It's Monday!
Monday is my favorite day of the week. I started this one off exactly how I wanted too. Business cards ordered, blog posts published, emails checked. Today I put so much french vanilla in my coffee it made me smile just to smell it! I'm going to enjoy this coffee as long as I can, and maybe even through in a second cup. Unfortionately my daughter is off celebrating Thanksgiving with her dad, but that means I slept in until 8 am, and I don't have to say "watch the coffee" every 2 minutes. I celebrated my wonderful Monday by doing a sink of dishes while my breakfast cooked, and put away my brand new wine glasses, then after a little more blog updating (must get as much done as I can while I'm child free, she likes me to play with her rather then be on the computer) I'm off to do the laundry. Well, some of the laundry...there will never be an end to it, but I can still dent that pile in my laundry room! Also on my list, a super long shower, complete with hot water and no little hands knocking on the door or playing peek a boo around the shower curtain. Now to why I love Monday so much. The weekends are long for me. Everything is closed, and all my friends are out doing things while I'm home with my daughter, or I'm trying to make plans for when she's with her dad but sometimes I'm just too tired. During the week my friends are home, or at work, and I actually talk to them more. Everything is either really busy or completely silent over the weekends, it makes me feel seperated and isolated sometimes, but trying to get out and do things can be difficult. It's hard to make plan with a large family, as everyone wants to see us so we leave time open, then they don't show so nothing happens. I do enjoy weekends in my jammies watching movies, but when my anxiety (yup, I still have some anxiety left...) anyway, when it acts up, then I want the doctors and dentists and stores to be open. I want to know that there are people to talk to, that someone is home to visit, that there are people to see. Even when I'm not anxious I like to know there are poeple around and that I'm not all alone in this town. Plus I find Mondays are so productive. Everyone is back from the weekend, and at my age lots of us have relaxed and recharged, so we can get together for coffees and play dates. I also like that I can start finishing some of the items on my to do list. I can call and make appointments, I can go to some appointments that I made before, I can shop without the line ups (sssshhhh that's my secret favorite time to shop, don't tell everyone!) and I can answer emails and phone calls. The sheer productivity of it makes me happy, I feel so proud of all I accomplish, and I can coast through the evening with a cup of tea and prepare for the rest of the week. I get to watch the kids go to school, the buses going past, watch the world wake up and start their day, settle into their routines, and begin the week. I'm not sure why, but it all makes me think that I'm part of it all, and helps get me energized for the week ahead. Plus, as everyone else hates Mondays, I can be cranky and not need an excuse.
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I got up and online this morning and finally ordered my business cards! Free Business Cards with Customisation by Vistaprint I'l admit they aren't exactly what I was going to do, I was hoping to somehow include our logo, BUT when I saw all the houses in a row I got a feeling of neighborhood and community, which is exactly what I was hoping to build here, so this is the one I got. I can hardly wait until they arrive and I can s
I spent an entire day with my family and no one punched me (they don't mean to hurt but...) no one called me names, and no one cried. That's a success like I rarely see!
