Wow, time goes so quickly. I had no idea it had been so long since I had last posted!
Well, circumstances led us to do some extreme purging - mainly in the kitchen. Our fridge died just before we went away and we had to throw out everything in the fridge/freezer! Talk about major purging. It was almost heart-breaking to throw out all the meat I had just purchased, in bulk, and separated into meal-sized portions. It was a garbage bag that weight 50+lbs easily. And about $150 in meat alone!
So it has been 3 weeks since it stopped working and they finally got it fixed. However, they thought they had fixed it twice before, so we are waiting a few more days before we start using it - just to make sure the temperature is holding steady (before it would freeze then defrost, then freeze again). So we have been living out of a cooler until a couple of days ago when we borrowed a bar fridge. Let me tell you - living out of a cooler is only fun when you are camping! It gets expensive pretty fast (buying ice every other day, only being able to buy a day or two worth of food/meat etc). I cannot wait to get back to using my fridge.
Although it sucked, there were some silver linings: when we bought the fridge we also bought the 5 year extended warrantly (which runs out in November). In addition, this major purging means we can get really organized with our menu planning. I have planned a month-worth of dinners. Now I am just working on the shopping list for it. We are hoping to be able to cut our grocery budget down to $75/week, or $300/month and minimize the number of shopping trips we do. Many of the meals I have planned use the same ingredients as other recipes, so we will be able to buy in bulk - saving time and money. I will post on it in more detail when we actually get to it (hopefully next week).
And keep checking for some upcoming possible changes....life is good, and the future is wide open for possibilities (and no, I am not pregnant).
Saturday 25 August 2012
Saturday 18 August 2012
M.I.A
Sorry I have been M.I.A for a few days. I know - I just started this blog and I already went missing! LOL. The truth is, I went away with my family. I didn't post beforehand because I don't like to advertise when I won't be home (even though we had people checking in on the house and cats).
We went camping for 3 days to the place I always went camping at with my family when I was little.
The kids had so much fun. We only had a few days because husband had to go back to work, and we weren't sure how the kids would be (and me - remember my 7 random things? See #1). Well, the kids slept so well, and I slept okay. The first night it rained off an on all night and so I was up for most of it worried that it was going to turn into thunderstorms and we'd all have to go running to the car. And how would we get the kids there safely, and how would we all sleep? Yes, we have a van, but the back was full of food/coolers/ stuff you can't keep in your tent because it will attract animals like raccoons, and bears. So we'd have to sleep in the seats, which would not be comfortable. Then I worried that Little C wouldn't be safe sleeping in his car seat (SIDS). We had a tarp (we call it the testosterone tarp) over most of the campsite so you could get from tent/camper/dining tent without getting wet. And almost to the cars. Even though the kids and I slept in the camper with my Mom (and husband and my Dad in the tent), I was still anxious all night. I was anxious the rain (especially when it started raining harder - though it sounded worse on the testosterone tarp than it really was) would become thunder and worse - lightning. The it could hit a tree, which could fall on us and kill us. I felt better being in the camper but then I worried about my husband and dad in the tent. They had the dog - so I felt a little better - animals have a sixth sense about these things right? So surely she would be acting crazy if something were going to happen. And all of that went through my mind. Over. And over. All. Night. Long. Yes, it exhausts even me. I was so worried I made myself sick. Please don't let my daughter be this way too.
So anyway, other than some rain the first night, which didn't start until 11pm, and cleared up by lunch time the next day, we had beautiful weather. Perfect sleeping weather (it got cool enough to have a camp fire both nights), and we crammed a lot in. Since we were only there 3 days (including driving there and back), we didn't get into the real routine, but still had a great time. Can't wait to go next year for longer (as long as there are no thunderstorms in the forecast!).
We went camping for 3 days to the place I always went camping at with my family when I was little.
