Tuesday, December 1, 2009

What Do You Think?

So, just curious what you all think about our new family portrait? It's at the very bottom of our blog. Check it out, let me know!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Nervous

Ever have a situation that makes you nervous? So nervous you could throw up?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Cancelling Internet

Sometimes, when life gives you new options, you have to do what you can to make it work. In order for me to stay home, we have to make a lot of sacrifices. We've made the decision to cancel our cable/internet. We have blackberry phones and receive email and facebook on our phones, plus I can do all banking needs on my phone too. How convenient. So, since we're stuck with the fancy pants phones for a while now, we may as well use them. On that note, my blogging will, if not come to a complete stop, slow down quite considerably. I am not very good at updating anyway, so I may as well just give it up for now. I will still be able to use the internet at friends and family's houses. But finding the time to go there is sometimes difficult. Anyway, just thought I'd give you a heads up. Sorry if I disappear for a while. If you need to get ahold of me, just send me an email. jeanneputnam@gmail.com

Monday, August 31, 2009

They Don't Call Me "Crazy Jeanne" For Nothing

I sorta feel like I'm going crazy. I don't know why? And I sure hope it passes...soon. But my brain is running a million miles per second and I can't make it stop. These things I'm "obsessed" about are out of my control at this point. I love when I do this to myself (did you note the sarcasm?--it's a flaw). A lot of times I feel like I experience these feelings so I can better empathize with other people who are also going crazy. And I'm good with that. It makes me feel more normal to know that someday, my craziness might help someone else. Afterall, I'm not so bad off anyway.

I've been doing a lot of soul searching this weekend. I'm not impressed. So, it's time to open a new chapter in my life. Things could go a lot better in a lot of areas. I've got a lengthy list of personal goals to work on. I've had that list for a long time. I've made great progress in the last 6 years, but I've had some setbacks, so now I feel like I'm farther behind than when I started (in some areas). So, here's to picking my chin(s) up and looking forward. I'm not going to let a few lost years ruin my spirits.

And because I am feeling pretty random....I really want to be a marriage and family counselor when I grow up. And the older I get, the more I want to do it. And the older I get...the harder it's going to be to accomplish. But that is a goal that will have to wait. I've got a lot more soul searching/repairing to do. And I've got one VERY, VERY important relationship to strengthen. Because right now it's pretty weak (and that's my fault!).

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Patience

Our plans almost changed recently. I was offered a part time position at another branch a few miles farther away. I made my decision fairly quickly to decline the offer. As attractive as the offer sounded, we decided it wasn't the right path for our lives. And after sleeping on it, the next day I felt even more sure. So, plans remain the same and now everyone at work knows. Thankfully, they have all been very supportive.

I know I still have 9 weeks, but I can't wait to stay at home so I can get control over a few things in our lives. For starters...my house and Christian's 2 year old behavior issues. And then potty training will probably happen in the next year sometime too.

So, instead of struggling to have the faith that we are making the right choice, I struggle to have the patience to make it through the next 9 weeks. And I hesitate to ask for patience...who knows what might happen.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

A Little of This and That

I feel like I have so much to say, but nothing to say all at the same time. I suppose we'll start where we left off and go from there. I apologize in advance for the length and possible choppiness of this post. I'm using it as therapy today.

I am feeling much better since our miscarriage. Life seems bearable again and I feel like we're getting back into our normal routine. We've been instructed to try to wait a couple of months before getting pregnant again, but hopefully we will be able to have a baby soon.

I was so out of sorts the past few weeks. I just went through the motions of life because I had to. Nothing extra was accomplished and I just got lazy. So, now, I have to play catch up and I just don't feel like it. My free time for the next few months will be spent completely rearranging our tiny condo. I have to make it work. I think I'm going to do one room at a time. I'll take everything out and sort it and start to purge anything unnecessary. Then I'll have a clean slate to work with as I start to put the room all back together. The kitchen and our bedroom are the hardest. We just "need" more than we have space. And as our family grows...it will become more tight. But right now we're stuck here. And I'm grateful we have a roof over our heads. Does anyone know how to organize a small closet? We aren't utilizing our space efficiently. (If only I could get rid of my wedding dress...but Dave won't let me.)

Anyway, enough about our small quarters. We've been able to relax and have a good time lately, also. We've spent a lot of time at the park, picnicking, at the zoo, at the pool, going out to eat, and enjoying our family and friends. How do we fit it all in? I never used to have a love for summer until we had Christian. He is SO happy outside in the sunshine. It just makes me happy to see him so happy. He could stay outside all day if I let him. Unfortunately, I have such fair skin that I have to be ultra careful and so Christian doesn't get to be outside for too long at a time. But I think it's enough to make him happy. I can't wait for next summer when he's a little older and can do even more.

