhh!! Talk about stressful! 

So we ended up picking out a level 5 granite which was about $700 more than a level 1, but nothing really did it for me.  And when it comes down to it, what's $700 more when we are paying out the ass for a new kitchen anyhow.  I may as well love what I get.  Right? So we got one which has a pale green, beige and brown which is relatively light which has both pattern and movement in it.  It really is beautiful, and I hope that it looks right in our kitchen.  I hope, I hope, I hope.  The check is written to finish the cabinets which is by far the largest check we have ever written.  I don't want to think about it.  It makes me ill.  Just hopefully in a few years when we sell the house and PCS again that it will increase our property value, and help the house to sell quickly.  And at least we have a few years to really enjoy it.  Let's face it, I hate it for people when they make all these improvements on their houses just to sell it, when they could have enjoyed the fruits of their labor years ago.

So now you all know why we need to go to this couponing class.  We'll need it to avoid ramen noodle dinners for the next few months.  OK, so that statement is a little on the dramatic side but you know what I mean.

I get it - I'm a slacker

I just haven't had much to say lately.  But I have been happy.  Nothing in particular has been bothering me.  That's a good thing though!  

I've been kept busy with our kitchen remodel which is halfway done right now.  We had the top cabinets removed and replaced (minus one by the microwave which he forgot to order.  I think its funny so it doesn't bother me). They are a dark espresso color, and we've added a pantry and I am in love with them!!  Tomorrow we go to pick out our granite which I'm a bit nervous about - it's an expensive decision.  It took me 5 years to pick out paint colors.  I'm thinking we need to go somewhat light because it will be too dark with the cabinets otherwise, and with a gold/brown/green speckle in it to highlight the paint.  But a neutral enough color that it works for the next people who live in the house. I can't wait for the kitchen to be done!!

Mia is sick yet again.  She's had issues with allergies since she was a little baby, although we've been through all the allergy testing and nothing came out of that.  She gets a lot of ear infections and some of them are pretty bad.  Like this one.  She was fine on Tuesday night, but woke up Wednesday morning with a fever and some vomiting.  She spent the day snuggled on me and asleep, wouldn't leave my side. She wouldn't drink or eat, meaning she wasn't peeing.  And at one stage she said her head hurt. I thought in the morning that I would just wait it out, but towards the end of the day my instincts told me to take her in to the AMIC clinic.  The doctor was so rude to me, talking to me like I was stupid, that she didn't have a fever and that I brought her in for a common cold.  He even laughed me off when I said she had a history of ear infections.  Sure enough she did have an ear infection which was pretty damn nasty - had I left it, her ear drums may have burst.  She couldn't leave until she could keep down some Pedialite, which she was refusing.  If she hadn't drank it she would have been sent to the ER. Fortunately I bribed her with watching Tinkerbell in the car, she kept it down and we're at home.  I'm not a doctor, but I'm thinking tubes for her ears may be in her future, and we have to find some way of controlling her allergies. Maybe I do need to do more research into gluten free diets.

So, I'm also a minivan Mom now.  Shudder.  So there were great deals with the end of year closeouts, and the Pilot just wasn't working for us anymore.  We only owed $2000 on it, it needed $2000 in repairs.  It wouldn't fit Charlie and luggage for us to take it to Florida which means for Christmas we would have to either take two cars, fly and board Charlie or some other expensive solution.  And as much as I would love a Suburban or Yukon, I just wasn't willing to spend that much  money on it.   So we got a great deal on a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan RT.  It's totally souped up with leather seats, captains chairs for the kids, heated seats and steering wheel, navigation, hands free phone, satellite radio, TV in the back...you get the idea.  It's actually REALLY nice.  And Charlie doesn't mind it so much either. And the kids love it too.  So yeah, the only thing I don't like is that it's a minivan, but if minivans are as nice as ours, I'm OK with it.

My next mission is to be inspired to decorate for fall, so watch this space.  Maybe I'll get crafty....

Time to breathe...

I have been ridiculously busy the last few weeks with school starting, the change of command, lunches, cub scouts, Mikey's homework and travel.  I really feel like a taxi driver, and messenger and slave.  So today it's a total nothing day and I have time to breathe.

