Budget this...

OK, I just started a budget last week. And yes, it is the first budget I have actually followed....in my life. That explains why we are in the mess we are...it was working great! until an unexpected even occured and extra fees were going to be coming out for hospital parking, food, etc....it can be adjusted of course, but here I had been staring at the one budget for days and had it memorized and now that all goes out the window. Sigh...we will survive.

I know most people are used to preparing and following budgets, but I am not. I found this great idea online today

http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2011/06/reader-space-cassies-monthly-budget.html

How do you handle your budget (or do you even have one :-) )??

'Sup?

How goes it?

Things, they are a changin 'round here. We are sticking to a pretty tight budget, so, seems we cant spend and spend like we are so accustomed. Dangit! So, I am trying to get into meal planning, where I plan what we are having each night of the week. This way, I only purchase these things at the grocery store:

Here is what I have for this week:

Monday: Pork Chops, Some Veggie, Some Bread
Tuesday: Chicken Sandwiches Chips, Pickle Spears
Wednesday: Baked Chicken, Green Beans, Biscuits
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: Fish Sticks, Tator Tots
Saturday: BBQ
Sunday: Homeade Pizza

What are some of your favorites to make for dinner? I have a long list of options, but would love to hear some other ideas, we need all the help we can get!

I found some great links at http://orgjunkie.com/2011/06/menu-plan-monday-june-2711.html

So, its been 100 years since I have posted. A million things have happened.

Anyway, for the boys birthdays we are getting them a little rodent pet...Haden will be getting a hamster and Christian will be getting a guinea pig (my fave!) Some people think I am crazy, but I clean up and feed so many other things, whats a few more right?

Funny guinea pig story I found in one of the blogs I read.

I hope to post a few pics from our scout campout this weekend, it was a good time! (for real)

Burning Down the House

So last week I left of discussing Snowmageddon and Valium.

I gave Christian 3 mls of valium before his dentist appt to get two cavities filled. Well, you could definitely tell he was more subdued....but he cried from the driveway to the dentists office because I wouldnt let him have a Pop Tart.

He was happy to be at the dentists office because they have video games, he was running around like nothing happened. He laid on the table fine, but then we wouldnt open his mouth.

Then I was able to bribe him with Pop Tarts and he then opened his mouth so they could look. When she started drilling, he started crying and quit cooperating.

So, I had to make another appt and I will give him a different medication because the Valium didnt work, sometimes it has the opposite effect and it makes them very emotional. Really? How can Valium not work on a 4 year old?

I know you are all wondering, did I complete my simple to do list for last week?

Here is what I had left:

Drop off all donate bags/boxes in back of truck: DONE!

Go to YMCA at least once: DID NOT HAPPEN.

Bring in surge protector to work - NOPE

Order pics from Tasha: NOPE

Buy card reader and burn photos: Yep!

Download video: didnt happen either.

So, Im not very good at getting things done, I dont think this is a big revelation, to myself or anyone else.

BUT, I did get the pics downloaded and shall post some in a post later on today.

And finally, today is my birthday. I am only 4 years away from 40 and Im not real sure what to do about that or how I should feel. I know I mentally dont feel 36 but physically sometimes feel like I am 85. So I guess I should be happy I have my health, family, yada yada. If I had a cake with candles, it would start a house fire.

Gifts are always accepted and appreciated...:-)

Just say No!

So, I thought I would check my goal list to see if I had accomplished everything on my list:

1. Prepare materials for Scouts to be able to put Blue and Gold Banquet invites together on Wednesday - I did this! Yah! Of course, scouts got cancelled, so they didnt put them together, but I had my part done!

2. Drop off all to donate Bags/Boxes in back of my truck - still in the back of my truck

3. Go to at least one class at YMCA at lunch this week.- didnt get this done and it isnt going to get done

4. Bring in surge protector for work so I can hook up my cup warmer. - could do this if I were going back into the office this week, but I didnt bring it in the beginning of the week.

5. Finally order pics for house/work frames from Tasha - nope

6. Buy a new card reader so I can upload pics to my computer...most go back way before Christmas. - crap, nope

7. Burn all videos from camcorder onto CD - nope again...


All of this is stuff I can do this evening and tomorrow, since Snowmaggedon is coming....

On another note, I just gave christian 3 mls of Valium in prep for his appt today to get cavities filled...this should be interesting....cant wait to see how it affects him, if at all...

