April 30, 2009

he's TEA-rrific

Aw, as I was sitting up in our bed, on my comp, I hear a 'clank-clank' sound coming down the hall way...

Chris walks in w/ two mugs . . . he had the sweetest look on his face and handed me a cup of Passion Fruit tea. When he was downstairs, getting our bed sheets, that he washed and dried, he steamed up some water in our Kuerig and made two mugs of tea... it's a new tea that he purchased today (while he was grocery shopping w/ Kryssa, while I was at work....it just gets better and better, apparently!) :)

What a wonderful, thoughtful, hubby! -praise God!

ah, nothing like relaxing in bed w/ my hubby --sipping on some yummy hot tea...

:)

back by (one) popular demand...

LOL! ;)

We have a garage!!! Finally! To those of you who have seen our garage, you know exactly what I'm talking about. We purchased our home in Dec. 2004 and, finally, April 2009, we have approx 4 boxes of "stuff" left --out of, oh about, the original 20!! Geez! I KNEW it was going to happen. When we moved in, it's a long story of the actual movers we hired -but needless to say, our stuff was being moved in, by US, at approx 4am!! So, Chris insisted on moving everything into the garage and then working our way through it to get it in our home. Well, I tried my very best to convince him that it would not be a good idea because it would just sit there and sit there for years! I jokingly (hoping it would not be true) said "If we put it in our garage it will sit there for 3 years!" Well, 4+ years later, we have finally done away w/ allllll the JUNK in our garage!! :D I'm . . . WE are soooooooo excited!

We have donated the majority of everything to the Medina Children's Home and then we have just been giving the rest away to anyone who wants or needs it. So, we have only one box of stuff that hasn't been touched since we moved here, in 2004. Only because it is stuff that we had on our book shelf in our previous apartment --it was built in to the wall at the entrance and had something like 7 shelves or so . . . plenty of space for all of our frames, figurines, etc. Well, we don't have where to put it -still. I'm sure if we actually looked through it, we would realize that we don't NEED the majority of that stuff. But we havne't yet . . .

Another box, well, two of them are papers and papers and papers that Chris insists on shredding -we've collected over the years. How embarasing but true. :( So, at least it is down to just two boxes. :) and we are definitely getting rid of this junk now! :D

The next task in that garage is to install the garage door opener (that we've had for over two years now . . . in its sealed box. Chris hopes to get that done this weekend -and that would be awesome. -we're just going to have to draw straws to determine who gets to park in the garage! lol

Tomorrow, at work, we are having a Snow Cone party!! :p I'mmmmm excited.

Oh, and I really need to remember to take and post a pic of my beautiful Gerber Daisy that is growing super duper tall --taller than all the others! I wish I had one of those single stem vases. That tall straight stem gerber daisy would look soooo beautiful in a skinny clear vase...

So, tomorrow is Friday, and I'm soooo ready. Although, I do have some serious work hrs to tackle, at home (well, I think I'm actually going to go to the library so that I can give my undivided attention to working on curriculum) planned for Saturday.

Okay, well, this blog is as scattered and random as my thoughts . . . ha ha ha . . . I'll try to stick to one topic next time.

g'nite.

April 28, 2009

blog no more?

I am considering putting a stop to my blogs on this site. I've joined Facebook and I find it so much more enjoyable. I think I still want to keep my blogger account though because I love being able to keep up w/ the other sites I am linked to from here . . .

it's just getting to be a little too much keeping up w/ all the different places (myspace, facebook, twitter -which I don't even use, I was just looking for an old friend-, cafemom, etc.). I've got to find just one that works well for everything...

I'll give it a bit more time before I make a final decision. Maybe I'll find that blogger meets all my needs. hee hee :)

April 23, 2009

Catching up

G'morning! :)

My little 's.i.p.', ha ha stands for Self Improvement Plan (I like to make up new words, phrases, acronyms, etc. -goofy, I know! Just like my "Willpo Diet" ... lol. Stands for Willpower Diet. Not a typical "diet" at all, just self motivation for having more willpower, controlling your impulses for how much of what you should and shouldn't eat just for the sake of being healthy! :D)....so, as I was saying, my S.I.P. has been going GREAT!!! This morning I woke up at 8:26am -not as early as I would have liked but, once again, I stayed up too late! That is going to have to be next on my s.i.p. agenda. Seriously! I am just sooooo used to staying up late so that I can spend time w/ Chris. Once Kryssa goes to bed, around 10 or 10:30pm, there isn't much time for just me and Chris. So, we end up staying up until midnight or even later. Last night we were watching Marley & Me, which, btw, seems to NEVER END, and Chris fell asleep before it finished but I stayed up and watched the whole thing! It was 1am once I turned everything off and cuddled up for sleep. Geez Louise!!!!!

