The Guilt
29
Jul 2009
As a parent, how do you get over the guilt? Especially the guilt of not being able to give your kids something that they really want. I am struggling with that today. Zane is on the gymnastics team, and next week they are having a week long camp. Most kids on his team are going, and it is an extra $160 on top of what we pay a month already. I have worked really really hard to keep gymnastics in our budget this Summer while I have been out so many kids. We simply cannot afford this extra money right now. Now, I have to tell Zane and I seriously feel as if I am going to cry. He wants to go so bad. He already told us that we don’t have to buy him any birthday presents, all he wants is to go to camp. Well, camp is a lot more than we would spend on his birthday presents this year! I know it wont always be like this, hopefully I will find more kids soon and things wont be so tight. But for now I am feeling really bad. I know not going to camp is not going to be the end of the world, but it is something important in his 6 year old life that I cannot give him and that makes me feel lousy.
Tags: gymnastics, parenting, zane
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
A Moment To Brag
28
Jul 2009
Today I took Zane to the store to get some new shoes. His were seriously falling apart and getting so tight that every time he had to put them on there would be a lot of grunting and rolling around on the floor in frustration. Usually he wears these slip-on Vans that cost way too much money but are ridiculously cute so I buy them anyways. Well, times are tough right now so I bought Zane some much much cheaper shoes at a different store that I am really happy with. The only problem is these shoes have laces. Zane has never had laces before, only slip-ons. In the car he asked me how to tie them and I told him I would teach him later today when we got home. A couple hours after we were home and settled, he brought the shoes to me and again asked me to teach him to tie them. I told him all about making the knot, then a bunny ear, going around, through the loop and pulling them tight. He said okay. Then he started practicing. He asked me to clarify the loop a couple times, and the size of the bunny ear, but other than that he just kept trying. I had already moved on to another task, but a couple minutes later I noticed him walking around with tied shoes. The kid already figured it out! I was so surprised I made him untie them and show me that he could do it, as if they had magically tied themselves the first time. Sometime he just amazes me. He learns things so fast and easily. Anything we teach him he immediately commits to memory and it is learned.
Here he is all proud of himself!
Tags: zane
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
To The Person Who Stole Ian’s Bike
28
Jul 2009
You are a big fat meanie head. Why on earth would you steal a bike with a flat tire? I hope you didn’t realize it had a flat tire and you rode it home and fell off and skinned your knee. Then I hope you went home with your knee bleeding and realized you had no band-aids, although, knowing you, you probably just STOLE SOME!
That is all.
PS-Why did you not steal my bike? It was right there, and mine even has streamers and a cool basket. Not going to lie, I am slightly offended….
Tags: ian
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Heather and Ian sitting in a tree…
27
Jul 2009
I have been married 7 years today!
Every year on our Anniversary I always think about our 1st anniversary and what a crazy time that was! On our first anniversary I was actually 2 days past my due date with Zane, so it wasn’t really that romantic of a day! I was huge and miserable and just wanted to have a baby already! Ian and I tried to make the best of it by going out to dinner, but while we were gone Ian’s siblings called the house and told My Mom (who was staying with us anxiously awaiting Zane’s arrival) to have him call them immediately. My Mom got kind of worried so she called us at the restaurant and told us that Ian’s family needed him to call home, and it sounded like it was an emergency. Of course, Ian and I were worried so we hurried and left the restaurant before we were even done eating and rushed home to call them. It turns out they had been taking bets on when they thought the baby was going to be born and just wanted to tell us what everyones guess was. At that point any sliver of romance was gone from the evening and I am pretty sure I went to bed. Needless to say, it could of been better.
Tags: anniversary, ian, love
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Sick or Just Pregnant?
24
Jul 2009
I am not feeling so hot today.
My stomach feels like it is ssttrreeettccchhiinnnggg, which is not a very comfortable feeling. It hurts bad enough to make me feel nauseous. This is what I get for gaining 4 pounds total my first almost 6 months of pregnancy. My body is finally trying to catch up. My whole body feels like it is moving in slow motion. I think I need a really long nap today, which I will not get since I have kids here all day. I am not sure if I am coming down with something, or if I am just pregnant. My bet is on just pregnant.