In most families that wouldn't be surprising, and you probably all wonder why I'm so pleased about it. There's no way to explain my family dynamics in less then a two page essay, so the sentence "we don't get along" will have to do. They pick on me, a lot. I'm little and they aren't. That's right, at 30, I'm little and they push me around and call me names. I'm not sure if it's because I turned 30 last month, or because I've had such a hard year, but this year they were a lot nicer to me then normal. I could get used to this! I probably won't though, I don't expect it to last. No matter why it happened, I'm glad it did. It reminded me that they aren't all bad, and that I should be happy with the family I have and enjoy them, that they can (and do) help me when I need it, and that they are my family for a reason. Well, the part that showed up anyway. I can't honestly say I missed the rest very much...it would have significantly increased the likely hood of someone crying. We cooked together. We ate together. We cleaned up together. I laughed. They laughed (not at me!) and then we all laughed together. It was weird, but I enjoyed it. I forgot how much fun these people could be. Now I'm plotting on how to keep it this way. I'm thinking I'll find some more jokes to share, maybe that'll help :) Do you have tricks for keeping things fun at family gatherings? No matter what happens next family gathering, I'm glad I went to this one, it has provided me with a recharge that I greatly needed. Here it is again, flu season. It always starts in the daycares and schools. Some moms will spend hours or even days trying to figure out who's kid took it there, where it started, who to blame... I personally don't see the point in that. I had a similar conversation when my daughter broke out in spots (on another note, did you know that apparently no one can tell you for sure if it's chicken pox or not?) when her father claims no one at daycare could possibly have it (even though they can have it and show now signs) so where did it come from? Well, let's see where kids get sick:
Daycare. School. Doctors offices. Dentist offices. Grocery stores. Shoe stores. Clothing stores. Restaurants. Play places. Parks. Friends house. Grandparents house. Anyone who they visited at work. Parents who have no symptoms. Then of course if they got it from a parent who just isn't showing symptoms, which is one of the advantages of being bigger, then there's a whole other world they could have brought it from too. I sometimes subscribe to the simplier but much debated "sometimes kids get sick" theory on life. Either way, she found it and brought it home. It started simply enough, she lost her lunch once and had a headache, then the next day seemed fine. A little sicker the day after...it went on for about five days with a few iffy moments every day followed by lots of play and fun and just feeling fine. There was never any sign of fever, no lost sleep, no increase in sleep, just a slight change in eating habbits and the odd tummy ache that ended in the bathroom. By the 6th day she was definately sick. I'm not sure what made the change, but it was terrible, for about 2 days, then we had a rough 15 minutes and she was again fine for the rest of the day. After this is all over I'm investigating her tolerance for mild products, but one thing at a time... I noticed in some of the networking groups I'm in that there are a lot of parents who are angry that sick children are going out in the world. I would like to both apologize for my transgressions in this area, and comment that maybe that energy being mad could be used to care for yourself and your child instead. I understand one frustrated sentence or annoyed "she got it at school" but beyond that you're just making yourself feel worse. My daughter had NO signs of being sick for the majaority of the week, but it clearly was there. The fact that I took her place not knowing she was sick does not make me a bad parent nor does it mean I meant to harm your child. I simply didn't know, and these mistakes happen. My duaghter also has allergies so those who say I need to keep her home with a runny nose, I'm sorry, it won't happen. She has a runny nose in the spring, the fall, and like most kids, much of the winter. I've been advised by a doctor the times that she can't go to school and I adhere to those very closely, and apply them to other areas of life as well. My daughter has come home from daycare with stuff a few times at least. I find it annoying, it's hard to watch her sick, and I wish that I could control these things, but honestly she could just as easily have gotten it off a grocery cart as there. I feel bad that my child may have spread germs and made other kids sick, that's not something I would ever wish on anyone, but what am I to do when I don't know she is sick? Next I'm sure she'll bring home lice between preschool and grade one. It's bound to happen. I know there was a breakout in my elementary school at least a few times and I never ended up with it, but that doesn't mean she won't. If she does I will be disappointed, it will be work to deal with it, and I will feel bad for her. I will also feel bad for the child who had it first, they are kids and don't know, but I'm sure there will be teasing at some stage. I will encourage my child not to tease others as sometimes things happen. I also feel bad for their mom, as it seems that something I see as annoying and inconvenient is creating straight anger and disdain in some of the other moms. Is that what we learned in school? Boys didn't judge us enough, and socitey doesn't put enough pressure on us? Now we have to bully each other by judging, ignoring, being rude and harsh with other moms. I feel this is a waste of time and makes us all look bad. It seems the world has moved from the "mean girls" phase into "mean moms" and I can't say I'm happy to be around it. I also think this will shape how we raise our children and I don't think that they will have it any easier then we will. I was hoping for more for my daughter, and I have met soooo many supportive and understanding moms, I hope the few bad apples I've come across won't ruin it for everyone. It's flu season. Wash your hands. Don't share utensils. Dress warm. Get sleep. Good luck! :) As promised, I'm posting my couponing adventures here, for all to see :) Here's some of the pit falls from this week, and the hidden costs I've already found.