I do know that Kryssa needs to go to bed earlier. We normally don't get home from work until approx 7:15pm. Even yesterday, we got off at 6:15pm, instead of our usual 6:30-6:45pm, but then I stopped at a Red Box to get us some movies and then I requested a prescription. So, even though we got off earlier than usual, we still didn't get home till our usual time, 7:15pm. Chris had the table set and ready to go for our dinner (pizza -he had picked it up on his way home from work). By the time dinner was finished, it was 8pm. We sat and watched American Idol, while Kryssa watched the movie we rented for her. Chris went up around 10pm or so to put Kryssa to bed --maybe it was 9:30 when the whole routine started. Her routine includes: potty, brushing her teeth, cleaning up her room, picking something to sleep with, and story time. It was about 10:30pm once Chris got to our bedroom . . . So, I guess, if anything, maybe he could start that whole routine at 8:45pm?

Today has been wonderful! The weather is cool and breezy (a little to 'sticky' for my liking) and I'm enjoying it all w/ my windows and back door open!! Ah, how refreshing. I've been starting every morning this way -including a cup of yummy coffee (except today I had English Breakfast Tea and unfortunately I poured too much milk, half and half stuff, and I couldn't enjoy it all that much. The first half of it was yummy but then the half and half started to be all I tasted. :( I know for next time.. hee hee...)

So, I have a lot of catching up to do: work and projects, housework, and laundry -it's all washed, dried, folded, sorted...just needs to be put away now...

April 21, 2009

ah, smirnoff and peanuts! ha!

So, this morning, I woke up later than planned. My first alarm went off at 6:30am and I think I reset it to 7am. Now, remember, I'm choosing to wake up this early just for my own personal improvement -I guess you can say. So, my second alarm went off and I did the "I'll get up in just a bit" . . . well, that "bit" turned out to be an hour and a half! :(

I got more housework done (organizing, cleaning, laundry, etc...) :) I had a great morning and afternoon here at home --Chris was home too! He didn't have to be at work until 1:45pm! :D

Now, work, a totally different story for me!!! :( Out of the approx. 55 kids that attend on a daily basis, my group, alone, was a whopping 43 kids!!! Geez!! I nearly lost my mind today! ha ha. "She said this . . . he said this . . . he did such and such . . . she did such and such . . . are we going outside? . . . do I have to . . . can I . . . no I didn't . . . he's lying . . . please don't tell my mom . . ." --so, it was quite a day. To top it off, Kryssa started whining, screaming and acting "bratty" towards the end of our work day -I was already at the end of my rope for the day and she just really really really pushed my buttons alllllll the way home. So, I got some "quiet" time (I guess you could say -not really quiet cause I could still hear her throwing those tantrums upstairs) while Chris bathed her and put her to bed. It's been a LONG day.

So, I'm sitting here, watching shows on abc.com, enjoying peanuts and a smirnoff...

Oh, I look forward to winding down and getting rest tonight.

April 20, 2009

Where's my coffee!?

It's 8:16am. I did manage to wake up at 7:36am. 36 minutes later than planned --but about 4 hrs earlier than usual. AND I always say how I think Kryssa has some kind of sensor that goes off when 'mommy' is awake. I say this because if I do happen to wake up before 10am and start my day, just minutes later, she's walking down the hallway ready to start her day. Kryssa can sleep and sleep and sleep (we are all related! ha ha). No matter what time I wake up, if it's before 10am, a few minutes after I'm up, she's up. This morning, I peeeeeeeeled my eyelids open to check the time and see how much I had slept in. It was 7:36am and as I lay my head back down on my pillow, I hear soft little footsteps coming towards my room. Kryssa comes in and says "can I lay with you mommy?...on daddy's side?" We covered up w/ the bed sheet and laid back down. Only a few mins past though before I sent her back to her room so I could wake up and start my day (what I call brushing my teeth and doing all the other little things I do before I start my day). Then she asks if she can have some breakfast. That's when I realize why she woke up soooooo early today. I sent her to bed w/ a hungry tummy! She played, instead of eating, for about 45 mins yesterday for dinner. So, after time outs and warnings, she ended up going to bed. She fell asleep really fast last night so she must have been super tired. But her hungry tummy is more than likely what woke her up this morning ...

