Car Play

Well, hubby is working on his car. I'm sure he's glad to be home! Hahahaha...Unfortunately, it's nothing fun today. Something about a ball joint. Sounds painful, and he's already been working without the results he wanetd all morning :(

Luckily my car is loaded with options and still under warranty. Back when we got my Cadillac (because I wanted a four-door for the baby), we also looked at the Chrysler 300. Since hubby is a 'car guy' (maybe I'll go into my theory about all that someday...), we always do stuff to our cars anyway. I think next on the list for the Caddy is the iPod adapter thingy so I can play all my music in the car. Woo-hoo! If we'd gone with the Chrysler, I'm sure we'd be deciding between a Chrysler 300 accessory or two..or three..or..hahahahaha...

Cars can definitely be a source of endless entertainment ;)

So Much Room!!

I figured out the fastest way to be happy with our house - after two months in a tiny German apartment, home sweet home feels like a PALACE!! With the way the real estate market is lately, we figure we won't be upgrading any time soon. But with the comparison we've got fresh in our minds now, we have plenty of room here! Hahahahaha...

This weekends projects (which could have run all last week, but we procrastinated) are a lot of clearing clutter, and organizing the space we do have. Fantastic hubby did the long counter in the kitchen last night (and now I have my own junk drawer - woo-hoo!!), and he said the bedroom is up for tomorrow.

The big problem in the bedroom? My clothes. In boxes. It's from the whole pregnancy thing. I have 'regular' clothes, maternity clothes and nursing clothes. And never the twain shall meet? Something like that.

My goal is to work on clearing some space in my office so Maggie can play in here while I work. It hasn't been cleaned in...oh...years, so I think my work is cut out for me.

More Calendar Issues...

So why wasn't today Thanksgiving? Not that it matters much to me from here, but I'm just curious. I'm sure it's one of those first-Thursday-after-the-second-Wednesday-that-falls-on-an-even-numbered-day-that-the-sun-shines sort of thing... In another year, guys would be putting on their cufflinks and getting ready to celebrate today, I bet. But not here. I'm done celebrating here for another week ;)

Or Maybe...

What else could help my dearest have the perfect garage? How about Ingersoll Rand air tools? They could make anything he tries to do out there so much easier. I remember how happy he was to get his air compressor to help put down the hardwood floors. These could only complete the collection, right? And after all he does for me, making him happy is job one. :)

Family Stories

So my mother-in-law and brother-in-law are here now. They flew in yesterday and will be spending the week with us. It's the perfect week for it; with Thanksgiving and the day after being celebrated in the U.S., my brother-in-law will miss less school while still getting a full week here :)
My mother-in-law was telling a story about one of her first dates with my father-in-law. They were all at her parents' house hanging out, when her sister got home from work. They heard a funny popping noise from the garage. My father-in-law started laughing because he recognized it right away. Her sister was insistent when they went out to thge garage that the telephone pole had been moved out into the street. Yeah, right. The noise they heard was her attempt at do-it-yourself dent repair with a toilet plunger. Hahahaha..I'd never heard that one before..

Lights, Camera, Action!

I never knew so much could go into a home theater set-up. There's home theater lighting, special seating, projectors, screens, fancy sound stuff, popcorn (hehehe...okay, so that's just for me!)...the list goes on and on!
Time to revise my holiday wish list - I was just asking for a remote that worked and speakers that were smaller than the couch! Hahahaha

Cyber Granny?

Okay. When I heard about assisted living software, I totally thought it was time to get my grandma a computer and we could worry a little less about her. What I actually found was that it is intended to assist in the operation of assisted living facilities. That makes so much more sense. I've been trying to talk my grandma into getting online FOREVER. If I combined that persuasion with assisted living, which she also won't discuss, our conversation would come to a grinding halt in no time. True story.

