~where does the time go?~

Tweet

~Wow, so it's August already (well, in 2 hrs it will be).

~I've been out of work for more than 2 months now.

~Miraculously found a swimsuit to fit my fat-after-baby body.

~Going to local gym tomorrow morning to swim laps, they have child care.

~Hoping child care people @ gym are 'ok', otherwise I may never return to swim.

~Would like to make swimming a Mon-Wed-Fri thing and running on Tues-Thur.

~I was w/o internet for 1.5 days, lost 'BIG' money not being able to ChaCha.

~Tried doing ChaCha tonight but their server is soooooooo slow. Frustrating.

~Took a test today for a temporary Recruiter job with the Census. Passed the test.

~Was told that I won't hear anything for about a month from Census for interview.

~Met 2 ladies tonight @ local Panera to trade coupons. Got a few good ones, but the lady 'in front' of me also uses Pampers and took ALL the diaper coupons. Totally sucked!

~Switching to AT&T and Dish over the next few days-so super excited. We'll save a little $$ every month and I won't have to deal with the gross incompetence that is KNOLOGY.
Note: If they are available in your area, steer clear. I had them out for service @ least 20 times in 3 years. And I'm on my 4th modem.

~I think I may apply to the Kroger bakery since FC has not called. Maybe they take rejects there so I'll have a chance. :-)

~The last few nights, I'm getting crazy-hungry very late @ night or @ 3am when I'm up with E. Not good for the diet.

~I have lost my scrapping interest for the time-being. Just not feelin' it.

~Hopefully going to see "The Dark Knight" on Saturday night.

~another week~

Tweet

~It's Monday, another week, not much planned.

~Today though, E and I had to go to the post office to mail a package. From there we dropped some plastic bottles @ the recycle center and then I decided to go to the used book store. I'm totally addicted to buying books for Ethan. I need to break this addiction/habit, at least until I get a job.

~Anyway, I scored BIG TIME @ the used book store. I got 5 supercute hardcover books for $17. I recently bought ONE book @ B&N and it cost me $19!! Lesson learned!!! I did come home and wipe the books down, sanitize them etc....call me paranoid, but I like to think they are very clean. They all looked brand new too.
~So I have been selling stuff that I don't need. Need the money, so I'm selling whatever I can. I also have a good portion of Similac formula left over than I desperately want to sell. We used very little when E was very little...LOL...and so now I'm stuck with all of this. I have posted it on Craigslist and even on a local Moms website here in town and I am not getting any bites. I've lowered the price at least 3 times and even listed it as BEST OFFER. Oddly enough, I was going to include all the formula coupons along with it but someone actually contacted me and BOUGHT the coupons from me. Then I had 2 cans of Enfamil that I got FREE in the mail and a woman (w/triplets) contacted me about those too - I made $14!!! What's the deal with the Similac? They are these awesome little 2 oz bottles too. They are very handy and convenient when you are out and about. Also prevents you from wasting a lot because in case you didn't know, you have to ditch formula after it's been open for 1 hour. Yeah...sucks!!

~All that to say, I could really use the $50 for this formula so please send me some 'formula selling vibes' or something. I'm desperate, plus I hate to see it all go to waste. It expires at the end of the year and some early 2009.

~Yesterday O decided that E didn't have many toys and so we trekked to Babies R Us, where I swore I wouldn't shop again (ugh) and picked up some fun things for him. So far, he's totally into them. He's also a bookworm, thanks to his mom. LOL. We read at least 3-4 books a day. He usually pays attention, but more often nowadays he would rather eat the book. :-) So here he is with his new toys. He is also sporting a new bib, one that actually FITS around his neck (unlike the ones we already had)...this one says "Chick Magnet" LOL!

And I love this picture because he can scoot all over the place, but only backwards. He got himself backed up under the chair, it was pretty funny.

~ChaCha update cuz my life is so exciting. On Saturday, I did 85 questions and on Sunday I did 80. Woohoo! My daily (realistic) goal is 50 so I'm pleased with 80. Today I did 50.

~friday randomness~

Tweet

~Signed up on Facebook the other day...I like it...A LOT better than I ever liked Myspace...blech! Found lots of high school folks and hoping some others pop up soon. So cool!

~Lawsuit update: Lenovo is burying their head in the sand as my lawyer says and so we are moving forward with filing suit. Hopefully this will be like lighting a fire under their a$$ and they'll decide to pay up. Losers!

~I was going to the mall today to meet another SAHM. She cancelled this morning. Why am I not surprised?!? Maybe E and I will still go up there and walk around...I haven't decided.

~My exciting weekend plans include a trip to the SuperTarget only because we have a "$10 off if you spend $100" coupon and so we will go do our grocery shopping there this week. I also have some other Target exclusive coupons so it should be well worth our while. Pretty sad when that's what I find exciting these days.