This last week, Dave and I had the same day off. We try to coordinate our schedules to not have that happen, but sometimes it just does. This time, we saw it as a blessing. A time to spend together. We had plans to go to the temple in the morning, but for some reason I couldn't find my recommend. I tore the house apart looking everywhere for it. I've never misplaced it in the past and I was very, very bummed. We had been looking forward to attending the temple all week. We didn't find it for 2 days. Someone (think small person) lodged it behind/under the couch. (Maybe it's good we have a small house....less places to lose things.) I have never been so happy to find a piece of paper in my life. I hope we can go next week. I will never misplace my temple recommend again. I hated not knowing where it was.

As I mentioned in my last post, Dave and I have decided it is time for me to stay home with Christian. The decision was not an easy one for me to make. I agonized over when (not if) to quit for quite some time. I struggled (and still do a little) to have the faith to make the right choice. It will be hard to be at home everyday. And it will be hard to cut our income in half. I'm not sure, yet, how it will all work out, but I know it will. We might struggle, but I know our needs will be met. We have also decided that I need to quit sooner than our original plan. I struggled to feel comfortable with our December time frame. As for right now, unless something big happens, I am planning my last day at FirstBank to be Oct 30. I have worked there over 7 years now and I will miss it, but I know Christian (and our future children) will benefit from me being home. I just pray to have the faith that it will all work for our benefit.

This month brings Christian's 2nd birthday (19th) and our 6th wedding anniversary (30th). For some reason I just haven't thought about it much and have nothing planned. Any ideas?? I am at a loss what to buy a 2 year old boy. I suppose I'll wander around Target and see what jumps out at me. Thankfully he has no idea what his birthday is and it won't matter when we celebrate a week late.

I am now officially a member of a book group. Our first book is Twilight. I've never read the books or seen the movie and I've really been enjoying it so far. We are finishing the book this week and watching the movie. I can't believe that I'm enjoying it so much. I never thought I'd like it. Here's to trying new things. And our next series...Harry Potter. I can't believe I actually want to read it. I must not be feeling right. So, if you ever read a great book (nothing religious) please let me know. We'll need some suggestions to keep this group going. And who doesn't love an excuse to get together with girl friends and eat and talk?

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Good, The Bad and The Really Ugly

Well...I guess I'll post my big announcement. Dave and I have decided it is time for me to stay home with Christian. So, next year I'm going to quit my job and stay home. I can't wait to try out the stay at home mom thing for a little while.

Now for the other, not nearly as exciting, news. Dave and I discovered we were pregnant a few weeks ago. However, I had a miscarriage last night. I'm doing ok, but still in some pain today. We are just trying to rest and take it easy for a couple days.

I guess my blog can't be all warm and fuzzy.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Umm...It's Been 2 Months...

So, what have I been up to the last couple of months, you ask? Check out my other blog to find out. Sorry I've been so terrible at updating. I'll try to be better (I say that every time!).

Keep checking back for a big announcement in the next couple of weeks. I'm pretty excited about it!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Dear Diary Part 2

I'm pretty sure today is Sunday. The day we keep the Sabbath holy. Maybe I got a little mixed up today. I've been all out of sorts. I can't seem to keep my days straight.

I woke up after 8am today and freaked out that I was late for work. Then I realized it was Sunday. PHEW!! We got up, ate breakfast, and then I remembered that my visiting teachers were supposed to come. Since Christian and Dave both have the flu, I thought I'd better cancel. I'm sure we don't need to get them sick.

Well. (insert big sigh here) Dave went to work today. I hate that he has to work some Sundays, but it's fewer than before. And I'm super grateful he has a job.

Pretty soon Christian keeps saying "phone, phone" and pointing at Dave's phone. "Good job, honey, that's a phone." I'm such a proud mom. My son is SO smart. Wait a minute!! Dave's at work. Darn! After calling his store we come to the conclusion that I'd better take his phone to him.

Christian and I arrive at the store just in time for lunch. (Coincidence, I think not!) We enjoy our lunch together and Dave tells me he won a contest at work. The prize is $400. Wahoo!!

After lunch I asked Dave to listen to the car. It's been making a funny noise the past couple of days and with everyone being so sick we just hadn't gotten to it yet. Here's how it goes.

Dave: "Okay, babe, start the car."
I start the car and Dave gets a perplexed look on his face.
Dave: "Okay, babe, turn off the car."
I turn the key.
Dave: "Hon, go ahead and turn the car off, please."
Me: "I did."
Not only did I turn the car off, but I pulled the key out....so why is it still running??
Dave: "Darn, pop the hood."
I pop the hood and Dave tinkers around.
Dave: "The starter's going out, we need a new one now."
Me: "How much is this going to cost?"
Dave: "Don't know, let's go find out."
Me: "Can it wait until tomorrow?"
Dave: "Sure, but we'll have to tow it."
Me: "Darn!"

So, we buy the parts necessary ($225) and take it to the shop. They quote us $70 for that...we'll see what it ends up being.