Mikey's 7th birthday was yesterday.  He had cupcakes at school, and then had a party at Chuck E Cheese.  Only 4 kids showed, and one was very late.  Just one of the 8 kids from his class came which he told me made him sad.  But he had a fabulous time anyhow. And the kids who were there got more tokens to use so no biggie.  Chuck E Cheese is usually enough to give me a panic attack at the mere thought of it, but it really wasn't bad at all and the hostess was great.  Even Mia had the time of her life.  

I have felt pretty uninspired lately, and thanks to some friends I have discovered www.pinterest.com.  This website is amazing. You can repin things that other people have found and you can save it onto your online noteboards, and by clicking on the picture it will take you back to the original website.  So all those recipes that you find and can never find again - pin it to your noteboard.  See some cute clothes - pin it.  Cute crafts or inspirations for your home decor - pin it!  So far I have used one of the recipes that my husband drooled over - a Chicken and Spinach pasta dish.  Holy crap was it ever amazing. So I'm happy to find ideas of what I can make, do and dream about without knowing what to search for.

And today I was frustrated because I have coupons out the ying yang and if you have read my previous post, I get mad at having to search around to find coupons when I'm at the store.  So using my powers of inspiration, I made my own coupon binder.  I used Jeremy's baseball card protectors and divided them up according to grocery groups - hygiene, dairy, cleaning etc.  Then I spent my afternoon putting them in the card slots.  So now I can be in an aisle, flip to that section and have my coupons right in front of me and all sorted out.  Very simple so I hope it works out right.

A girl I know here at Bragg makes custom sewing work.  I've used her to get a Tinkerbell Crayon Roll for Mia, and Baby blankets and burp cloths for Maggie's baby.  So here in a week or so I plan on ordering custom hair clips for Fall and Halloween for Mia as well as custom binder covers. She is so talented - you can find her under Adalyn's Closet on Facebook.  So between pinterest.com and Adalyn's Closet, I plan of having all my Christmas gifts custom made this year.  I can find ideas on pinterest, and have Adalyn's Closet make it...if I can't. Which I bet I can't do.

Our...ahem...race....

So my family were really looking forward to the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway over Labor Weekend.  We haven't gone too many places since Jeremy got home, and most of my summer was based around Mikey's doctor appointments so we didn't do a whole lot either.

We really wanted a nice vacation, and we got it too.  We ate at Fat Matt's which is a great BBQ restaurant in downtown Atlanta, and we all really enjoyed the World of Coke museum too.  And despite the rain, we loved the pre-race events at the Speedway.  We got to be on the background on Speed, plus got a bunch of free things.  It really was a lot of fun.  Even sitting watching them try to dry the track was hysterical.  

A race really is the best place to people watch and Atlanta has been the best by far.  I've been to many races, but never have I seen so many cowboy boots, ripped t-shirts and mullets.  Even a lot of very short shorts.  Whatever, you expect to see that.  BUT NOT ON GUYS!!!  What the hell Atlanta??  I saw so many guys wearing ripped off jean shorts. It's not attractive on any man.  Even Denny Hamlin wouldn't be sexy in them!  And what was worse was that some were Britanny Spears short...as in the pockets were hanging below the 'hem?' line.  Not cute!!  Seriously not cute!!  I was very tempted to take pictures, but I just couldn't stoop that low - it would have been pretty rude.  And lets face it, I don't really want to remember those delightful mental images.  So with the power of Google, I'll find you some things that closely resemble what blinded me.

Anyway, just before the track was dried, there was a sudden down pour which saturated everything, and the race had to be rescheduled.  It was completely understandable.  I didn't want to sit there with the kids for 3 hours until the track dried, then watch the race, then sit in traffic before getting to the hotel.  That would have been 6 am. And the drivers are only human.  I can't imagine driving at 200 mph as is it, dodging other cars and driving within inches on the wall, with limited vision out my windows.  There's a reason why they are the elite - they are the ones with lightning fast hand-eye coordination. And I heard some people saying they should get rain tires and wipers.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??  That's the dumbest idea ever!  Have you tried driving down the interstate fast in a storm?