~And because I needed yet MORE confirmation that I am a big loser...there has been no word from Food City. I truly am surprised on this one considering that my hairdresser/friend spoke with the district mgr and she seemed all interested etc. Like I said before, I probably failed the personality test...LOL.

~I also went and applied @ B&N the other day. They are reviewing apps for the Fall and depending on when they need help will depend on who they hire. So I don't expect to hear from them anytime soon considering the Fall is 2 months away.

~O finally had his 1st appointment with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday for his knee. He has an MRI on Monday and then meets w/the doc the following Monday to go over results. He should have the surgery done no later than 8/15 if all goes well.

~I have reached 500 questions on ChaCha...which equates to $100 smackers. WooHoo. They pay out on 8/15 so whatever I can accumulate before then is what I'll get. My goal was 5k questions, but I think that's a bit lofty. Maybe I should try for 2k instead. That would still be $400!!!

~Hope you have a weekend more exciting than mine. :-)

~the baklava adventure~

Tweet

~Dad and I made the baklava yesterday.

~Not sure why I've always heard it's so difficult. The recipe I had was rather easy so I guess the most challenging part of it all is just dealing with the filo dough because it is soooooo thin.

~All in all the baklava turned out good but we did make 1 semi-big mistake...you are supposed to slice the baklava BEFORE it goes into the oven because the dough becomes so crispy that it makes a complete mess if you cut it afterwards...we didn't remember to cut it up before it went in the oven...oops.

~Here are a couple pics...After cutting, before we poured the honey/sugar sauce overtop. (sorry it's a bit blurry)

Upclose shot

As for taste, it's pretty good but not as good as the baklava I found @ a local restaurant here...oh that's good!! I must find out their secret. LOL!!

~And on a completely unrelated note...this little gadget that Ethan has is the most wonderful little thing ever - especially when teething - it holds a slice of frozen peach (or other fruit) in a little mesh bag on the end and he chews/sucks on it which keeps him VERY occupied and happy. What a great invention!!!

~kind of pathetic~

Tweet

~I am poking fun @ myself...this is not a 'whoas-me' post...

~Just to show you how pathetic my life has become...I have resorted to being a ChaCha Guide online. Now if you don't know what that is, don't worry, I didn't know until a friend told me about it a week or so ago. Apparently you can text any question you can think of to 242242 and it will be answered by a live person - a ChaCha Guide.

~I figured it was a way to make some money as opposed to NO money...although it's really close to making NO money. I get .20 for each question I answer and sure it adds up but the last 2 times I've sat down to answer questions, I've calculated my hourly wage to around $5.00!! That sucks!!

~I must say though that I am amazed @ the ChaCha Guide who signed up 1 month ago and already did 5000 questions - holy crap - that's $1000!!! I barely have 216 questions completed and signed up on 7/10. That person must not do ANYTHING else.

~OK~that's how pathetic me and my life are right now...just in case you wondered.

~when it rains it pours~

Tweet

~You know, when 1 thing goes wrong, it's often followed by a couple others and lately that just IS my life...so @ this less than wonderful time in my life it seems that the TV is on the fritz...lovely...cuz I just so happen to have boo-koo $$$$$$$ to replace it, right?? WRONG!!

~Don't get me wrong, it still works, but every 2 seconds or so, it makes this absolutely annoying and obnoxious clicking/crackeling sound and the screen flickers - quite distracting and ultimately makes TV not so enjoyable. *insert big fat sigh here*

~Good News!! Ethan slept from 12:30am all the way to 7am today - alleluia...there is a God!!! I was amazed! Is asking for a repeat tonight pushing it?

~I desperately want to soak up a little sun - just an hour or so for a little color. It is summer after all and even though we aren't going ANYWHERE, it would be nice to have a little tan. I do not see a window of opportunity for that anytime soon though. Darn!

~Ethan rolls over all the time now, the funny thing is that he scoots backwards but can't figure out how to go forward...sooo funny.

~I'm a bad mom...should have taken the camera to the grocery store w/me this morning. E slept the whole time but the "kodak moment" was that he had his hand hanging from the rings (for toys) hooked on his carseat...you had to see it, it was funny.

~I recently switched from IE to Firefox and I like it ALOT. Speaking of internet, I must confess/admit that I switched back to Bloglines from Google Reader. I like the extra features of GR, but I like the 'simpleness' of BL better.

~O has Nat'l Guard this weekend, so it'll be just E and me hanging out.

~On Sunday my dad is coming over and taking E and I out for an early dinner (woohoo!). Hopefully he'll want to help me put that baklava together - I finally have all the ingredients. :-)

~Survey Time~

Tweet

Swiped this survey from Nichole...

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now? The base to Ethan's carseat and a sweatshirt (for going into those places that are OVER air conditioned).

