B’s blog

Braden loves his Elmo/Cookie Monster guitar. He holds it just like Grandpa Steve and even moves the fingers and hands like he’s really playing. It’s adorable! He’s starting to get into the terrible 2’s early. He used to say, “yeah” to everything and now that is replaced with “no!” He really picks on Jaelyn, pulling her hair, punching her, kicking her, pinching and scratching her. I’m not sure what is going on in that hot little head of his. He is starting with the temper tantrums by throwing himself backwards on the floor when he doesn’t get what he wants. I guess all kids go through it and there’s no stopping it.

Today we went to a playgroup with a few moms from our church that I haven’t met yet. They were really nice. The kids had a fun time until Braden pooped all the way up his back! It wasn’t funny either because I had to change his diaper standing up it was so bad.

I’m working on our taxes and it’s a headache! Selling and buying a home in the same year, moving expenses, daycare, flex spending accounts…I’m sick to my stomach over it all. I misplaced my papers from the sale of our Des Moines home so I’m praying that Equisave can help us out and make me a copy of what I need. I have an email to them. I have no idea where it is! I sorted every loose paper in this house today it seems. From what I see on Turbo Tax we may have to pay this year. Tonight we start the Good Sense series with our Life Group. It’s about budgeting and saving money. I looked at what I have spent at the grocery store and Walmart in the last 3 months and I’m shocked at how much of our money goes to support Walmart! It’s the little stuff here and there that are adding up that you don’t even realize because you think you are getting a great deal shopping there. But that’s where they get you! I may as well just auto deposit my check onto a Walmart gift card because I spend so much money there anyways! I think we will be happy with what we learn from the class and I hope we both will be able to put it into action.

This will be a somewhat busy week for us. Tonight Erik has a ball game, Tuesday we have Life Group, Wed Erik has an upgrade at work, Thurs and Fri I work, Friday night Jaelyn is spending the night at Grandma’s, Sat Jaelyn has a birthday party for her friend Tiffany and Avery is spending the night and going to the Monster Trucks with Grandma. Sun is the adult vs youth football game and then the Super Bowl party at our church. WOW! We are going to be on the go all week!

It’s 70 degrees today and sunny. If you sit outside there is a cool breeze but the sun is warm enough to actually give a suntan I think. The younger 2 are outside right now blowing bubbles with the bubble gun and the dog is chasing the bubbles. I opened all the windows to get a nice breeze in the house. Hopefully that will blow out all the sick germs we’ve had in the past 2 months. Everyone is healthy now (knock on wood).

Exciting news around these parts is that the Enron trial is about to begin and they are selecting the jury, Extreme Home Makeover with Ty Pennington just finished a house here last week and that will air in a few weeks, and Baby Jessica, the 18 month old that fell in the well, turns 19 yrs old and gets married. (She was from Texas)

Braden lives and breathes sports. It doesn’t matter if it basketball, football, or even croquet, he’s ready to play anytime. You never see him without a ball in his hands these days. In fact, we tried playing a game of HORSE yesterday and he screamed whenever someone else had the ball and he didn’t. As soon as we shot the ball, he’d take off running as fast as he could to get it before we did. He sleeps with a ball everynight. It’s adorable really. Avery was like this too and still is a sports fanatic now but when you see how Braden stops dead in his tracks to watch football with Erik, you can tell he’s gonna be an ESPN nut like his dad!

Update on the soup diet I sent to a few of you…it’s good but it’s over. We couldn’t do it. We lasted a half a day and then craved Chinese for supper. So back to what works, exercise and portion control (WW for me). I also started to think about it and it good for the quick loss like if you were in the running for $1300 at work, but it’s not permanent and I need permanent. Money or no money, I’m in this to feel better and look better. I have slacked with writing down my points though and so I have to start it up again and get honest with myself. Congrats to Michelle on your 40 lbs! WOW! AMAZING and quite the motivation for me! Thank you!

On Saturday Erik gets to hang out and drive the Christian rock band, SKILLET, around town. He’s pumped up about it! My dad turns 50 on Saturday too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! Look for something coming your way from us!