The kids had so much fun. We only had a few days because husband had to go back to work, and we weren't sure how the kids would be (and me - remember my 7 random things? See #1). Well, the kids slept so well, and I slept okay. The first night it rained off an on all night and so I was up for most of it worried that it was going to turn into thunderstorms and we'd all have to go running to the car. And how would we get the kids there safely, and how would we all sleep? Yes, we have a van, but the back was full of food/coolers/ stuff you can't keep in your tent because it will attract animals like raccoons, and bears. So we'd have to sleep in the seats, which would not be comfortable. Then I worried that Little C wouldn't be safe sleeping in his car seat (SIDS). We had a tarp (we call it the testosterone tarp) over most of the campsite so you could get from tent/camper/dining tent without getting wet. And almost to the cars. Even though the kids and I slept in the camper with my Mom (and husband and my Dad in the tent), I was still anxious all night. I was anxious the rain (especially when it started raining harder - though it sounded worse on the testosterone tarp than it really was) would become thunder and worse - lightning. The it could hit a tree, which could fall on us and kill us. I felt better being in the camper but then I worried about my husband and dad in the tent. They had the dog - so I felt a little better - animals have a sixth sense about these things right? So surely she would be acting crazy if something were going to happen. And all of that went through my mind. Over. And over. All. Night. Long. Yes, it exhausts even me. I was so worried I made myself sick. Please don't let my daughter be this way too.
So anyway, other than some rain the first night, which didn't start until 11pm, and cleared up by lunch time the next day, we had beautiful weather. Perfect sleeping weather (it got cool enough to have a camp fire both nights), and we crammed a lot in. Since we were only there 3 days (including driving there and back), we didn't get into the real routine, but still had a great time. Can't wait to go next year for longer (as long as there are no thunderstorms in the forecast!).
Saturday 11 August 2012
Favourite Fridays - One Lovely Blog Award
Every Friday I would like to take the time to share some of my favourite things with you, whoever you are. Today I had intended to come and share some of my favourite blogs with you. However, this morning, my friend and colleague Leah at Growing Up, One Day at a Time nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award. Leah's blog has been inspirational to me (be sure to check our her 27 by 27 list! I attempted a 31 by 31 list and it fell by the wayside...maybe I will attempt a new one this year? But in any case, she has inspired me to work on a bucket list).
The rules for the award are as follows:
1. link back to the person that nominated you (see the link above)
2. list 7 somewhat random things about yourself
3. nominate 10 other blogs and notify them that you nominated them
This sounds like a much more interesting way to list some of my favourite blogs. What timing!
So, without further ado, here are 7 random things about me:
1. I am scared of thunderstorms
Not really the storm itself, but the fact that it is often accompanied by tornado warnings. When a warning is issuued, I get the kids out of bed and go into the (thankfully, finished) basement until the warning is lifted. Yes, I am somewhat paranoid - which leads me to my next item.
2. I am paranoid
I always expect the worst case scenario, and make a big deal out of things that are not big deals. I hate roller coasters - not only because they make me sick, but because I think I will die on them. And I don't want anyone I know/love to go on them either. It is exhausting worrying so much.
3. I am a planner and a procrastinator
Sounds like an impossible feat, I know. But I really manage to excel at both of these. I make big plans/lists etc. and then put-off actually imnplementing them. It drives my husband nuts - I tell him all these things I want to do around the house and when he's ready to do them, I always find a reason not to.
4. I like rules
Anyone who knows me well knows that I like rules, and I don't like breaking them. I am always afraid I will get caught, or I will disappoint someone. I did my fair share of rebellious things in highschool, but as an adult, I really don't like to break the rules. And having rules lets me know what is expected of me.
5. I dyed my hair creamsicle orange (and I miss it)
In highschool, I bleached and dyed my hair the colour of a creamsicle. The exact colour was "Tiger Lily" from Manic Panic. I loved it. I wish I had the kind of job (and the guts) that would allow me to do it again. When my kids want to dye their hair crazy colours, I will be right there to help them. If you can't do it in highschool when can you. I am fortunate that I had parents who also felt this way and allowed us to express ourselves. Speaking of which...I always wanted to get my nose pierced -and I will....someday. Maybe while I am on maternity leave. Think it would be weird for a 30+ year old to get it done so late in life? LOL.
6. My kids are my greatest accomplishment and the thing that gives me the most satisfaction in life
My kids are the reason I get up each morning. They are the reason for everything in my life. I love my husband with all my heart, and couldn't ask for a better husband and partner in life. BUT nothing compares to the love you feel for your children, your babies. One smile from my 11 week old son, or a simple, unprompted "I love you mommy" from my three year old daughter can turn the worst day into the best. They are my everything. And I will spend the rest of my life being the best mommy I can be to them.
