Thursday, December 16, 2010

Thank you, Universe!

May I have another?

It just seems like we can't catch a break. My van is still not ready. It was supposed to be done last Friday, but the transmission that came in was a dud and had to be rebuilt. He told me it'd be ready on Tuesday. Well, it snowed on Monday, so it never got delivered. He told me on Tuesday that'd he'd put it in that afternoon or Wednesday morning. Never heard from him on Wednesday despite calling nearly 20 times throughout the day. I call him this morning (Thursday) and he says he has double pneumonia and is trying to get his worker to put it in under his (doped up) instruction. It started snowing and the area shut down. We didn't hear from him again today. No idea if it will be ready tomorrow or not.

Aftan's school was cancelled today b/c of the snow and ice. She didn't go yesterday owing to no transportation.

Yesterday, I noticed that the hot water would run out after about 1-2 minutes. I tried giving the girls a bath during the day and could not get enough hot water. I mentioned it to Steve when he got home late last night from a business dinner. He went up in the attic to look at the heater and the wire on the bottom was so hot that it had melted the plastic casing and the styrofoam insulation. It could have burned our house down. So, we turned the circuit off to the heater. We have no hot water. I called Lowe's this morning about buying a new one and having it delivered and installed today. The guy was really beyond helpful. I purchased the heater and he said they'd talk to the contractor who delivers them and he'd call me. The contractor calls shortly thereafter saying they have us slated for 4 p.m. depending upon the weather. He calls back around noon saying they are not coming out today and only had a 75% chance of coming out tomorrow.

So, that's where we stand. No van. No hot water. Aftan hasn't been to school since Tuesday, and if they are only delay will not be going tomorrow since there will be no before school care and Steve would have to drop her off early.

At least we have heat and are done Christmas shopping.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Christmas Time

Has it really been almost two months since I last did a post? Wow. The year, especially the last couple of months, has gone by so fast. In just a couple of weeks it will be Christmas and just a week after that my little baby will turn 2.

I forgot that on the last post I had some stuff to tell, but could not tell them. I can now. :) The first thing is that my in-laws, Aftan and Reagan's Me-Na and Grandpa, are moving down the street from us. They are actually going to be settled in within the next couple of days, I think. Aftan and Reagan are crazy excited, as you can imagine. The second thing was that Steve left his job and got offered a job with a nice pay increase at a job he had previously, but got laid off from. So, he is working there now and I think is happier. I think he's just happy he doesn't have to dress up anymore. :)

Since the last post, the transmission on my van died. I have not had it for over a month now because it is costing over $3,000 to replace the transmission and we had to save up for it (at Christmas time, no less). It is in the shop now getting done and will hopefully be done next Tuesday (was supposed to be done tomorrow, but they had some set backs with the "new" transmission). I miss my van so much. My mother-in-law has graciously been letting us borrowing her SUV for 5 out of 7 days of the week and it has helped so much, but I feel like I am missing a limb without my van.

So, anyway, we are gearing up for the holidays and for Reagan's 2nd birthday. She is becoming such a big girl now. She is starting to really talk and is saying 4-5 word sentences now. She's still a little peanut at about 34.5-35 inches and only 23-24 pounds, but she is healthy as all get out. Aftan is just growing like a weed, as well. It's crazy. She is doing great in school. Starting to read and write. She picked up pink eye from school that I have to take her to the pediatrician for tomorrow, but she has escaped any major illnesses so far this year. Knock on Wood.

Let's see if I can rustle up a good recent picture of the girls. This is from about 6 weeks ago, but it's a good one of them together when we converted Reagan's crib to the toddler bed:

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Ch Ch Ch Changes

Man, so much going on right now. None of which I can fully disclose. LOL. Let's just suffice it to say that within the next 3ish weeks a lot of things are changing for us. In good ways. Don't worry I will tell all about it when everything comes to fruition. LOL.

Aftan is still doing great in school. She had a little bit of a rough start behavior-wise, but everything seems to be falling in place and she has really matured in the last month or so.

Reagan..well, Reagan is still cute and sweet, but we are seeing little streaks of the terrible 2s. NO! is the favorite word.

Nothing much else to report, I don't think. I am stoked because my little sis (I say "little", but she is 29. LOL) and I are going to Busch Gardens together next weekend. We have not really had much occasion to hang out just us, so it will be nice to spend a whole day with her and having fun.

Fall pic of my girly girls.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

ABCs...123s

Aftan has only been back in school for three weeks now and she is doing amazingly. She is starting to read a little and spell a little. I am pretty sure watching her learn to read and write has been one of my favorite mommy moments. She really enjoys it. She tries to read everything. She is also able to count out objects and write the numbers next to the object. I am just in awe of the Montessori method and am fully confident we made the right choice in this type of school. It is incredibly draining financially, but it is SOOO worth it. I'd rather be poor my entire life and give her this opportunity. She is excited to go to school every day and she learns something new every day, as well.