The List

It's strange how the list of 'things we must have before leaving the house' has changed. Although it changed once we had the baby, surprisingly the camera did not make it to the list then (although my mom says it should have ;) ) Now, not only is the camera on the list for all trips outside the apartment in Germany, a lithium battery would be too, if that's what our camera operated off of. As it is, my new 3 a.m. question has become, "Honey, is the camera battery being charged?" Cuz really, who wants to remember to take a dead camera on a day outing?

Dum Dum Da Dum...

So there's a girl on a forum I frequent that just got engaged. Actually, the guy is on there too. Anyway, most of the forum is 20-something guys who have no concept what goes into planning a 'traditional' wedding. The announcements, showers, invitations, hall, church, wedding flowers, cake, etc, etc, etc.... It's insane, really. While I think any girl who's up to the challenge deserves whatever wedding she wants, I personally opted to elope - both times! I've been married twice (gonna keep this one!), but I wasn't actually 'in a wedding' til my brother got married last fall. Crazy, eh?

Too Cute!!!

Check out these baby clothes! Luckily I didn't get too bad while I was pregnant, but now I'm a sucker for cute onesies and such :) Who says a baby can't make a statement, just because they're less than two feet tall (okay, is it still tall when they're usually lying down?)? Maggie is just now going into her 3 - 6 month clothes, and it'll be Christmas by the time we're out of those...I'm sure there'll be lots of cute new stuff coming then.!

Working for Da Man

I am so relieved to have gotten the work-at-home job I needed so much. While the love of my life spoils me quite a bit already, there are a few debts I'm still working on whittling down. One of them is my student loan. After nearly ten years of university study to get a four year degree, the amount I owe really added up. Then as soon as I finished school, I was so burned out I spent time not working. Since I already had a student loan consolidation, it was a little too easy to call them up and skip a few payments...for like a year. Now there's no more 'grace' left, and I need to come up with nearly $200 each and every month just for my remaining student loan debts. So I keep working, and make sure the job opportunities I take are enough to meet my budget for my student loan and other private loans. It can be done, with a sound plan.

Beautiful!

I don't think I've made it any secret that I want to be pregnant again (not real decided yet on labor and delivery - hahaha). The only thing that would be missing from another pregnancy would be another baby shower! And the best thing about a baby shower now would be these adorable little soaps! Bloomin' Belly Soaps are tiny little pregnant bodies, made of soap - too cute!

The shower favors were just the first thing that caught my eye on the site. They also have pampering products, birth beads for necklaces in the same beautiful pregnant body shape, and some other heart shape and mini soaps for favors and gifts. My very favorite one right now, though, is the 'Pink Mama in Bloom.' It's a silken vanilla soap with a little pink ribbon across her breasts as a reminder of all those affected by breast cancer. What a gorgeous tribute!

Safety First

I've been really trying to appreciate our really hot water lately. We've always had the water heater set as high as it goes, so when you turn on any of the Delta faucets in our house to hot, nearly boiling water comes out. Sure, I cuss at it from time to time when I just about burn my widdle fingers, but I appreciate it too.
Once Maggie gets big enough to control her hands, we'll have to turn the water heater down for safety's sake. It's a sacrifice, but a clear one to make for our little bundle of joy.

Darn

Didn't hear anything back on the job today. I am severely bummed. And now I'll have at least all weekend to wait. Darn.

We have one more week with hubby/daddy at home. After next weekend he has to go out west to the Venetian hotel or someplace else in Vegas, where they're leaving to do hot weather testing for like ten days or something. Next he'll come back home for one measly week and then we'll begin the exodus to Germany. He'll go first and I'll follow - hopefully after training for that job I really want.

I don't know if I mentioned how much I want that job??

Date Night!

It's Thursday again, and my marvelous man has arranged another babysitter for us. His dad and his dad's wife are coming over tonight so he and I can go out. My special request for tonight is the movies (with popcorn, of course). Since they're coming over pretty soon after he gets home from work, I imagine we'll grab something for dinner while we're out.