7. I hate that I look so much younger than my age
I know - most people would be happy to be mistaken for younger. And they never fail to say "oh when you're 40 you'll appreciate it"....but really, I am 31 now and I still get mistaken for being much younger. And while it might seem like a compliment, it also has its downsides - people ofetn treat me younger, assume I don't know what I am talking about, or assume I can't do something because I look much, much younger than 31 years old!
Okay, so now my ten nominees/favourite blogs:
1. The Great Umbrella Heist - a blog about life with spontaneous identical triplets. These girls are adorable and their mom does some beautiful photography. One of the little girls has Spina Bifida and reading her blog has opened my eyes and enlightened me to the ins and outs of Spina Bifida. I find myself cheering along anytime little Anna does something the doctors said she might never do.
2. This Year's Love Will Last - a blog written by a mommy of FOUR girls! These girls are always getting into something, and the stories are hilarious. Each little girl has their own personality and it is so funny. I also really like this blogger's photography.
3. Enjoying the Small Things - written by Kelle Hampton about life with two daughters - one with Down Syndrome. Has really opened my eyes to this disease and led to a better understanding of their abilities. Make sure you read Nella's birth story - it is so honest and raw, which is one of the things I love about this blog - its honesty.
4. Oh Dear Drea - written by a single mom with an adorable little girl named Marlowe. Drea works on a food truck, is a vegan, and a single mom. I find her blog very inspiring, and her lifestyle very down-to-earth and inspirational (think less materialism, and a more whole-foods approach to life and motherhood). It's not all sugary though - she does open up about her struggles as a single mom.
5. Blissful and Domestic - I don't read everything on this blog - it is very Christian-based, which is not my style, but this mom has some amazing tips on frugal living. Currently she is completing a year of homemade living. She does grocery shopping once a month! And never eats out! This family survives on $14,000 US a year!
6. Rants from Mommyland - hilarious rantings from moms.
7. Jasmine Star Photography - amazing website layout and style!
8. Smitten Kitchen - delicious looking recipes and AMAZING food photography!
9. The Nest Effect - the inspiration for my Home Management Binder. Also has some good budgeting and organization ideas.
10. The Long Thread - great craft ideas for kids!
Okay, so some of these are brief, or I only look at occasionally - coming up with a full list of 10 blogs was hard. I don't follow that many on a daily basis. And there are a bunch more that I have just started following on my phone, and don't know their addresses right now. I am sure they will pop up on a post sometime as inspiration etc.
The rules for the award are as follows:
1. link back to the person that nominated you (see the link above)
2. list 7 somewhat random things about yourself
3. nominate 10 other blogs and notify them that you nominated them
This sounds like a much more interesting way to list some of my favourite blogs. What timing!
So, without further ado, here are 7 random things about me:
1. I am scared of thunderstorms
Not really the storm itself, but the fact that it is often accompanied by tornado warnings. When a warning is issuued, I get the kids out of bed and go into the (thankfully, finished) basement until the warning is lifted. Yes, I am somewhat paranoid - which leads me to my next item.
2. I am paranoid
I always expect the worst case scenario, and make a big deal out of things that are not big deals. I hate roller coasters - not only because they make me sick, but because I think I will die on them. And I don't want anyone I know/love to go on them either. It is exhausting worrying so much.
3. I am a planner and a procrastinator
Sounds like an impossible feat, I know. But I really manage to excel at both of these. I make big plans/lists etc. and then put-off actually imnplementing them. It drives my husband nuts - I tell him all these things I want to do around the house and when he's ready to do them, I always find a reason not to.
4. I like rules
Anyone who knows me well knows that I like rules, and I don't like breaking them. I am always afraid I will get caught, or I will disappoint someone. I did my fair share of rebellious things in highschool, but as an adult, I really don't like to break the rules. And having rules lets me know what is expected of me.