So, I am happy that I woke up early. Now I get to work on the laundry! :) (I really am seceretly excited about that! ha ha I love the way our laundry room is now set up and it just feels wonderful when all our laundry is washed, dried, folded/hung and where it belongs. It hasn't happened in a while -so, I'm ready for a good challenge! ;)

My day will officially start in about 5 mins --when I pop in a K-cup and sniff that first sniff of French Vanilla Coffee!! mmmmmmm!

Our sidewalk is PACKED!!

Tomorrow, a 'children's home' will come by to pick up donations. Chris and I worked quickly to take out allllll the stuff we have been piling aside saying "oh, we could donate this...". So, finally, our crowded corners, of "donation stuff" are now emptied. Now, our sidewalk, on the other hand, looks like a road side store!! I'm hoping that it will all still be there for the 'pick up' and that other people driving by don't think it's a free for all!

I'm excited...

Oh, and today, we were all on a 'make a change' spree. I decided to rearrange our laundry room. ha ha. Sounds like a strange room to rearrange -but since our laundry room is long, I moved our dryer to another wall and now we have extra space to use! I love it. Chris mowed the front lawn, worked on our car (w/ our neighbor's help) and got it working again (yay!), switched my baking closet to our pantry and moved my baking stuff to our kitchen cabinets.

I've been doing laundry just about all day long and I think that I'll be waking up super early to get my day started and finish up laundry and probably even clean our floors.

I went out of town for a Leadership training -for work- last week, wed. through sat., and I was waking up at 6am every morning and our training day was starting at 7:30am -so I figured I would try to keep that kind of schedule and get my day started earlier than 11am. ha! We'll see how that works out . . .

Oh, and Kryssa is registered for Kindergarten!! wow.

April 15, 2009

Crusty Crab-Apples! (from Grumpy Bear)

So, I didn't have the time I wanted to sit and spend w/ mr macbook and my cozy spot...

After the whirlwind of a day at work and an emotional breakdown before work, trying to get my mind and heart at peace w/ what to do about Kryssa's school and my job, we nodded off at dinner, at Jim's. We, Chris and I -not Kryssa, she got a good nap in as we drove from work to daddy's work- were soooooo sleepy and exhausted. Chris has some kind of cold or crazy allergy attack. We could have literally fallen alseep sitting up at our booth. Kryssa would have been perfectly fine w/ her cloring activity and pancakes!! ha ha.

After dinner, we finally went to Petsmart and I got to by two albino cory fish that I have been wanting. They are the only fish that I have known to do a fantabulous job at cleaning my fish tank.

Then...straight home to work -again. Geez. I did as much 'sitting'/online training and testing that I could handle. I finished one section and then cleaned the cat box and put Kryssa to bed. I sent of an email to a friend and now here I am. I should be sleeping because I'll be repeating "Crusty Crab-Apples" when I have to wake up in approx. 6.5 hrs (seems like it should be enough, right? but it won't be . . . it never is!)

So, I just had to take a wee bit of time to unwind . . .

I'll be heading out for training tomorrow, right after work. I won't be back until approx. 9pm Saturday night. I'm going to miss my babies and loves (kryssa, chris, pinky, and browny) --yet, I'm going to do my best to relax when I have down time and enjoy my quiet time . . . not having to take care of any one... just me, myself, and I! :D **we'll see how I feel about it tomorrow night as I try to snuggle up in a yucky hotel bed all by myself . . . [sniffle]

Hopefully I'll have internet access while I'm there.
toodle-oo!
I'll hurry back...

April 14, 2009

Let it begin! ... LET IT BEGIN! (rhino, from Bolt)

So, I have not much time to blog -bummer.

I have to finish bathing Kryssa, shower, be ready by 1pm. Chris will pick us up and then we will drive him back to work and then head to work (approx 45 mins from Chris's work). Phew! I'm tired already, just thinking 'bout it. ha.

I have so much to blog about and no time to 'blogit' (like it?! ha ha) . . . Oh, I guess I'll have time later -in between dinner, house work (which I'm on a roll with!!!), family time, online training assessments -which need to be finished before 6:15pm tomorrow. Seeing how I start work tomorrow at 2:15pm, that means that I really only have until about 1pm tomorrow...(blah!)

Oh how I miss 'sit time' w/ mr macbook and My Cozy Spot...

be back soon.
hopefully.