I'm not happy this all had to happen on a Sunday. I should have taken the car to him yesterday, but I really didn't think it was that big of a deal. Good thing I have a husband that works at an auto parts store. And way to go, Babe, on winning $400! It'll now reimburse us for the car repairs. Coincidence, I think NOT!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

Today was a pretty low key day. It started by sleeping in until after 8am...so refreshing. Then, after breakfast, we went for a nice walk and played at the park. We ran errands and returned home for lunch and a nap. Christian only slept for an hour today. He usually sleeps for three. He was in a good mood though and pretty even tempered for the most part. This afternoon he was playing with our shoes and I figured he couldn't do too much damage so I let him play. The rest of the afternoon carried on as usual, except Dave came home from work 4 hours early because he had a fever and was feeling very sick. He slept until midnight and then discovered we were out of medicine (at least the kind that wasn't expired..oops!). He is feeling very ill and will need to drug himself heavily to make it through tomorrow. I, being the good wife, offered to run to our local 24 hour Wal Mart to get a few things. It's raining tonight. As soon as I stepped outside onto the wet sidewalk I quickly realized my sock was wet. I examined the bottom of my shoe to discover a hole. It appears Christian wasn't playing with our shoes, he was poking holes in the bottom of my crocs. Hmmm...I suppose it's time for new shoes.

Toodeloo!

Day 1

As an update to my post a couple weeks ago I have started to train for the 3 day walk in 2010. I have decided that I am way too out of shape to ever survive that much walking in only 3 months. And I need more time to raise that much money. I still really want to do it so I am going to start training now for next year's walk. Then I can register in Feb 2010 and give myself 6 months to raise the money. Plus I have all this time to figure out fundraising ideas. So...if you have any ideas don't hesitate to share. I do realize that I may not be able to walk next year. So many things can happen between now and then, but it certainly won't hurt to train. I will update this blog as I continue to train and attempt to reach my goal of walking at least a mile everyday. Wish me luck..I'm going to need it. I'm going to have to do some serious creative time management to squish that into my day. But I know I can. I'm not that busy.

Today was my first hour long walk. I have no clue how far I walked. I need to get a way of tracking that. I need new shoes. Good shoes. My right foot and shin hurt so bad. I think my shoes have too much arch support. Sometimes I am glad to live in a big city with lots of resources. I will need to go to a special shoe store soon and get fitted for some good walking shoes. I'm sure it'll cost me an arm and a leg, but it's worth it. I know I'd give up if it was too painful to walk. Plus I stand all day at work so I need my feet to feel oh so good.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Walk and Walk and Walk

You might think I'm crazy. But you probably already thought that. For a while now I've had a certain topic on my mind. Breast Cancer. I don't have any close friends or relatives that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, but several of my customers at the bank are currently fighting the battle. Thankfully, they are winning. As I've been thinking about what I can do to help I came up with a nice long list of "easy" things I could do. But then I came across the Susan G. Komen for the Cure 3 day walk. I've heard of this before and never in a million years ever thought I would/could do it. After all....you walk 60 miles in 3 days. That's A LOT of walking! And you must raise at least $2,300.00 to participate. That's A LOT of money! Phew! Maybe I should reconsider.

Well, I did reconsider and a month later I'm still thinking about it. It won't go away. I can't get it off my mind. I've come up with a lengthy list of all the reason's I shouldn't/can't do it. So why do I still feel like I NEED to do it? I'm not gonna lie...I'm a bigger girl. I could stand to lose a lot of weight. I realize all of that walking will probably help with the weightloss goals, but that's A LOT of walking for a big girl to commit to. And A LOT of money to raise for a REALLY poor girl to commit to. And I can come up with A LOT more excuses, too.

I'm usually pretty good at talking myself out of things. And then I feel bad for not doing it in the end. And I'm really trying to not do that anymore. And my word of the year is LEARN and I could definitely learn a lot while walking. And think of all those pounds disappearing. And I'll probably make some really good friends. And it would really help my out of control blood pressure. And I really want another baby...but I need to get healthy before that's going to happen.

Do you see my dilemma? I can't make a firm decision. I don't know why it's so hard for me. So let's say I do sign up and pay my $90 for registration. And I don't end up raising enough money. Have no fear...I don't walk 60 miles, but I still raised money to help cancer research. And all is well. I'm out $90 and still skinnier from all the training. But if I don't register. I sit around the house all day and get fatter..or at best maintain..and go about my day as normal. Oh and don't forget about how I'll always wonder if I could've done it.

BLERG!

I'm probably going to do it. So...who wants to train with me? At least 2 miles everyday. More on the weekends/days off. I'll keep you updated on what I decide to do.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

I Want A Do-Over

Last weekend Christian and I flew to Salt Lake City for my sister, Maren's, mission farewell. The whole family (except Dave) was there. It was going to be so much fun! We really did have a good time. My sister, Kenzie, and I took the kids to the park on Friday. We had family pictures on Saturday and a big gathering after church on Sunday.

On Friday night Christian and I started to not feel well. I thought it was going to be just a cold. No biggy. I can still function with a cold. Unfortunately, it was much more than that. I was very sick and couldn't sleep all night. My stomach was not well, my head was terribly congested, and my whole body ached. At 6am I decided to take some medicine. It was too late. I couldn't keep it down and my body clamped up. My dad gave me a blessing. I was really worried I wasn't going to be able to be in the family pictures. But miraculously, I was well enough to get myself dressed and presentable enough for pictures. My legs were very stiff and sore making it hard and slow to walk, but I walked. My hands were mostly still clamped, but I was able to dress myself and pull my hair up. My next battle was being able to smile. I wasn't able to smile well in most of the pictures, but hopefully it was good enough. Thankfully I was able to sit in the pictures and my family helped me hold Christian. Mom and Dad said they turned out nice. I can't wait to see them.