5. I dyed my hair creamsicle orange (and I miss it)
In highschool, I bleached and dyed my hair the colour of a creamsicle. The exact colour was "Tiger Lily" from Manic Panic. I loved it. I wish I had the kind of job (and the guts) that would allow me to do it again. When my kids want to dye their hair crazy colours, I will be right there to help them. If you can't do it in highschool when can you. I am fortunate that I had parents who also felt this way and allowed us to express ourselves. Speaking of which...I always wanted to get my nose pierced -and I will....someday. Maybe while I am on maternity leave. Think it would be weird for a 30+ year old to get it done so late in life? LOL.
6. My kids are my greatest accomplishment and the thing that gives me the most satisfaction in life
My kids are the reason I get up each morning. They are the reason for everything in my life. I love my husband with all my heart, and couldn't ask for a better husband and partner in life. BUT nothing compares to the love you feel for your children, your babies. One smile from my 11 week old son, or a simple, unprompted "I love you mommy" from my three year old daughter can turn the worst day into the best. They are my everything. And I will spend the rest of my life being the best mommy I can be to them.
7. I hate that I look so much younger than my age
I know - most people would be happy to be mistaken for younger. And they never fail to say "oh when you're 40 you'll appreciate it"....but really, I am 31 now and I still get mistaken for being much younger. And while it might seem like a compliment, it also has its downsides - people ofetn treat me younger, assume I don't know what I am talking about, or assume I can't do something because I look much, much younger than 31 years old!
Okay, so now my ten nominees/favourite blogs:
1. The Great Umbrella Heist - a blog about life with spontaneous identical triplets. These girls are adorable and their mom does some beautiful photography. One of the little girls has Spina Bifida and reading her blog has opened my eyes and enlightened me to the ins and outs of Spina Bifida. I find myself cheering along anytime little Anna does something the doctors said she might never do.
2. This Year's Love Will Last - a blog written by a mommy of FOUR girls! These girls are always getting into something, and the stories are hilarious. Each little girl has their own personality and it is so funny. I also really like this blogger's photography.
3. Enjoying the Small Things - written by Kelle Hampton about life with two daughters - one with Down Syndrome. Has really opened my eyes to this disease and led to a better understanding of their abilities. Make sure you read Nella's birth story - it is so honest and raw, which is one of the things I love about this blog - its honesty.
4. Oh Dear Drea - written by a single mom with an adorable little girl named Marlowe. Drea works on a food truck, is a vegan, and a single mom. I find her blog very inspiring, and her lifestyle very down-to-earth and inspirational (think less materialism, and a more whole-foods approach to life and motherhood). It's not all sugary though - she does open up about her struggles as a single mom.
5. Blissful and Domestic - I don't read everything on this blog - it is very Christian-based, which is not my style, but this mom has some amazing tips on frugal living. Currently she is completing a year of homemade living. She does grocery shopping once a month! And never eats out! This family survives on $14,000 US a year!
6. Rants from Mommyland - hilarious rantings from moms.
7. Jasmine Star Photography - amazing website layout and style!
8. Smitten Kitchen - delicious looking recipes and AMAZING food photography!
9. The Nest Effect - the inspiration for my Home Management Binder. Also has some good budgeting and organization ideas.
10. The Long Thread - great craft ideas for kids!
Okay, so some of these are brief, or I only look at occasionally - coming up with a full list of 10 blogs was hard. I don't follow that many on a daily basis. And there are a bunch more that I have just started following on my phone, and don't know their addresses right now. I am sure they will pop up on a post sometime as inspiration etc.
Thursday 9 August 2012
The mind of a pre-schooler
Cleaning up the playroom tonight after the kids are in bed.....and we find that Miss P has taken all her Little People and lined them up in two rows facing each other....some day we will have to get her to explain why.
Rain
I know we needed the rain......but did it have to rain on Husband's last day of vacation? The day we were supposed to go to the Zoo? Good thing Miss P seemed to forget all about the Zoo, and never mentioned it today. We spent the day lazing around the house, and playing with the kids. Then we went to my parents' house for dinner - because our freezer/fridge are broken and we have no food until it is fixed.