Purchased SUTP coupon book: noticed that most, or all, of the coupons I bought from a neighborhood child, to support a local school, are NOT being accepted by businesses located in my town. To use them I must do it while I am already out and in the city near my home. This is not disasterous as with proper planning I will still use several of them, and it'll be great for when I just don't get home on time, but disappointing that I can't use them to support local businesses. I also plan on trading several that I won't use for ones that I will at the local coupon swap. Many coupons are available online only. This is both convenient and inconvenient at the same time. In order to access these coupons I must spend time on my computer (using electricity and personal time) to find them, then electricity, paper, and ink to print them. My favorite sites are ones that allow me to choose several coupons and print them on one page at the end rather then print one at a time on a seperate piece of paper, or ones that mail them to me. Some I like are: -www.save.ca -P&G Brandsavers -LivingWell.ca I will add more to my list, or future posts, as I try them. I will only add sites I like, or refer to where I found them and you can try them for yourself. It takes time to cut, sort, and store all coupons. I have choosen a small accordian file that fits into my purse easily so I am less likely to forget it at home. I try to keep it on my person at all times, which means I only have to try and remember what all I have coupons for and to use them. It also takes additional time to learn the rules associated with the coupons and the rules at each store you shop. The rules differ greatly between them, some allow stacking (using more then one coupon per item) others allow you to use them on sale items, some allow both or neither of those practices. I'm still learning what all is involved in couponing, and so far I'm enjoying myself and looking forward to savings on many items, but there are downsides to the practice. More couponing adventures next week!! It seems that while I really knew nothing about life and the real world in high school, there are lots of things I had right. I'm finding myself returning to some of those habits and beliefs, and so far they are serving me well.
Family is made of those who love you and care for you, not just those who are related by blood Dancing is the best exercise you'll ever have, and it helps keep you happy too! If you don't want to do something, and it's not absolutely necessary, then don't do it Hard work is important but needs to be balanced by lots of fun Wear the clothes you want to wear, be comfortable and look how you want What you wear and the music you listen too show people who you are, don't change them for anyone The best sports games are the ones your friends play in, or against your top rivals Some people just aren't worth your time, but everyone deserves a chance to show they are Making enemies is easy, but making friends is worth more Girls CAN be friends with boys, if you want nothing else to happen then it won't Your parents actually don't know everything, but they will almost always know a little more then you There will always be those who feel they are better then you and won't want to talk to you, they often have no reason for it and it's not worth trying to imporess them The 'mean girls' grow up to be 'mean mommies' at preschool and playgroup (not mean to the kids, just the other moms...) Live life every day, there will be time when you are older that you can't stay up so late and you'll be glad you already have Who you do things with is as important as what you are doing Maybe when my daughter gets to high school I'll be able to see these same beliefs in her, and I would be happy about it. The kitchen is where we cook, bake, and bond. This is where all the food that sustains my family is made with love and care, and where I hear the most intersting stories. There's nothing like baking cookies to get your child to relax enough to tell you all about school last week, who their best friend at dance class is, or what they want to be when they grow up. Maybe it's the smell of fresh cookies or the pride of knowing that they made them, but it's pretty successful.
The dining room table also offer so many opportunities to become closer to my girl. Games, wrapping gifts, decorating the cookies we just baked. What a great place to sit with no distractions and learn a new card game or how to print a sentence. These are things that help our children grow, and we get to watch it all. I also enjoy having my friends over, we can sit for hours over a pot of coffee and plate of biscuits, sharing news of the neighbourhood, our families, and how very busy we all are. Theres something about sitting across from someone at a table that helps you focus on what you are doing and worry less about what's going later that day. It helps to spend quality time with people you may not get quanitity time with. These are the places that memories are made. The living room is great for TV and dollies, but the kitchen and the dining room, they are where the food and the majic are. For years I have tried to use coupons. I clipped them and carried them ages before any of my friends considered it. I would use the money I saved for items for the food bank. Now I am using them to save on the things I need for my little family.