On the way home from the pictures I was craving a hamburger, so my sister took me to BurgerKing for a kids meal. I didn't realize it until Monday, but we left my debit card there. Thankfully, nobody used it and it was still there on Monday and I was able to pick it up. That would have never happened in Denver.

On Sunday we were able to make it to church and hear Maren's talk. I was thankful Christian was good so I could hear her speak. After all, that was the whole reason we were in town. After church we had A LOT of people over to mingle and eat. I did my best to socialize, but less than an hour later I couldn't handle it anymore. Christian and I went downstairs and took a nap. Did I mention we took a nap before church too?

On Monday, we flew home. I was sad to leave, but happy to see Dave. We missed him while we were gone. And I'm told, he missed us too.

I was really looking forward to going to IKEA while in UT, but I didn't go. We didn't get to see Miranda and Kris either. But, we were able to spend time with my family and that's the part I liked the most. I barely took any pictures though...so unlike me. I had hopes of taking a picture of Christian with each of his Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents. Oh well. Maybe for Maren's Homecoming!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

HermitCrab

I'm a hermit. If I didn't work outside of the home I fear I would never leave the house except to go to church and the grocery store. A big outing might be to the library or Chick-Fil-A. Fortunately, I am forced into the outside world every day. I see that there is life outside of my house. And now I am learning there is life outside of Parker.

Christian and I (and occasionally we'll let Dave come too) have been checking out some local hot spots. In the past couple of weeks we have been to the Downtown Aquarium, the Kids Expo, Washington Park, and the Children's Museum. We have also been on numerous walks, played at various parks, shopped for things we don't need and planned a few more excursions in the coming months. We've been having so much fun! We've made new friends and strengthened relationships with old friends. And I love giving Christian the opportunity to interact with kids his own age.

So, hopefully we'll keep it up. I know we won't always be able to get out every week, but for now we're enjoying time away from our tiny condo. We're a happier group to be around when we are out playing in the sunshine.

What activities do you like to do? Are you a fan of playgroups?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Contest Time!


My cousin's wife has recently started her own business. Check out her website (click logo above) to enter the contest.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Decisions!

You know when you have an (what seems to be) impossibly huge decision to make and you just can't seem to come up with the right choice?

You pray about it and think about it and maybe even discuss it with others or make a pros/cons list.

Isn't it amazing that once you finally make the decision you have a peaceful feeling inside like you've done the right thing?

Or you have a yucky feeling like maybe you haven't done the right thing.

It seems like you knew all along what to do, but just couldn't convince yourself to believe that you already knew the right choice.

I think it's just Amazing how hard we can make things on ourselves when they aren't hard at all.
You just need to have faith...
And Listen.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Give A Way

I stole this from my sister-in-law, KaraLynne. Thanks for the great idea!

The first three people to respond to this post will get something made by me. My choice. For you. (I know...a little scary, but maybe fun, huh?) This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like it
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done by the end of March.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.
It may be a loaf of homemade bread. It may be a bag, a card, an apron. It may be a book, a scarf, a poem. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on your blog. The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did it will then win a Fabulous homemade something made by me! Ready, Set,....GO!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Blogcation

I took a week off from blogging. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, I just needed to catch up on things around the house and have time for fun things. Plus I had a sick baby and sick husband, and now I'm not feeling too hot. So, just know life is good and when I feel a little better I'll be back.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

WWYD?

As more and more of us are dependent on our internet to get us through the day I have come into a situation that is somewhat weird for me.

I am not the most outgoing person in the world. I have, over the years, moved from the painfully shy category into the shy category. It was a long process, but now I see myself moving back to the painfully shy category more and more each day. I don't find it easy to speak up in groups. It usually takes me a while to feel comfortable to express my opinions to people I don't know. I hate conflict. I think you get the picture.

I have really enjoyed blogging because I am able to say what I want and if you are bored by me or offended then you don't have to continue reading. I get it off my chest without the immediate rejection from my listeners/readers.

I recently joined the site MomsLikeMe. For the most part I have really enjoyed hearing what other moms in my community have to say. Everyone is really nice and mostly nonjudgmental. I have been able to talk to other moms in my area with kids that are the same age as mine. As well as other moms that are trying for another. There is a group for virtually everyone out there, and if there is not, it only takes 5 seconds to create one.

There is a safety to having "internet" friends. But when you want to meet that person in real life...face to face...and introduce your kids...I turn into panic mode. What is it about meeting new people that makes me go crazy? I am 26 years old. I should be over the teenage mentality. What if they don't like me? Who cares? I have friends that do like me. So what if that one person doesn't like me. I don't like everyone I meet.