Avery’s teacher called me Tuesday and told me I should nominate Avery into the WINGS program at school. It’s the Talented and Gifted program for 2nd-5th graders. They have to sit through 6 hrs of testing in order to get in and have to be nominated by a parent or teacher. Mrs. Carriere doesn’t nominate kids but she did want to be sure Erik and I had the correct information on the program (so I take it she was hinting around for us to nominate him.) We did end up deciding he could test but we’d tell him it was just for extra activities at school, in case he doesn’t get in. They test for 1 hr a day only so it’s not too much for the younger kids. He really enjoys SPICE, the TAG program for 1st graders so I thought he’d love WINGS.

We are starting the Good Sense bible study with our Life Group next Tuesday. It’s a study about finances and budgeting. Should be interesting. It’ll be good to get into a book again since it’s been so long ago since the Purpose Driven Life. We are meeting every other week now and are going to change the day to Mondays. The good news is, I won’t have to work the Mondays after my weekend now since I need it off for group.

Today is our day to bring a meal to the Carter’s. We are bringing a roast and baked potatoes and cooked carrots. Hope they like it! I’m also trying to clean the house today. Jaelyn did the upstairs kid’s bathroom pretty much all by herself today! I’m borrowing a steam vac from Kim but it’s not working right. I have to get the stains out of my carpet in the living room and computer room. It’s driving me nuts. I guess that might have to be our next big purchase because with all the kids that come and go in this house, my carpets are bound to suffer!

Off to work out…then get A from school.

My sister is thinking of coming to stay with us over her spring break week in March! I am working on arranging my schedule so that I’ll only have to work 1 day while she is here. I figured she can sleep in, kids can still goto Kim’s, and at lunch time Erik can come pick her up and take her to the mall for the afternoon. It’s only 1 day. I hope it works out.

I haven’t been sleeping well at night lately and Friday night I got up and revamped my resume. I submitted it to Davita Dialysis in hopes I can get out of the hospital setting and into an outpatient dialysis unit or even go into the hospitals to dialyse the patient at the bedside. It would be one on one care for that 4 hr stretch of time I’d be with them during their dialysis run. I think it would give me the break from the nursing that is wearing me out but still keep my foot in the door. Once you specialize to be a dialysis nurse you can make really good money too. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed because I’m burning out really fast where I’m at. To the point I’m rethinking my career altogether. I once told myself that when that time came where I didn’t enjoy nursing anymore, that I’d get out instead of become one of those bitter mean nurses. I’m closer than I realize I think and so it’s time to start weighing my options. We did get a really good manager to take my old bosses place though. It’s the gal that oriented me to the floor when I first was hired. She’s really smart and will expect alot from the staff which is good. I do like her so working for her will be ok if I have to stay here.

Christine had her baby last night! Blake Lawrence, just a little thing at 6 lbs + ozs (didn’t catch that) She was in labor yesterday at Kim and Steve’s during Riley’s 2nd birthday party. She wanted to get the party over with before going into the hospital though. So Blake is healthy and Christine is recovering from her c-section. Jenny had her baby last Monday, Allison Marie! And now we are waiting for Heather, Erik’s sister who is due in July. It’s fun watching all the babies be born!

Yesterday we went down to Galveston for the afternoon. It was rainy and cold but still fun. We ended up crossing the ferry and hanging out with Kim and Steve at Steve’s brother’s new beach house. He bought it super cheap and has gutted it. It’s not ready yet but they were doing the siding yesterday. It is 11 rows from the beach so we walked to the beach and flew kites on the beach yesterday! It was fun! The kids built sand castles and Avery threw sea shells back into the ocean. The waves were huge yesterday. No one was out except us. I think Erik and I had more fun than the kids flying the kite. For supper we went to some local diner and then back to the real beach house Steve’s parents were staying at for the weekend. It was really cute! It sleeps 7 people and would be a blast for a weekend retreat with friends and family. Today we have an 80% chance of rain so I’m sure we will be camped in front of the TV watching the Broncos hopefully crush the Steelers today. I hope the kids don’t get cabin fever being stuck inside all day. Monday, Kim starts watching the kids. From the sounds of it, she has a whole little preschool set up for Jaelyn there. It was sad saying goodbye to Kindercare on Friday but they said we always could drop them in if Kim was out of town or sick. They were good for the kids. I’m glad the kids get this opportunity to spend quality time with Kim though too. Well, I’m off to wake up the boys to goto church. Hope wherever you are today, you find something that makes you laugh.