April 11, 2009

Sleep or GTA?

I just got back from the store. I went just w/ chris (Grandpa Mayfield came over to be w/ Kryssa while we were out!!) and it was very very very nice!! I was all cuddly w/ him walking through the stores. It was so nice having a few hrs just to us. :)

We did, however, get reminded of HOW spoiled Kryssa is . . . my goodness!! I love having just one child. It would have been waaaaay too hard to have to decide what to get her for Easter if we would have had to split up that bill between 'other' children.

We went to Sea World today and had a very nice time. The weather was fantastic! Cloudy, warm and windy . . . absolutely PERFECT! We didn't ride any rides out there today -just saw shows and exhibits . . . and fed dolphins. :)

I'm soooo exhausted. I wanted to hang out on the couch and play GTA -but I'm not sure if I should sleep all I can before tomorrow, or if i should enjoy 'vacation' time w/ my family and stay up late just for fun, playing video games w/ Chris . . .

hmmm...

April 10, 2009

'ritas, travel, rides, and a movie

A lot can happen in one day...

We woke up in Austin, packed up the rest of our stuff (including the margarita cupcakes I baked at midnight last night), drove to San Antonio -stopping at Whataburger for a quick lunch-, got to our house, made icing, frosted the cupcakes, topped them w/ the little toppers, waited for 'pick-up', went to Fiesta Texas, rode a few rides, ate dinner at Red Robin (Yummo!), went to see Monsters vs. Aliens, and finally came home!!

Our vacation/time off has been so wonderful! :) We were in Austin from Sunday evening until 11am this morning. I got my super size fill of Baby Jo (and my sis and her hubby too, of course -playing video games, baking, eating out, oh and we visited Austin Park 'n Pizza -finally!...).

As much as I enjoyed hanging out w/ my sis and her family -and it went by so fast- I really am glad to be back home. :) my bed, how I've missed it!! Oh, and my cats have just been by my side anytime I have been home today --I think they've missed me.

April 3, 2009

thank you soooo much


To everyone who posted a comment to my latest blog.  I really appreciate hearing from you! :)

I do know that she won't ONLY learn what I posted --I just wish that I could be the one to continue her education.  I know she is ready and I know she is anxious and excited to go to school.  The main main MAIN thing I think to myself is "I want to be the one to keep teaching her."  I know it's 'prep' for first grade and I did check out the current 'newsletter' (what kinder is learning right now, towards the end of the year) and I just feel that THAT is where she needs to start . . . instead of waiting to  learn all that info at the end of her first year, I wish that she could get into a class that starts at the end of Kinder (where I feel would be a continuation of where she is currently at, w/ learning) and transitions into first grade --instead of it taking an entire school year for her to get where I feel she should be right now.  does that make more sense?

so, not that I don't feel the teachers won't do a good job or she wouldn't benefit from 'socializing' or anything but more like I wish that each kid could get evaluated and placed according to where they are at --not a generalized assumption of what one 'should know or learn' at this age.  every child is different yet they are all going to be put in ONE class and learn at the assumed pace...

Oh, and the other part that is hard for me -when I say that I don't want to be away from her for 7 hrs just for her to play and socialize.  Because she goes w/ me to work and socializes w/ the after school program . . . she interacts w/ kids as young as pre-k.  Kryssa interacts w/ approx 60 kids, M-F . . . but then that is where I agree that it will be different for her to do it w/ out Mom around...

I know.  I know.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you everyone!  I truly appreciate your time and kind, encouraging, words.
:)

Oh, the joys . . . (the real and the sarcastic)

I should be getting ready for work . . . today is my last day of work and then I will be off for 10 days!!! woohoo!! I only work up to 28 hrs a week so I am more woohoo-ing over the fact that Chris will be off for 9 of those 10 days!! :D We have a few things planned -some for kryssa, some for us . . .

I should have gone in early today to get all my 28 hrs this week -but my insomnia is really messing w/ my head and internal clock and when I don't HAVE to be at work until 2pm . . . a part of me just wants to get there at 2pm -no earlier. Shame on me. I know. God willing it will change once I can just relax w/ my family . . . maybe we'll finish painting the different rooms (ours and Kryssa's. oh, and the 1/2 bath downstairs) --maybe we'll clean out our garage and put up our garage door opener -finally! ha ha

Or maybe we'll just go to Austin (as already planned) to visit my sis and baby Jo . . . then visit baby Muffin . . . and then go see Monsters vs Aliens 3-D (as planned) . . . and nothing more than just "nothing"? haha. I doubt it.