A big part of MomsLikeMe is to set up playdates or other get togethers. The point is to make friends and be a support to other moms. Now, somebody wants to go on a playdate with me and Christian. I don't want to be rude and not go just because I am too shy. I can't take my husband...that would be weird. None of my friends have children that are Christian's same age...hence the reason I joined the site in the first place.

Does this almost seem like Internet Dating? What Would You Do? Why do I push myself into situations that I know will make me uncomfortable?

To meet or not to meet? ... That is the question.

(I didn't know I was so worked up about this...sorry! It's been nagging at me for a week.)

$aving Money

Over the last couple of months I have been trying to get myself into a better routine of grocery shopping and menu planning. Now that I feel like I'm getting the hang of it I am going to try to expand on it a little at a time over the next year. Right now we are only a family of 3, but hopefully in the future our little family will grow. I know that as our family grows, our food bill will grow too and our income will shrink (with me working part time or not at all). So, I figured that starting now would alleviate some of the pressure when we are really trying to save all of our pennies.

I recently found the grocery game. Have you ever heard of it? Used it? I am going to try it out, but I am not convinced that it will work for me. We don't have a place to store bulk items. I don't even have a pantry. But I thought I'd try it for a month and see if it's worth it. It costs $60 a year, but is supposed to save you $100's. I'm skeptical, but I am always skeptical. It's the nature of my business.

Anyway, do you all clip coupons? I know we are all trying to save a few dollars here and there. How do you do it? Do you find the time vs. savings worth the trouble?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Picture Blog

Here is what you do: grab your camera and take at least 5 random pictures around your house. No cleaning up first, this is your house as is.

Here are some categories you could use:
  • Room that stays the cleanest
  • Work in progress
  • What someone else is doing right now
  • Favorite decor or display
  • Something that represents your current life
  • Favorite relaxing spot
  • Something hand-me-down
  • What someone else is doing right now.
My sister-in-law, KaraLynne, was kind enough to tag me for this embarrassing picture blog. I am not a good housekeeper and often let things slide. And now you can all see it for yourself. If you were to come to my house unannounced...this is some of what you would see.

Christian's room.


Our one and only bathroom/laundry room.


Our itsy, bitsy kitchen that is infested with plants.



And our living room/dining room/playroom/office.

You can tell that we live in an itsy, bitsy 950 sq ft condo. We have stuff everywhere. It is so challenging to keep it clean when you don't have a space for everything. Someday we'll have a bigger place. But for now, it works.

Sorry you had to see it, but I can't refuse a tag.
And I tag Angela M, Shalena R, Janiece B, Lene B, Kris H.

I expect pictures!

SPT-Attraction

A few years ago (10) my family moved to Colorado. I was a senior in high school and a new student. It wasn't the easiest move for me. We had previously lived in a small town in northern Nevada. My new senior class was bigger than my whole previous high school. It was a big adjustment. A few weeks after I arrived in Parker was our Stake Youth Conference (a gathering for youth 14-18 yrs old). That is when I first saw you. You were young and crazy and extremely energetic. At that point I was convinced I could never like a strange person like you. From afar I watched in amazement your ability to be who you are without fear of what anyone else thought of you. It scared me. A shy person like me could never dream of being so outgoing. During our senior year I made it a point to stay far away.

Fast forward three years.

I was home from BYU-Idaho preparing to submit my mission papers. You had just returned home from your mission in Argentina...that day. I saw you, from behind, in your suit--still a missionary. I remember thinking you were SO HOT! It was only 8 months later that we were married.



I know that you embarrass me quite frequently because you are not scared by what people may or may not think about you. And I know that a painfully shy person should NEVER marry a person that is just as outgoing as they are shy. But even though I was originally turned off by your energy and outgoing personality, it is the first thing that got me to notice you. I envied you for not being so shy. I always wished that I wasn't so shy and you are a big part of the reason I am as "outgoing" as I am now.

Thanks Babe! You Rock!

P.S. This does not in any way give you permission to embarrass me in the future. :o)

Things to Do in CO

Now that I've lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 10 years (in June) I have decided to spend this year doing things in our great state. Quick trips that can be accomplished in a days time. Seeing the sights that I have not seen (which is pretty much everything). So I am compiling a list of things I should see/do this year. We will have a couple of opportunities to do long weekend trips, but not many.

A few things that I have added to my list are:

Tiny Town Railroad
Children's Museum
CO State Fair
Red Rocks
Estes Park
Cherry Creek Reservoir

I hope to accomplish at least a few of these this year and maybe some others. I hope my list keeps growing and we are able to enjoy the gems of CO for years to come.

Do you know of a great place we can go as a family for a day trip or even a long weekend?

Menu Monday

We did great sticking with our menu last week. We only deviated once. I can't believe how easy this is becoming for me. And I can't believe how much less money we are spending on groceries. I forgot to post this yesterday since I didn't work (thank you Mr. Presidents!) and my sister was in town.

Monday: White Bean Chicken Chili--We ate at a friends house.

Tuesday: Pizza

Wednesday: BLTs

Thursday: Mashed Potatoes and sausage (this is the one thing we didn't eat last week.)