2. When was the last time you threw up? Feb 8, 2008

3. What's your favorite curse word? Going to have to agree with Nichole and go with sh*t.

4. Name three people who made you smile today? Kimberlee (hairdresser), Ethan and my lawyer...it's gonna get ugly...here we go.

5. What were you doing at 8am this morning? Eating my breakfast (quickly)

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Leaving Food City with a couple bags of groceries so I can make something new for dinner tonight.

7. What will you be doing three hours from now? Working on dinner.

8. Have you ever been to a strip club? Nope and don't plan to.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud? "Let's change your diaper" - to Ethan of course.

10. What is the best ice cream flavor? I always go back to Mint Chocolate Chip

11. What was the last thing you had to drink? Diet Orange pop w/marashino cherry juice mixed in. Yum!!

13. What was the last thing you ate? A marashino cherry.

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Definitely not...I will feel like I have a whole new wardrobe if I could only get this last 20 lbs off.

15. When was the last time you ran? Yesterday morning.

16. What's the last sporting event you watched? Honestly, actually sat down and watched - gonna have to say the Stanley Cup Finals.

18. Who is the last person you emailed?An old co-worker, Julie...it's so good catching up with people.

19. Ever go camping? Yes, once...hated it.

20. Do you have a tan? Ha...I wish. I actually bought a lounge chair to try to get some sun while I'm not working, thinking E would nap long enough for me to do so...hasn't happened yet.

24 (?). Do you drink your soda from a straw? Only if it's fountain soda, otherwise directly out of the can/bottle.

25. What did your last IM say? I have absolutely no idea

26. Are you someone's best friend? I hope so.

27. What are you doing tomorrow? I'll likely be @ home all day hanging out with Ethan.

28. Where is your mom right now? In Canada - Vancouver area - visiting family.

29. Look to your left, what do you see? Bills, scissors, envelopes, book I'm currently reading.

30. What color is your watch? Silver w/green face.

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia? Kangaroos

32. Would you consider plastic surgery? Consider yes...go thru with it..not sure.

33. What is your birthstone? Peridot...or light green...eh, not too crazy about it.

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through? With baby in tow, it's always drive through now, but I don't get fast food that often.

35. How many kids do you want? 1 is good.

36. Do you have a dog? Nope, 2 crazy felines.

37. Last person you talked to on the phone? my lawyer.

38. Have you met anyone famous? The scruptious Mark Ruffalo.

39. Any plans today? Making dinner...that's about it.

40. How many states have you lived in? 4

41. Ever go to college? Yep.

42. Where are you right now? At home.

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? No job & waiting for lawsuit to settle.

44. Last song listened to? "Chasing Pavements" by Adela

46. Are you allergic to anything? Not that I've discovered yet.

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? Old beat up beige pair of flip flops.

48. Are you jealous of anyone? Yes.

50. Is anyone jealous of you? I highly doubt it. I'm pretty much @ rock bottom so there's not really anything to be jealous of...unless you're dead.

51. What time is it? 1:57pm

52. Do any of your friends have children? Yes.

53. Do you eat healthy? I try, but it doesn't happen all the time.

54. What do you usually do during the day? Change diapers, wipe up drool, read books and kiss my little chunky boy a bazillion times.

55. Do you hate anyone right now? Pretty close, but hate is such a strong word, I wouldn't go that far.

56. Do you use the word hello daily? Yes, when I answer the phone.

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 37...ouch.

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes, in Arlington, TX.

60. How did you get one of your scars? I have a scar @ the edge of my eye that I got when I was about 5 yrs old. I ran down the hall @ my grandma's house, somehow fell and smashed myself into her bedframe, cutting my eye. The best part...my Raggedy Ann doll got matching stitches. I wish I still had that doll.

~just stuff~

Tweet

~So, most of you (if not all of you) should know that my email account has been compromised twice now and has sent out some crazy message about buying some crap in China. I've since deleted my Contact List and changed my password, so hopefully it doesn't happen again....but if it does, then I'll be forced to change my email account entirely. Ugh!

~Tell me that this doesn't make sense....I took 3 days off from working out due to (1) laziness, (2) a sore knee and (3) a sore foot...anyway...I worked out today and weighed myself prior to said workout...the scale was the lowest it's been post-baby. Talk about NO positive reinforcement to continue working out...heck, I think I'll take another 3 days off and see what happens...did I mention I didn't really stick to 'diet foods' that well either. Crazy!!

~Monday E and I went over to my hairdresser's house to hang out and she did my highlights for free - due to 'no job sympathy' - that was really nice of her and I was super excited. I got WAY more than highlights though...I would say it's more along the lines of 'platinum blonde' or I like to refer to it as 'rockstar blonde' - LOL!! If anything, it makes me look a lot younger, so that's a bonus.