Tags: pregnancy, rocky
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
I am so Jealous right now.
23
Jul 2009
My sister is on a train to Chico today and just informed me that her entire train is full of Amish people. There are few things I love more in this world than the Amish. Last time Ray saw an Amish person she took their picture with the camera on her phone. I had to make her promise to never do that again, they do not want to have their picture taken. One time an entire group of Amish youth came into Chili’s when I was eating there and I pretended to go to the bathroom three times just so I could see what they were ordering. Fajitas.
So far, Rachel has told me that they are all wearing Crocs and speaking German. I took a semester of German just for this reason!! I need to be on this train!
I am so Jealous.
Tags: amish, rachel
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Bombastic
23
Jul 2009
A little backstory-
For the past few weeks we have been having some major Internet and Phone issues. Our connection will just randomly drop and then it will be off for an unknown amount of time before it will just randomly come back on again. This can take minutes or hours. There are days where we do NOT have service more time than we do have service. They have sent 4 different Tech guys out here, and every time they are able to make it start working, pat themselves on the back, and then they will leave and it will go out again. I am about thisclose to switching providers all together. Since Ian and I both do a lot of work on our computers, and I have to have a landline as part of my daycare license, having connection is a big deal. Also, I know you guys eagerly await me to post these blogs, so I would hate to keep you waiting!
I woke up this morning with the Internet and Phone out again. I called Bombast (not their real name) and told them the story for the 10th time. They sent a technician out immediately, who was very nice and apologetic that I was still having so many problems. He looked around a while, both inside and outside our house, and then came back in and asked me if we had any lightening lately. I said that we had a couple months ago and asked him why. He then told me that it looked like our cable box had gotten hit by lightening. I just stared at him for a moment, pondering this revelation. Now, I was going to make a comment about how this seemed highly unlikely, that lightening would of struck our house and we would not of been aware of it. However, about 10 minutes before that I had told him that I was pretty sure it was a ghost causing all the problems, so I was pretty sure my credibility was shot at that point. So I played a long with the lightening theory, he got to work outside replacing all these scorched pieces of cable from our cable box (they were scorched from the lightening). After a while he got it working, everyone was happy, and I was seriously starting to wonder if maybe our house really did get struck by lightening and I was just asleep or watching T.V. or something.
Tags: bombast
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Mafia Wars
21
Jul 2009
Now, I hesitate to even tell you about this, since I do not want you to fall into the same trap I did. Mafia Wars on Facebook may be the most addicting thing I have ever played. I have just joined 36 hours ago and already have made it to Level 18 and built quite a solid little mafia empire. The game is pretty simple, there is a lot of strategy involved, but it does not take a huge amount of time to complete. I have just had a window open on my laptop and every time I walk by I will do a couple jobs or get in a couple fights. The joy I am getting from this game is absolutely ridiculous. It is the greatest procrastination/writer’s block enabler I have found so far.
If you feel like playing, which I do NOT recommend unless you are fine with having it take over your entire life, please join my Mafia. If you are not my friend on Facebook, leave me a comment and I will add you!
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
The BIG Weekend
20
Jul 2009
This weekend was Zane’s 6th Birthday Party! His real birthday is not until the end of the month, but we decided to have his party early since we were having all his cousins over for a sleepover! Looking back, maybe not the best idea to have both GIANT events on the same weekend. We ended up with 12 cousins, and then another 9 kids came to the party on Saturday. Early on Friday Zane got the most Awesome birthday gift EVER from my parents, a TRAMPOLINE!!! He was so excited! It was perfect timing since all his cousins were able to use it also! Although it did cause a lot of this conversation:
Kid- Is their turn over yet?
Me-Not yet, I will let you know.
KId-Are you suuuuurrrreeee their turn is not over yet?
Me-No, I promise I will tell you when it is your turn.
**One MInute Later**
Same Kid-Is their turn over NOW? They have been on for hours!
Me- They have been on for 3 minutes, and if you ask me again, you will lose your turn!
**30 seconds later**
New Kid- Is their turn over yet?!?!