Friday: Chicken quesadillas

Saturday: Rice and Meatsauce

Sunday: Lasagna

Not much different from what we eat every week. I am going to make it a point to include one or two different recipes a week. We need to broaden our horizons before we all go nuts.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



I most certainly did not play Mr. Potato Head with my son instead of cleaning my house for my sister's arrival. Not Me!



I would never let my 18 month old sleep in my bed twice this week because I just wanted some sleep. I would never cave that easily.

I didn't skip laundry day this week. Yikes! And I don't have a mess to prove it. Not Me!

I didn't let my son talk to his Daddy on the phone for 5 minutes just for my own sanity.


And I did not take a few minutes to have a photo shoot with Christian when he found his Aunt's sunglasses on the table before taking them away.


I hope you enjoyed my first edition of Not Me! Monday. I thought it would be a fun addition to my blog. If you would like to join in on the fun the rules are here.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dave and I are spending Valentine's Day with my sister and Christian. We are very excited! Sometime in the near future Dave and I will go on a date compliments of a friend who gifted us a Texas Roadhouse gift card and complimentary babysitting for Christmas. And then I got free movie tickets from work. Now that's love. A free date night!

I hope you all have a marvelous day full of love!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

SPT-Romance


I think it would be romantic to go on a vacation and not see ANY family or friends!!! With the exception of our honeymoon almost 5 1/2 years ago, every vacation we have taken is to see family. We may have the intention of just seeing friends, but we always decide to see someone. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY FAMILY! But it sure would be nice to be able to relax and do what we want, when we want for how long we want. That sounds really, really nice right now! I don't even care where we go, as long as it is over 500 miles away and no camping. I don't require beaches or cruises. Just my hubby!



10 points to someone that can guess where I want to go.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Menu Monday

I'm trying to be better since last week went SO badly! We spent so much on crap. It was a hectic week and I already didn't feel well and had a sick child. So, this week I will do better!

Monday Pizza

Tuesday Mac and Cheese w/hot dogs, veggie

Wednesday Spaghetti, salad, rolls

Thursday Mashed Potatoes and Sausage, corn

Friday Tacos

Saturday *Maren's Choice*

Sunday Baked Chicken with Baked Potatoes, veggie, dessert

Once again it's just me and the munchkin for Tuesday dinner. And then on Friday my little sister, Maren, flies in from UT (YIPEE!!!) so we will enjoy a later dinner. Then on Saturday I'll let her choose, unless she is hanging out with her friends in which case we will eat something delicious without her. And then on Sunday we might try a new recipe, but I might "chicken" out. (I crack myself up!) I think I'll make a delicious dessert for Sunday night (any suggestions?). And sometime during the week I will make a chocolate pudding pie and eat it all by myself. Nah...just kidding. I'll share a bite with Christian. We have a lot of milk this week and so I was trying to fill my menu full of things that need milk. Dave and I don't drink milk and somehow I don't think Christian can polish off 2 gallons of milk by himself in 9 days (call me crazy). So anyway, that was probably more information than you all needed, but I'm in a sharing mood.

Friday, February 6, 2009

I've Been a Bad Girl

As you may or may not have noticed, I neglected to post my weekly menu on Monday. There is a good reason for that. I didn't make one. I started to make one, but gave up and never bothered to finish it. Which means I did very little grocery shopping. So, we reverted back to our old habits. We had fast food twice this week, plus even when we ate at home it didn't amount to much nutrition. Then one night I didn't even eat dinner. I did manage to scrounge something up for Christian. We've had bagels with OJ (milk for Chip) for breakfast every single day this week. (Once again, a couple days I didn't even eat breakfast.) We have spent so much more on food and still have nothing in the house.

I was sick this week and I think that is why I was so lazy about the menu. I think it takes a lot less effort to come up with a menu than not to. So, in the future, I think I will make a menu even if I am sick. Plus, if I have a menu I can easily create a list and send Dave to the store.

Speaking of the menu concept...I've been thinking of creating a Dinner Recipe Box. Nothing fancy. Just something I could have easy reference to help with menu planning.

My first idea was to write a whole meal on an index card with a list of all the ingredients and quantities needed to make that meal. I think I would have to have more than just an index card to have enough room. Plus it would be nice to change up the sides, veggies, etc. depending on the season and so forth.

My second idea was to write each dish on a card with all ingredients and quantities needed. Then I could file them in categories under Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetable, Fruit, Dessert, Salad or whatever I have. From that I could create a meal with a little more flexibility. This would take some time to compile, but I think would be very helpful in the end. I think this would be easy to maintain and add to as time goes on.

Do you have a system that works well for you? I would love any suggestions! Hopefully we will stumble upon the right method for our busy family. And if you would like to share any recipes with us we are in desperate need of new ideas! Please, nothing too complicated...and I don't do seafood of any kind (if it used to live in water, I don't eat it).

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

SPT-I Love It When You...