~I applied for a couple PT jobs...we'll see what happens. My hairdresser has a connection @ the local Food City and I would not normally want to work in a grocery store, but I would love to work in a bakery...so if they need help in the bakery so maybe I'll end up there. I've wanted to learn cake decorating for a while so at least I could work somewhere doing something I love (baking) and then still be able to learn something as well (cake decorating). I applied @ the bookstores too, but I must say that I'm more interested in a job @ the bakery.

~friday randomness~

Tweet

~haven't made the baklava yet, but I will report the results when I do make it. It will likely be the week after next as (1) I have to buy 1 lb nuts, (2) they are expensive, (3) making it is not a necessity and (4) O didn't get as good a paycheck as normal since he was out for the tooth pulling...so I wait.

~my handmade journals were featured on the 'STYLE' (my neighbor's show) show on my local news yesterday - (link on bottom right hand side), unfortunately, it has not produced any sales for me.

~no plans for the weekend, surprise, surprise.

~no progress on lawsuit yet...in fact, I was supposed to know something this week but my lawyer was in depositions Tues, Wed & Thur which ultimately put MY case on the backburner (after he said he would be calling the evil company on Tuesday)...needless to say...not too happy...there had better be some progress next week!!!!!!!!!!!!

~I'm hooked on Banana popsicles by Mayfield. YUM!!! Thank goodness they are only 1 WW point.

~I made my last paycheck last for 6 wks...not bad if you ask me...but now I need another.

~Drove out to softball fields tonight to try to get picked up on a softball team (haven't played in 2 years...longest drought of my life)...a little league world series had taken over the entire ballpark so no ballgame for me. Maybe next week...

~Ethan keeps doing this thing where about 30-60 minutes after he goes to bed for the night, he wakes up screaming bloody murder...it's like he's having nightmares...but do babies have nightmares? I don't know?!?! I then have to take him and hold him 'til he falls asleep again...sometimes he still cries a bit so that's why I don't think it's really nightmares. He's been doing this for about 1 month now....Dawn...any ideas? It makes me so sad!!

~Speaking of Ethan...he covered me in poop today...literally!!! It was all over...why does it shoot up their back instead of forwards where the diaper is?!?! Geez!! It was on my tank top, my chest, somehow even on my bra, all over E...it goes on and on - it was gross, funny, but gross.

~OK - I really really really need/want a PT job...I need suggestions though as there really aren't many options based on when I can/want to work....I want to work a couple nights/wk approximately 6pm-midnight (or so) and then Sundays...these are the hours when O is home and since it would be a low paying job, this is my only option as paying a sitter would make NO sense. SBUX would have been perfect but as you know the mgr flaked on me...the mall isn't open late enough, nor do I want to work @ the mall. I have no waitressing/bartending experience so that won't work...they usually want you to hostess first if you have no experience and I'm really not into that. I'm not trying to be picky, but surely there must be something out there. The other coffee shop isn't open yet and doesn't look like it'll open up anytime soon...Argh!! I desperately need some spending money...it's like pure torture going to Target now...since I can't buy anything.

Being unemployed & broke sucks - in case you wondered.

~suzie homemaker~

Tweet

Yep -that's my new name...

In my times of extreme boredom, I have turned to a favorite pasttime...baking!!! In the past week and a half I have baked:

1) Carrot Raisin Bars
2) Banana Bread
3) 2 Dozen Brownies
4) 5 Dozen Cookies

And I am about to attempt making Baklava. I've always heard it's so difficult and so I want to try for myself.

The bad part of all this is I DO NOT NEED all this fattening food in the house and I have to job to take it to....I sent some w/O to work though, so that helps.

:-)

~5 months old today~

Tweet

~eh~

Tweet

~I think I'm "over" the whole bloggin' thing...just not feeling the motivation to post that I used to...oh well, let's see what I can scrape up...

~O had a tooth pulled yesterday so he's doped up on some Hydrocodone and I'm single-momming it. E and I are going to my mom's for lunch tomorrow for a break.

~E and I went to 2 Target stores today, which was quite fun. One for purchases and then we went to the other to make a return. :-) That was our excitement for the day and he slept @ the 2nd store, so apparently not TOO exciting.

~Due to medication, we'll be home tonight - maybe we'll watch fireworks on TV...not sure...don't care all that much about them anyway.

~We are planning to go see the US Olympic Diving Selection Camp on Sunday. It's hosted by UT and the 10 meter dives will be Sunday...should be fun. Grandma will come take care of E while we escape for a few hours. Hopefully O is feeling better by then.

~I have a ton of home projects going on, but no free time to work on them. Trying to place some river rock down by the mailbox, re-painting 2 pieces of furniture and applying a slightly distressed look to them and O is helping me make some little mini-albums (4x4, 5x5 and 6x6) out of some 'hardy board' (sturdier than chipboard and more wood-like)...I plan to post them on Etsy when they are done in the next couple days.

~That's about it!