Personally, I value the safety measures NASCAR has for the fans, drivers and officials.  They have them for a reason, and I don't ever want to witness the death of a driver. Now, saying that, I do wish that NASCAR had been more proactive, rather than reactive.  It was obvious that Sunday morning that the race wouldn't be run, and they also knew well in advance that they would have to reschedule it for Tuesday. So many people had paid big bucks for tickets, plus hotels, gas, food etc, and most had to work on Tuesday.  There were no refunds.  If you couldn't attend the race on Tuesday you were SOL.  We were relatively lucky compared to others.  We couldn't attend the Tuesday race, but we had free hotel stays, and would spend the money going home on gas anyhow. We just spent a lot on overpriced hot dogs, and the $150 for the tickets.  I heard of others who had spent over $4000 on camping spots, or the people who got tickets for Atlanta because of the parking situation in Kentucky.  They tried to see two races and got no racing in return.

So I'm not mad about the weather, or the decision made to reschedule the race.  But Atlanta made a buttload off money from people who got nothing in return.  I had hoped that we could switch the tickets for tickets to Martinsville or Richmond.  Or get a partial refund.  Something at least. Not the "too bad, so sad" from the speedway. For an organization who is supposed to be about the fans, we sure were treated like crap.

But, the race (which I watched on TV while holding the tickets in my hand) was a really good one and I really wished I could have been there.  I'll still watch racing because we love it.  But I will NOT go back to Atlanta.  Too bad.

I haven't had much to say...

Sometimes I have so much to say. Other times I don't.  So I've been pretty quiet recently.

Anyway, I got thinking yesterday about how much of a hermit I've become.  I've been keeping busy, but yet keeping to myself.  Last week I was overwhelmed with Mikey going back to school and the Change of Command events.  I was constantly surrounded by people...but mostly just seen and not heard.  I'm OK with that.

We've been doing a lot of home improvement since Jeremy got home.  We've replace our fire place mantle to one which has a bigger shelf to fit the DVR player and DVD player on.  We've had curbing done in the front yard and put mulch down so the front yard is looking much prettier.  We've got a new sofa, and dining table, and in the next week or so we should have part one of our new kitchen cabinets installed.

Mikey had a rough first week in school.  The second day I was waiting at the bus stop for him after school and he wasn't on the bus.  He decided that he wanted to be a car rider that day and told his teacher that.  So he was safe at school, but gave me one heck of a fright.  Then a few days later I got a phone call from his teacher just before school let out saying that he was in the bathroom at school just crying.  Jeremy went down to get him and it turned out that he needed to pee and poop at the same time, and accidently pooped on the floor as he was peeing. What do I say about that?  That I was horrified?  That I'm the parent of "that" kid? That I'm so worried about Mikey that it scares me to death?  He didn't say anything about getting teased at school about it. And I remember being the Teacher Assistant of the 3rd grader who did the same thing a few years ago and while I remember it, I didn't think any differently of the child - I just protected him after.

I just don't feel like I am doing enough for him.  I make sure he does his homework.  It's spelling, math and 20 minutes of reading every night, plus I'm supposed to do 50 minutes of vision therapy with him 5 times a week.  We've been so busy that I haven't managed to squeeze that in.   That's a lot of homework every night.  I want to ask the teacher if his vision therapy (which is mostly reading and comprehension questions) can count as his 20 minutes of reading. He's also started Cub Scouts which he is super excited about.

Mia started Pre-K yesterday.  She was so excited and has been asking to go to school for weeks.  It's on post from 1:30 - 4:30 every day.  So I drop her off, go home for a few minutes, pick up Mikey and then hopefully Jeremy can pick her up most nights...otherwise I'll have to head there after getting Mikey. She loved her first day, despite peeing in her pants (I sense a theme here...). She's 3, in a new place and was probably engrossed in what she was doing. It's funny how different Mikey and Mia are at the same age.  He barely talked and was barely potty trained at the same age, but he knew his alphabet.  She craves socializing and loves to learn new things, and I would be failing her if I didn't put her in Pre-K now.  Mikey at the same age just needed me.