I love it when you stay home with Christian and let me go out for a girls day. We all know I need a break from time to time and letting me go out to a movie with a friend is all I need sometimes. Thanks for giving me a little girly time (even if I had to take your filthy, smelly truck to do so).

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Enchilada


We had enchiladas for dinner tonight (just like I had planned...go me!).
Don't they look yummy?


Christian really liked them.
I had the camera in my hand and he looked at it and said "Cheese!" and this is the picture that resulted..dirty face, shirt and all.

Enchiladas are yummy. Corn is delicious. The Spanish rice...not so good. Oh well! You can't win them all. We tried Uncle Ben's Spanish style rice in the microwaveable pouch. Not a favorite. We'll have to try to find a good recipe.
Do you have one?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Menu Monday

Last weeks menu went fairly well. We did have to make a few adjustments, but all in all we did okay. We didn't eat out at all last week and that is a HUGE step for us. We even stayed within our budget for the week. Who knew it was possible?
So, even though I am posting this a day late, here is our menu for this week.

Monday - Pizza

Tuesday - Hamburgers and Tater Tots

Wednesday - Mashed Potatoes and Sausage

Thursday - Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

Friday - Waffles, Bacon, Hash Browns

Saturday - Rotisserie Chicken and Rice

Sunday - Lasagna

So far we are on track. I just hope we can continue with this trend. It will save us a lot of money each month. Who couldn't save a few bucks?

So True

Let's just say I don't listen to Country music very often. I used to be a Country music junkie when I was younger (about 15 years ago). A co-worker was talking about this song today and I just had to hear the song. So True! Please enjoy the video. It's so great. I'm sure I'm the only one that hasn't heard this song before...it's been out for well over a year.

Monday, January 19, 2009

I Will Never

The LEARNing never seems to stop. Today I went grocery shopping (which I was supposed to do on Friday) and with my list navigated up and down the aisles.

Is it sad that I make my grocery lists by aisle?
Is it sad that I know what is on which aisle to organize my grocery lists by aisle?

Once I was satisfied with my full cart I made my way to the front and realized that the only lanes open were the self checkout. Did you know that I had to scan my own (full) cart of groceries? It took me forever. Who buys $150 worth of groceries at the self checkout? Self checkouts are not designed to scan a full cart of groceries. It was quite the awkward experience.

Lesson learned. I will go shopping earlier in the day.

That's all.

Menu Monday

For a long time I have wanted to plan a weekly menu. I think it would be helpful on many levels. It would help with the grocery shopping, and I wouldn't have to think about dinner all day long, I could eliminate quick trips to the store that always end up costing a bunch, and I won't have to answer the annoying question, "What's for dinner?" I usually answer, "I don't know what do you want?" And then it's 8:30pm before we eat. So, I finally got my act together and pulled a little something together. And from that menu I made a grocery list. And from that list I stayed in our food budget. Who would've thunk?

It's nothing fancy, but here it is...

Monday: Brats --Dave ended up having a (steak) dinner meeting for work so I made a cheese quesadilla for Christian and I ate leftovers.

Tuesday: Mac and Cheese with hot dogs and green beans

Wednesday: Spaghetti, salad, and french bread

Thursday: BLTs with avocado and potato chips

Friday: Sloppy Joes and tater tots and carrot sticks

Saturday: Chicken quesadillas with fresh guacamole and spanish rice and corn

Sunday: Rice and Meatsauce and green beans (can you tell we like green beans?) -- We make this differently from my mom, but it still tastes good.

Dave closes on Tuesday nights so it's just me and the munchkin for dinner. Then he has Wednesdays off so he cooks (which means it has to be simple). I have more time to cook something elaborate on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights (but as you can see it's no guarantee that I will).

Now that I am looking at this menu, it's a bunch of kid food and cheap food. I'm going to have to work on this menu thing.

Today I Learned

Today, as I was taking a shower, Christian climbed in fully dressed. Then right after I put him in the bathtub he pooped in the water. I had to fish it out. GROSS! As I was washing dishes he managed to spread a whole bag of potatoes all over the house, and he took a bite out of one.

So as you can see, today was full of LEARNing experiences. Glad I chose such a great word for 2009. I think I will be learning a lot this year.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Word of the Year


A couple of weeks ago
I posted about choosing my word of the year. I have been thinking about it long and hard over the past month. I wanted to choose the perfect word for 2009.

This is the first time I have picked a word of the year and I would like to make it a tradition every year. I just hope I can accomplish it before the new year.

This year I chose the word
learn.

I think there is always room to learn in every situation. I hope in 2009 I can take a step back in all situations in my life and learn something. I hope that by the end of the year I will be a wiser person. I also hope I can document what I have learned so that I will be able to reflect on my experiences in the years to come.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

SPT-Loved Ones


I have a millon pictures of me and my son, but very few of me and my husband. I even have more pictures of our pets than of my husband. So, here's to us trying to figure out our webcam. It's not great quality, but it's us.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Construction


So here I am,
sitting in my bed with big puffy pillows propping me up, having a pity party. Poor Me! My life is terrible. I can't believe how badly I've screwed things up this time. Will I ever learn? (You get the picture.) But you know, it's all fixable. It may take a long time, and a lot of elbow grease, but it's fixable.