Being a Grown Up Sucks Sometimes - Part 2
My fridge died. First it was the freezer. I noticed the $25 package of chicken breasts and the $13 of chicken drum sticks I had JUST bought at Costco (and portioned out into individual dinners) still were not frozen two days after putting them in the freezer. Then I noticed all the souvlaki pork that was frozen was getting soft. Then the popsicles melted. Miss P was so upset that she couldn't have one - after not having any for weeks, we finally had some and now they were pouches of coloured liquid!
Now my freezer seems to be cycling between a freeze and then thaw cycle. So everything in my freezer is now garbage. And tonight, I noticed the store-bought thermometer I keep in the fridge was reading 10C. Um, a fridge is supposed to be between 2-4C. Not 10. So now half the contents of my fridge are garbage.
We spent hours last night looking for the warranty information. When we were buying our appliances we somehow got talked into purchasing 5 year extended warranties on them. These days, I never pay for extended warranties, since it's usually a waste of money. This is one instance I am glad we did. We couldn't find the paperwork, but the store had it on file.
So when does our extended warranty run out? November 29th. Phew! Repair person will be here tomorrow. On the plus side - I get to go shopping. But being a grown-up sucks. That's a whole lot of money/food down the drain!
Now I have to figure out what to feed Miss P for breakfast tomorrow since we can't eat any of the milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt etc. in the fridge. Toast with peanut butter and water to drink. Yum. :$
Now my freezer seems to be cycling between a freeze and then thaw cycle. So everything in my freezer is now garbage. And tonight, I noticed the store-bought thermometer I keep in the fridge was reading 10C. Um, a fridge is supposed to be between 2-4C. Not 10. So now half the contents of my fridge are garbage.
We spent hours last night looking for the warranty information. When we were buying our appliances we somehow got talked into purchasing 5 year extended warranties on them. These days, I never pay for extended warranties, since it's usually a waste of money. This is one instance I am glad we did. We couldn't find the paperwork, but the store had it on file.
So when does our extended warranty run out? November 29th. Phew! Repair person will be here tomorrow. On the plus side - I get to go shopping. But being a grown-up sucks. That's a whole lot of money/food down the drain!
Now I have to figure out what to feed Miss P for breakfast tomorrow since we can't eat any of the milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt etc. in the fridge. Toast with peanut butter and water to drink. Yum. :$
Wednesday 8 August 2012
Inspired Wednesdays - Home Management Binder
Every Wednesday I plan to post something that is inspiring me. It could be inspiration to do something in my own home, something to change in my life, or just an inspiration to me. I hope you enjoy! And I hope I remember to post every Wednesday!
This week's inspiration is the Home Management Binder. I have just completed creating my own pages (hello! trying to get out of debt - not going to pay someone for some printable pages of tables etc.) - or at least enough to get started.
The Home Management Binder will help keep everything in one place, so that we can always find what we are looking for (without having to search out information from the filing cabinets). Currently, husband and I are trying to purge all the unneeded c.r.a.p. from our house (and hopefully our lives). As I posted before, we had a somewhat successful garage sale in June, and we will be having another one in September. We are tired of the junk and the clutter/disorganization in our home (and lives). We have a very small house and have now added a baby (and all the equipment and supplies that go with that - seriously, I had forgotten how much stuff a baby has - and combine that with all the toys and books and clothes out preschooler has, and we are bursting at the seams). Since we can't afford to move to a bigger house, we need to make better use of the space we have. And in order to do that, we need to be better organized so we can find things, and throw things out if not needed. So, enter the Home Management Binder.
Sorry, I don't have pictures right now (honestly, I am just too tired to take them and post them - I will later). However, I have listed the pages I am using/have created:
This week's inspiration is the Home Management Binder. I have just completed creating my own pages (hello! trying to get out of debt - not going to pay someone for some printable pages of tables etc.) - or at least enough to get started.
The Home Management Binder will help keep everything in one place, so that we can always find what we are looking for (without having to search out information from the filing cabinets). Currently, husband and I are trying to purge all the unneeded c.r.a.p. from our house (and hopefully our lives). As I posted before, we had a somewhat successful garage sale in June, and we will be having another one in September. We are tired of the junk and the clutter/disorganization in our home (and lives). We have a very small house and have now added a baby (and all the equipment and supplies that go with that - seriously, I had forgotten how much stuff a baby has - and combine that with all the toys and books and clothes out preschooler has, and we are bursting at the seams). Since we can't afford to move to a bigger house, we need to make better use of the space we have. And in order to do that, we need to be better organized so we can find things, and throw things out if not needed. So, enter the Home Management Binder.