It is officially the fall, yet I think fall actually did not get the memo that it is here. It has been in the 90s every single day. Definitely not fall-like. Maybe if I change the backgrounds on my blog, the weather will get the hint :)~

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Summer Days to School Days

Well, the summer went by amazingly fast. We had a pretty lazy summer scattered w/ three weeks of summer camp for Aftan at her school. Aftan started back to school this past Monday. She has a teacher that is new to teaching and new to Montessori. She is really good with Aftan and seems to really understand her. I think Aftan is the teacher's pet. :) There are only 9 kids in Aftan's class, and I think the small class size is working well for her. She is excited to go to school everyday and she has already learned so much in the first week. We have had some minor glitches w/ naptime, but I hope we will get them straightened out soon.

I am trying to enjoy these last few months having Reagan here at home with me. In January, I will be seeking a job outside of the home to make more money and she will have to go to school. I would be lying if I said I am comfortable with this, I just don't think she is quite ready, but we have to do what we have to do. Maybe she will surprise me and do really well.

But, overall I think the kids had a good summer, and we are looking forward to seeing what the school year brings.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hurricane....Schmuricane?

So, it is almost just barely September (in oh....2 1/2 hours) and we already have a hurricane eyeballing us. A big hurricane, at that. The last time I can remember any decent hurricane was Floyd back in about 2001. Everyone says we are due. I wonder if they are right.

I guess we should start making preparations. We have the portable power supply charging, are stocking up on food on Thursday, going to fill the bathtubs Thursday night (for all of you non-Eastcoasters/ non-Gulfcoasters this water is for drinking. It's easier and cheaper than buying bottled water), gassing up the generator, etc. I supposed if the storm is still on its current track on Thursday and we will masking tape the windows and bring in all the lawn stuffs.

I have never been through a hurricane w/ power outages with kids. We lost power w/ Floyd back in the day, but not for long, less than 24 hours, although most people in this area lost it for a week or more. I'd hate to go through that with kids. Man, that would suck.

So, off to the supermarket w/ all the last minute loonies in the area trying to buy up the last of the non-perishables to stock the cabinets. What a way to celebrate the last weekend of summer.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Another Busy Weekend

We had yet another busy weekend. We are trying to really do a lot before Aftan goes back to school and the cooler weather comes. Saturday we went to the farm and got the last purchase of peaches for the season. We then stopped by the store on the way home, got salads for lunch, came home and ate and then Reagan went down for a nap. While she napped, Steve and I went outside and did a little bit of yard work and fixed our railing outside while Aftan played a couple doors down with some (older) neighbor kids. I just love a child who runs barefoot and digs in the dirt and blows bubbles and runs around to her heart's content all blonde and suntanned in the summer. When Reagan got up, we went to Jason's Deli for dinner and then we came back here and the girls went to sleep and Steve, Rich, Peek and I played cards and I drank one too many margaritas. :) Today, we kind of just hung around the house, the kids went outside and played in the little pool and then we went to have cake for Steve's uncle's birthday and that was about it.

Only about two more weeks until school starts. I am ready for school to start, and I know Aftan is, as well, but then again I'm not. I am kind of enjoying these lazy days of summer, the getting outside and the kids having a blast. Labor Day weekend will be a lot of fun for them. We are going to Nags Head to the Sound for the day on that Friday and then Saturday we have been invited to a Welcome Home pool party for Peek's niece, who Aftan adores, who has been gone all summer to have a series of operations in Florida. So, that will all be fun for the kids.

Here are some pics of the kids from the last couple of days:





Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Counting Down the Days

We are coming down to the last days of summer. We only have just under 3 weeks until school starts. I am trying to juggle work and finding time to do things with the kids. I have the kiddie pool blown up (thanks to Steve. I told him it couldn't be done by breathing into it, but he proved me wrong) and the sprinkler out and I think I am going to usher them outside tomorrow. The little girl who lives across the street is coming over to play with Aftan tomorrow. She's 7, so a bit older than Aftan, but this kid has the patience of a saint and plays great with Aftan, so I have no problems at all with her coming over for a bit. We are supposed to go to a One potato, Two potato playdate on Thursday. I am going to drag them to the store in the morning probably and try to get the ingredients for this golden yam brownie recipe that looks really good to take on Thursday. Then on Friday, we have a swimming playdate, which will be really fun for my two water babies. I also have a plea into my friend, Melinda, who has two kids around Aftan and Reagan's ages, to come with me to the beach. She is military and is going to try to get us on base to the beach there, which should be way less crowded than the public beaches.