Oh, our 5 yr old focus (that we've never taken care of --like flushes and 'up keep') has finally broken. Who could blame it. It didn't have loving owners. I can't stand Ford anymore. Once we definately felt that way, we just gave up on it. So, it was towed to our house last night and we are weighing out the pros and cons of Fixing the Focus or Buying a New Car. Of course, I'm ready for the car of my choice, finally. The next car purchase has been planned (since 2004 -after Chris backed up into a cement column, at North Star! LOL. The care was brand new and he gashed the bumper --then the list continued...)to be 'mine' --but if it really is worth forking out who knows how many thousands to fix the Focus (which, in my opinion, it's not) then we will set a plan to fix the car.

So, today, I'll be driving the Mazda. Between the Mazda and the Focus, I preferred the Focus --the seats are higher and it's a newer car so the shape and fit of me and the car work better for me.

I suppose I should get ready now . . . I have to leave in about 15 mins! ha! eh. It will happen.

Just one more day and then I can just "blah" doing whatever I want . . . I need to get motivated . . . let me get some coffee and pump up some music. :)

April 2, 2009

She's ready. I'm not. But what's RIGHT?! --and how will I know?! :(

Can I PLEASE vent this w/out being judged?! I'd appreciate it . . .

Okay.

So, we are looking up info for registering Kryssa for Kindergarten. We should have done this a lot sooner because now it feels so rushed and all of a sudden (not easy for me AT ALL!!!) But here's the thing. Now that it's really close to enrolling her for school I am starting to question whether or not I should keep her ONE more year . . . I mean, I feel that she has really benefited from NOT going to school for pre-k. AND here is the check list of what will be taught in Kindergarten --and the registration packet asks that I check what she can already do:

Can write name □ Can count to 10 □ Can count to _____ Can sing ABC song □ Knows shapes □

Knows 4 or more colors □ Can cut simple shapes □ Can hold a pencil correctly □

Can listen without interrupting when someone else is talking □

Can sit still and listen to a story for 5 – 10 minutes □ Can recognize some/all letters of the alphabet □

Understands basic safety rules □ Can be away from you for at least half a day without being upset □

Can adapt easily to change □

Uses words like “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me” □

So the ONLY one that I wouldn't be able to check w/ confidence is: Can listen without interrupting when someone else is talking □ LOL!!! (I mean, not that it's funny -but I only know a few 4 yr olds --and some younger ones too, actually!-- that can do this! ha ha. I told Chris, "why do I HAVE to send my child away for 7 hrs to learn all these things that she already knows -and has known some sine the age of TWO!?!?!

I know some of you are rolling your eyes and tisking at me for all of this "whining" that it may seem I'm doing --yet I also know some of you feel the same way after you just read the 'list' of kinder agenda!!

I checked out the first grade newsletter and schedule and I felt "now that's SCHOOL!" but then I realized that I might feel a bit bad just throwing her into all that out of no where. I'm trying to convince myself that kindergarten is the right thing for Kryssa --to 'prepare' her for first grade. I know she already knows a lot of what will be taught in the beginning of Kinder (from what I have seen and heard from others w/ kindergateners and from the kindergarteners themselves, from where I work (I've been shocked before!!)) but then I want to believe that it will be a good transition for her to go into something that she knows very well and learns classroom structure and respect for classmates, etc. --even though I KNOW that I can keep her one more year and prep her for first grade . . . i just know she is looking forward to going to school and I have to trust that by the end of the school year, she will show improvement in many areas...

I just really battle w/ this because when I say that, I contradict myself w/, "but why have to wait a whole year for her to gain that knowledge when I know she can start learning it right now . . . why make her sit through other kids learning their abc's when she has known all 26 letters def. since she was 3! She started learning her basic colors at age 2 (if not a bit sooner) --so what do the kids that already know this stuff do when the kids that don't know their colors need to learn them?! Will Kinder really challenge her enough or just be "fun"? I'm not ready to let her go for a full 7 hrs just for her to have "fun" when I can have fun WITH her and teach her at her own speed . . .

Ah!

Help! I just don't know what to do about this and I feel like I have to make the decision tonight! :( Oh boy. I get so emotional and anxious about this decision . . . I feel like she MINE and that I am being MADE to seperate from her for 7 hrs for something that I can do WITH my one and only wonderful child --like someone is TAKING HER AWAY!

does anyone know how I feel? Your input pls!