Me- **Burning Trampoline to the Ground**
Tags: birthday, family, zane
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
We survived!
19
Jul 2009
We did it! 12 kids, 2 nights, and one rocking birthday party! We are exhausted! Details to come.
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Goodbye.
17
Jul 2009
I am writing this in the last moments of silence before our house is completely taken over. This weekend is Zane’s birthday party. We have 11 of his cousins spending the night both tonight and tomorrow night, and then we have 20 kids here for the Birthday Party tomorrow. I am not sure that Ian and I are going to survive. It is also over 100 degrees this weekend.
Please pray that neither Ian nor myself freaks out and runs screaming down the street. I may, at some point, lock myself in the bathroom. If things get bad I am going to pretend that I am Michelle Duggar and start talking in a really small voice and let my eyes glaze over and just ignore everything. Then, I will sew all the girls new matching prairie dresses. If that doesn’t work, I will pretend I am Kate from Jon and Kate plus 8 and just yell at Ian the whole time that he is not helping me. Either way, at least I have a game plan.
I will blog again on Sunday, if I have not posted by Sunday night, please send help.
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Billy Mays Here!
16
Jul 2009
Today we saw an OxiClean commercial and Zane was really upset that they did not show Billy Mays. Zane loves Billy Mays. We watched Pitchmen together as a family and when Billy Mays died Zane wore a blue shirt to honor him. He is still sad about it. We miss you Billy Mays!
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
Zane is NOT tired.
15
Jul 2009
Zane worn out from 2 hours of gymnastics practice today. But don’t even ask him if he is tired, he is NOT tired. He just wants to lay on the couch with his blanket and pillow and occasionally close his eyes and forget to open them. But he is NOT tired.
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
This is Amazing.
15
Jul 2009
I saw this while driving to Zane’s Gymnastics today. Since I love you all so much, I risked my life driving while taking a picture with my camera phone to show you this:
I know, I know, you can’t read it. I am sorry, the camera phone only has so many options…”Zoom In” is not one of them. Let me transcribe what is written on the back of the window.
“I left my heart in Neverland
Heart U MJ”
There are no words to describe my reaction when seeing this, but I will try to describe it anyways. HUH?! The lady driving this car has been to Neverland? Why is her heart there? When did Rachel get a new car? Did “I am sad Michael Jackson Died” just not seem dramatic enough? How on earth could anyone possibly love Michael Jackson this much?! Enough that you would buy special paint to paint a message of heartbreak on your car now that he is gone? I think Thriller is just as Awesome as the next person, but really people! My mind is officially blown.
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
I need a Wife.
15
Jul 2009
I feel like my To-Do list will never end this week!! Now, this usually surprises people, but I am actually a very organized person. For some reason I come across as very relaxed and care free and easy going. In reality, I have notebooks full of To-Do lists, the only reason I appear relaxed is because I already have a 5 point plan in place incase any given situation changes. I LOOOOVVVEE to make lists. I write absolutely everything down. I have even been known to make rough drafts of my lists, and then clean them up to produce a Master List.
Now, this week has been especially crazy. Let’s not forget my brush with Fame. Now I am planning Zane’s Mario Bros. Birthday Party, which includes a Super Slumber Party! Don’t even get me started on the fact that my baby is gong to be 6! That is a whole other Blog to come! I have also had a couple daycare interviews this week, which is good. I am not sure if they will work out, but it is better than nothing. I am trying to rework my contract and get a really great action plan for finding more kids, and what I want my daycare to be like once I find those kids! Oh, and did I mention that there is a Little Human growing in my belly?!? Zane still has gymnastics twice a week, so thats a full 4 hours! Not to mention my other many hobbies that make me feel like a real person and not “just” a Mom/Wife. Between all that and the normal “Running a Household” responsibilities, grocery shopping, paying bills, errands, cleaning, cooking, giving Zane a thousand kisses a day and snuggling with Ian in the evening, I am feeling stretched pretty thin! It is funny to me that I feel busier now as a Stay at Home Mom (okay, technically a Work at Home Mom) than I was when I worked full time!
Posted in The Kitchen Sink
My Feeds