Sorry, I don't have pictures right now (honestly, I am just too tired to take them and post them - I will later). However, I have listed the pages I am using/have created:
- Finance Calendar (what bills come out, when, and how much - as well as income) - current month
- Debt Overview (list all debt, provider, account numbers at a glance)
- Debt Repayment Log (one page per debt listed on overview, with more details and tracking payments - especially extra payments)
- Home Repairs (date, service, provider, and warranty - i.e. plumber)
- Weekly Budget information (who got paid, how much, what needs to be paid/transferred/carried forward, and how much cash - since we pay for groceries/gas/allowance in cash)
- Important Contacts (name, relationship, phone number - such as vet, family doctor, family members, lawyer etc.)
- Household Maintenance -2012 (a checklist - i.e. smoke alarms - test, and then we can check off under each month that we test them)
- Vehicle Information & Maintenance Record (one page per vehicle)
- Pet Information and Vet Appointment Record (one page per pet)
- Important Account Numbers/Information (ie Company Name, Phone Number, and Account Number for the cable, internet, cell phones, home phone, gas, hydro etc. so it is all at a glance - no more pulling out old bills to find this information)
Change of Plans - being a grown-up sucks
Husband was supposed to be on vacation for two weeks starting this past Saturday. We were so looking forward to it! We had so many plans - something every day of each week. And he really needed the vacation, as he has been under an enormous amount of stress lately. However, due to some unforseen issues at work (sorry to be vague, but I can't really talk about it for obvious reasons), he had to cancel most of his vacation. He still had almost one week off though, and we made the most of it.
On Saturday we spent the morning at the Enchanted Garden event at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, ON. It was incredibly hot, but Miss P had so much fun. It was the third annual event (and the second time we have gone), and they added so much more this time. There were way more faries and gnomes too! This year they added tree medallion decorating (last year they already had the tree medallions on a string and glittered) - the tree medallion is given to you with your Magical Name after you have received it from the Fairy King & Queen. Miss P's name was Sedge Firetail :$ She liked it, but I am not as fond of it as last year's: Sunshine Willow. They write the Magical Name on a tree medallion (a slice of a small branch) and give it to you to go decorate and put on a string to make a necklace. Then we went to get her face painted, make a Fairy Garden, and make a Crown (out of willow branches, feathers, coloured yarn/ribbons etc) and a Wand (out of bamboo and feathers, yarn etc.). She had so much fun - even though we practically melted in the heat! In the evening we went to Husband's parents' house for dinner and a swim.
Sunday we did some grocery shopping and got everything ready for our 2 day trip to the cottage in Wasaga Beach! With two little kids you need enough stuff to fill a van! Seriously! It looked like we were going for a month! We only went from Monday - Tuesday! We had so much fun and really got to relax. The cottage was right on the beach - which is perfect because there are 8 million things to carry to the beach when you have kids. I managed to get a somewhat bad sunburn, even though I was in the shade most of the time. And poor Little C (who slept in his bouncy seat in the beach tent) somehow managed to get a bit of a sunburn on his cheek. I tell you - I was one freaked out mama! I pride myself on the fact that my kids don't get sunburns. I am dilligent about sunscreen for Miss P, and Little C is too young for it. However, we were careful to keep him covered and in the shade. We called the Dr when we got home and best they can figure is we were close enough to the water that the sun reflected off the water and up under our beach tent/umbrella. He is okay today, but it looks red. Doesn't seem to bother him too much. But I felt like a total failure.
So tomorrow is husband's last day off this week. He has a few days off next week, and we will be making the most of those days as well.
It sucks that our plans had to change (and therefore some of the people we had planned to see won't be seen now), but he will have a week to take in the early fall (if we can find a time) - and while other family and friends won't be on vacation with us, at least it shouldn't be so hot and we can do some outdoor things without melting (or worrying about Little C overheating). And, since most people will be back to work/school, some of the things we want to do won't be as crowded (and maybe cheaper!).
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