I clip them and carry them and often forget to use them. I follow all the rules, such as not valid with other offers, use on regularily priced items only, all the fine print has been followed to the letter. Now I'm watching all these shows about coupon stacking and using them on sale items and price matching then using coupons... If other people are getting away with breaking the rules, then either the rules have changed or I should try too. I'm going to start taking it more seriously now! I'm signing up for all the free samples I can find, bought my SUTP book and I'm excited to use it. I'll share some tips and tricks that I learn, and share my adventures here, complete with how much I've saved :) Does this make me a couponing mom now?? I became so bored the other day that I actually stared just reading through the applications available for my new iPhone. I know people kept telling me I needed one, and since I had a malfunctioning button on my last phone I hadn't seen what apps were available. To me it's just a cell phone, and I use the notepads, etc, but I've never worried much about extras. That is certainly startint to change!
I'm sure you have ideas of games and pictures dancing in your heads now, but I've found a way to keepmost of them to useful and life related. I even found some that will allow me to take pictures of the bar codes on my food to build a grocery list (finding one that works in Canada is proving a little more difficult...) I found one that shows me all the coupons, flyers, and sales in my area, and will even track my coupons and notify me when I get to the store that I have them. (ShopWise from Yellowpages) I of course have the weather network, and I'm very happy with the new integrations for FaceBook, it's one of the reasons I'm getting along so well with my phone now, plus I have FaceBook Pages to control my fan pages from anywhere! (currently needing 2 new fans on my page to reach 100 *wink*wink* I also added Weebly so I can blog from anywhere (my daughters preschool seems as good a place as any) and my horoscope just for fun. I found Lemon Wallet which allows me to add in all my customer cards and some receipts, making my actual walllet lighter, Cineplex for girls nights :) and a new app that allows me to get important health carnumbers as wella s hospital addresses, maps, and wait times at the emergency room. I love having poison control's number at the touch of my screen, and when you have allergies or seizures in the family it's good to know which hospital is closest and which has a shorter wait time. I've added an app for my library card that allows me to hold, renew, order, check out, and locate books, and even borrow e-books from my local library. Also, I have Vlingo, that allows me to control my phone by voice command, including sending and replying to text messages and emails, or update social networks. I have one game for my daughter, and just for me, just because I want it, I added 10 songs to my phone for when my iPod battery dies on a run, which is clearly the only time that battery ever runs out, like it knows... In a world that revolves around mobility and accessability, I am jumping on the band wagon and taking my life with me as I go! As a mom who also has other things to do, this is a wonderful development. I think that the secret to being a true Super Mom must be the coffee...
I have been cleaning more. I have been writing more. I've thought of and made new crafts and projects. I sleep less. I'm even remembering to eat healthier. I finally get it. Moms keep offering me coffee and for years I've limited my intake (it's healthier to have less, and cheaper too...) but forget that! I feel better and get more done, and my daughter assures me I'm more fun this way. Just yesterday we made fingerpaint, she painted while I blogged (2 yesterday, and 3 today!) I even scrubbed the bottom of my fridge (I don't know what goes on in there, but it always needs to be scrubbed...) and did my dishes by hand. Today I'm going to start cleaning my house one room at a time, enjoy this amazing fall weather, and scrub the fresh picked carrots for carrot cake. As my "done it" lists grow, I feel more accomplished, more confident, and much happier. The reduction in clutter in my house allows me to reduce the clutter in my mind and think more clearly, which in turn makes it easier to get more done. And to imagine I had cracked this in high school, when I took my morning cup of coffee with me on the walk there and nursed it through my first two classes. No wonder I've been trying to sort out how I lost so much productivity. If this is my bad habit, and it makes me a better person in every other way, then I will proudly announce to the world that I am a COFFEE ADDICT. Yup. Maybe I'll even start a support group out here. We can meet twice a month and try a new flavor of coffee, or a new creamer... Perhaps this super mom can now finally get those books posted for sale...and finish the adult ones I started. My goal is to make my family and myself happy, keep us healthy, and finally conquer the house cleaning that seems to multiply each day. If I can do just the first two, I will be a super mom for sure! |