It seems like the pity parties are coming more often these days. I don't know what my deal is, but I'm bound and determined to change my bad attitude. I'm tired of being a grump all of the time (and I'm sure Dave and Christian are too).

So, please bear with me while I am under ongoing construction. I may be a little rough around the edges until further notice. I promise I will try to maintain a suitable environment (and good attitude), but there may be delays or unexpected setbacks.

And then, when construction is complete, I will throw a party and you can all come and check out the new and improved me. But don't get your hopes up for anything prettier on the outside; however, I might wear mascara for the special occasion. All of the construction is being done on the infrastructure.

And once the party is complete, there will be clean up. And because of wear and tear I will need to do a remodel. And so the process will begin again. I hope you won't be bothered by it. I'll try to keep the noise level to a minimum.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

She Got the Call!


My little sister decided
a few months ago that she would like to go on a mission. She hadn't really thought of it as a real possibility for her life, until then, and decided to work on her mission papers. So, a couple months after that she submitted her papers and today, only 2 1/2 weeks later, she received her mission call. I couldn't believe it! I never would have guessed. I thought she'd stay stateside, but I was wrong.

Sister McLaughlin was called to the Philippines Cebu Mission speaking Cebuano. She will report to the MTC on April 8, 2009. We couldn't be MORE excited for her!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Word of the Year?

Do you think I need a word of the year? I've never heard of it before, and I see it on SO many blogs. What do I have to lose? So, I'll think about it, and worry about it, and stress about it, and lose sleep over it, and come up with a word of the year. Yup...I will....maybe.

SPT-Better Late Than Never





I resolve to take more self-portraits
So, Christian and I decided to break out the web cam. He was pretty excited, but not as excited as me. What can I say? It's almost bed time.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Blogoversary GiveAway


Lene is having a Blogoversary GiveAway! Click on the picture to check it out and see the goodies you could win. You won't regret it, I promise.

Ever Heard Of...

Have you ever heard of the site MomsLikeMe? I heard about it a long time ago, but never looked into it. So, I decided to look around the site yesterday and couldn't believe how many people use it. What a great site to find playgroups, walking groups, blogging groups, any kind of group with people in your area. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there.

My other question is if anyone out there is familiar with Twitter? Does anyone use it? What's the idea behind it? Why is it something I should try? I keep hearing about twitter, but I don't know anyone that uses it...or maybe I do.

Does anyone know of other good sites or blogs that are a "must-read" site?

Earlier I posted about wanting to have 2,000 readers of my blog. Just today I stumbled upon a site that you sign up for and they leave comments on blogs to increase readership and following. How cool! I should have signed up, but I'm not that desperate...yet. It's not so bad having my 5 readers. Five...2,000...almost the same. I guess I didn't realize that it really does take a little "advertising" to get that sort of a following.

Oh and that brings me to another site...StumbleUpon. A place to find what interests you.

I am sure you all already know about these sites. They all seem pretty popular. But I don't spend much time online (other than Facebook). So, I just thought I'd share these sites with you and maybe you have some great sites to share as well.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Neat!

So, I was reading a blog and they had posted how to strike through what you are typing. So, of course, I had to try it out. But it was hours before I got around to trying it out and was happy that I actually remember how to do it. It's pretty easy. You just type <> with an s in the middle of it before the word or phrase you want to strike through and then < / s > after it. Just don't put the spaces in between the characters or it won't work. It's a fun little trick and I'm glad I know how to use it now. I'm going to start using it more. Now you'll know what I'm really thinking, even though it's not what I actually say. Is that a bad thing?

On a side note. I have come across a few blogs lately that have had thousands of readers leaving thousands of comments on one post. I want to be famous in the blogging community. I am going to strive towards stardom. So, all you (I know there are only really 5 of you) readers...spread the joy. I promise I will come up with something to say if you promise to read it and spread the word. And I might need some suggestions on what to blog about. Sometimes my mind goes blank.

Can You Say...Disappointing?

Wow! I just had to blog about this because it is funny and disappointing all at once.

December 31, 2008 came more quickly than I had ever imagined it would. 2008 brought a lot of challenges to our family, but we're pushing our way through. Dave and I had plans of eating pizza and rootbeer floats with chips and junk food all around. We got a movie to watch and got home with great hopes of ringing in the new year together.

BUUUUUUT...I went to bed at 7:30pm. 7:30pm folks! Really!?! Who goes to bed at 7:30pm and who goes to bed that early on New Years Eve? Nobody! The least you can do is stay up until 9 or 10pm.

I slept like a sleeping beauty until 8am on Jan 1, 2009. I missed the WHOLE thing. What a way to ring in the new year. ZZZZZZZZ On top of it all I was probably snoring because my nose is so stuffy I can't breathe and apparently that makes me snore. Now you are all glad you don't have to sleep in the same house as me.

Well, how about that! My 16 month old boy stayed up until 9pm, but his mommy went to bed at 7:30pm. It's a little funny and a lot disappointing all at the same time.