I'm trying to talk him in to a bit of shopping. Nothing fun like books, but apparently they're right - my priorities as a mom are changing. I DESPERATELY need new clothes. Every day I wear jeans (thank goodness for that little bit of spandex, eh?) and a maternity shirt. Okay, so today I'm wearing one of my tighter fitting shirts that is a bit longer, but it makes Maggie's feedings a bit more challenging. I would love a pair of casual pants (instead of jeans, to dress things up a bit) and a few nursing tops. We'll see!

Dinner on the Patio?

So I'd like to modify my answer to #2 - Things you'd like to have, regardless of cost. Actually, I'd need to then answer it in two parts, an outdoor kitchen, and a cool yard to have it in (so it's only a slight modification, since I already asked for the patio). Right now, we'd end up looking at the neighbors on their patio, which would just be kind of awkward, ya know?
While we're at it, can I have a chef to go with that? hahaha

My Mind is Still South of Here

At least the weather is warming up a bit here (compared to earlier in the week, when it almost felt like fall). It still isn't bikini weather, though, which I totally missed out on with my big pregnant belly when summer was here. I tried to talk to my friend in the Bahamas today, but she wasn't home. I guess I'll have to dwell on Florida again. I'm not sure where Broward county real estate is in relation to my Miami haunts, but it's definitely closer than here! Anyone want to help me find a house? Find a big enough one for the right price and maybe there will even be a spare room for you! hahahaha

Mission Accomplished!

We did it! Maggie did not get at all fussy during all of our errands. We went to the post office to overnight mail MORE MONEY to try and get her birth certificate corrected, then to Target for the stuff on my list (except popcorn :( ). The afternoon was going so well I splurged on one of those projection televisions - just checking to see if you're reading, hehehehe - actually got a cute outfit and another shirt for Maggie. On the way home we drove through Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch for mommy (nevermind that it was already after 3 o'clock).

Her big thing this afternoon was trying to sit up. She'd hold on to my thumbs and I'd gently pull her up, then she'd wobble around trying to hold her body in a seated position, with her big roly-poly head perching precariously at the top of her neck. Hehehehehhe...how exciting! Now she's exhausted from all the effort and has fallen asleep in her swing without any fussing at all!

Frustrating!

So I decided not to say anything til it was fixed, cuz it generally makes me feel pretty stupid. See, my man has the TV routed like, through the VCR and a receiver, and maybe the toaster oven too (I'm not sure...). Well, he's taught me what buttons to push on the remote control to make it so I can just use the channel and volume buttons and watch some TV. All's good, right? Almost. The power went out Saturday morning, which resets the whole elaborate system. So I had to call him, while he was eating dinner four states away, and he had to talk me through using another remote to turn stuff on/off/sideways so I could watch TV. And while he did, I could hear his friend laughing in the background. I'm sure they were both rolling their eyes and saying, "Darn women..." Whatever.

In my ideal living room, we'd have a much better set up. Besides home theater furniture, there would be a big, bright TV with one remote that made the channels change and the volume change at my easy command. Is that too much to ask?

Lazy Sunday

So much for accomplishing things while my man was out of town. Last week, I got two cupboards organized in the kitchen (pretty sure I already bragged about that...). My goal for this weekend was either cleaning out under the sink in our bathroom (with the goal of comandeering a drawer in there for my make-up, since he hates when I leave it all on the counter in a basket), or continue on another cupboard or two in the kitchen. Yeah. About that.

I'd need to get rubbermaid stuff to do the bathroom. Prepare yourself for a very lame excuse: Maggie spit up (three times!) on my last pair of jeans yesterday, so today after church, I put my pj pants back on. Yes, I've seen what some kids wear out in public lately, but I am NOT going shopping in my pajamas. Oh well.

The kitchen alternative is fading with the daylight. I read a book all day, and now the only way I could do much of anything in our kitchen is if it had some track lighting. My man and I both complain that the one light in the middle of the kitchen just doesn't cut it after dark if you're trying to work on the counters or in the cupboards. So I'm sort of off the hook. Except it's only me that wanted to see something accomplished today, which leaves me kind of disappointed in my own (lack of) productivity. Darn.