Reagan is just talking up a storm now. She says, "knuckles" and does fist bumps. LOL. She says, I see you, kiss, sorry, tries to sing Old MacDonald, but only gets the EIEIO Moo Moo Moo Moo EIEIO, peekaboo, please, thank you and a whole bunch of other words. She comes up with new ones every day.

Friday, August 13, 2010

I am a Pathetic Wife

....from the 1930s, apparently. There is no surprise here. I mean my slip is always showing and my stockings are always crooked. :) Do people even wear slips anymore? Do they sell them in stores?



-15
As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Nothing Much Doing

This week has just flown by. Why? Because Aftan has been in summer program all week. The weeks always drag when she is at home because I try to balance finding fun things for us to do with having to get my work done. I am completely caught up on my work right now and I am entertaining the idea of taking Reagan to the zoo alone tomorrow, or maybe to the World of Wonder garden again because I'd just have to pay for myself and I'd only have to chase one kid (although in fairness, Aftan doesn't require much chasing). I think it'd be fun for Reagan to get out by herself for once.

Aftan has just over three weeks until school starts. We still don't have her teacher assignment and supply list, so not much has been going on as far as shopping for school. Rumor (from a reliable source, i.e. the school secretary) has it that Aftan is going to get one of the new teachers. There are two new teachers. One that is just being added on from the Virginia Beach campus and one that is replacing one of the teachers who left the area at the end of this past school year (coincidentally the teacher I had wanted for Aftan). So, we are going to be given the opportunity to meet this teacher before school starts. Now...if we could only find out who that teacher is, that'd be great.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Down on the Farm

We went to Pungo Blueberries, Etc. on Saturday to pick blueberries. It was insanely hot, the bank sign said 103 degrees, and there were bugs everywhere, but it was well worth it. We got 2 pounds of blueberries for $3. We also got a bottle of their homemade Hot Elephant Garlic Vinegar. After we left there we went to our usual farm, Brookdale Farm, to get our corn and peaches. They have the best peaches and corn around. We also got a giant tomato from them. Yum, yum. For all of this fresh food we paid only about $25.

After the farm, we went to MacArthur Mall to get a Pillow Pet for Reagan. She and Aftan have been fighting over Aftan's ladybug Pillow Pet, so we thought it was time to get Reagan her own. The kiosk's sign says "Pillow Pet" and the salesperson used the term "Pillow Pet". We got it home...not a Pillow Pet. It's a knockoff called an "Animallow". Now Reagan is attached and HAS to sleep with it, so there is no taking it back. Meh.

Nothing going on this week. Aftan is in her last week of summer program. After this we have three weeks to kill before school starts. Good times. She has not gotten her teacher assignment and supply list yet, so we are still waiting for that.

Here is a pic of Aftan at the blueberry farm and a pic of our farm loot.


Friday, August 6, 2010

Mmmmm...Fruit!

I got my Edible Arrangement today. It is H-U-G-E. I had chocolate dipped pineapple, chocolate strawberries, regular strawberries, cantalope, cinnamon chocolate covered apples, chocolate covered oranges, milk and white chocolate dipped bananas, and grapes. I have to say I didn't think I'd be a fan of the apples, but they are SO good. The kids keep going in the fridge and picking off pieces. :)

We aren't doing much of anything today. I am having to get some work done.

Reagan is starting to talk more. She has added "please" and she said "Here, mommy" (handing me some laundry) today. She can find all her body parts. She is just getting so smart. Also, I have found out that Aftan can identify 24 of the upper case letters and 22 of the lower case letters and numbers 1-11. She also knows most of her letter sounds and can tell you a list of words that begin w/ each letter. My little smartie pants.

Here's a pic of my Edible Arrangement to drool over. :)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Splash Pad Fun

I took the girls to the Botanical Gardens today to play in the little splashpad area they have there. Aftan hasn't been there since she was 2 and I was pregnant with Reagan. Reagan, obviously, has never been there. I decided to take the double wagon and hike the approximate 1 mile to the children's garden where the splashpad is located. It was a long, hot walk, but well worth it as I used the wagon to hold our towels and extra clothes and what not. Both girls had a blast (and Reagan had a great nap). We had a picnic lunch while we were there. All that running around and water play can really cause a huge appetite.

Tomorrow, I am eagerly awaiting an Edible Arrangement that is supposed to come here for me. I just need to figure out how to keep little grubby hands away from it. :)~

First Post

This is my first time doing a real blog. I just wanted to keep a record of our every day life. I used to have a journal on myspace, but that is now defunct. I liked going back as my oldest grew to see what she was like when she was younger. I want to do the same for both my kids now.