Goals this Week

I hope to be able to check back in on Friday and cross these all off:



1. Prepare materials for Scouts to be able to put Blue and Gold Banquet invites together on Wednesday


2. Drop off all to donate Bags/Boxes in back of my truck


3. Go to at least one class at YMCA at lunch this week.


4. Bring in surge protector for work so I can hook up my cup warmer.


5. Finally order pics for house/work frames from Tasha


6. Buy a new card reader so I can upload pics to my computer...most go back way before Christmas.


7. Burn all videos from camcorder onto CD



Lets see if these simple goals can be completed this week.



On another note, this crazy right wing redneck passed her CHL (Concealed Handgun Class) this weekend....watch out!

I have a bunch of likes these last few days/weeks:



** Movies about Zombies - Zombies are becoming very popular in our house these days.



** The Wahlberg Family - Both Mark and Donnie...yumm



** My prospective YMCA membership - I have eaten and drank so much food in the last month, I am almost sick of eating anything....I am so bloated and have gained at least 7 pounds if not more...my pants are tight again...so much for the 20 lbs lost over the summer...



** Shows about hoarding - I have been watching Hoarders on A&E for a while now, and now they have a show on Animal Planet called "Animal Hoarders"...these shows motivate me to throw stuff away...I love it....

Sarge

This is Sarge. we took him in as a stray about 6 months ago. We are no longer able to give him the time and attention he needs. He is up to date on his shots. He is not neutered. He is not trained. He is approx. 2 years old. He has a very sweet personality but is very hyper due to lack of training and attention. He is a great guard dog and would make a great companion for someone willing to take the time to give him what he needs. Please let me know if you or anyone you know would like become his new owners.

Please forward this to your friends. We really need to find Sarge a new home.

Haden

This is the type of video Haden likes to watch on the Internet

Wow...

OK, found out this news this morning. NKOTB is going to be touring again, not sure if Houston will be a stop, but they will be touring with Backstreet Boys...I cant say I was the biggest BSB fan, but I am pretty sure this will be a pretty good show...

Show me the money!!

Hello fellow bloggers.

I could write novels for days about all of the things that have been going on, but I choose not to...

So I will vent about one thing in particular: School Fundraisers

OK, I expect them, I know they are coming, I dont push people to buy, I might send an email or stick it on the table in the break room...but I dont push it...(I dont think)

This is what has happened in that arena so far this year.

Haden got his fundraiser book

Christian got his fundraiser book the same week I turned Haden's in...not a big deal except the books were exactly the same...great

Cub Scouts gives me their fundraising book - everyone wants to pay over $20 bucks for Popcorn right?

Christian gets yet ANOTHER books from his school - yankee candles

Hadens gets yet ANOTHER from his school - pies and cobblers

They have them within weeks of each other now...I know they need money but good grief. I have chosen not to even acknowledge the last ones from each...its not only people having to pay, but then I have to make sure I have everything right and all the money....seriously, I dont need extra things to do...


And now, some pics of Flat Stanleys vaca to Seattle...thanks Stanley for checking it out for me, I so want to go now...I want to go to the original Starbucks.....

Check out my littlest dude at his first T-Ball practice....

When they were lined up throwing, he promptly hit another kid in the head with the ball.....good thing was, Im not sure the kid even noticed, and the balls are softer than regular baseballs...

My Precious (say in creepy Golum voice)

Finally, here are pics of Christian on his first day of pre-school....so stinkin cute.....

Wow, someone told me my blog was gone and when I looked, my template was deleted!

So I changed it and now Blogger has some neat new designs!

I dont have anything to really say, I do have pics, but need to get them off the camera!

Ciao!

The other boys

I finally found out Christian starts his Pre-K next Thursday. He is very excited. I like having kids that actually still look forward to school!




As for Kaelen, I really dont know about his first day. He is currently living with his mother. Who, believe it or not, lives 1/2 a mile from us. If I tell the soap operatic story here, I will say things that are ugly, so I wont tell the story. Its like a bad nightmare.


So, hopefully, Kaelen will get to school dressed and fed..or actually, hopefully he will just get to school.....:-)


Here is a pic of my ever loyal dog Hector....

Schools in!

There was a time long ago, and I mean long ago, where I had it together. I could remember anything and everything, I never paid a bill late, I didnt lose everything and I was early to places.

I am none of thise things anymore. I remeber nothing, I bill most bills late, I lose everything and I live in an altered reality where I think it takes less time to get places than it actually does.

Today my baby started the third grade. Really? Good grief...it just isnt possible.

And my baby, didnt want me to walk him to his classroom (not that I had much choice being I got him to the school as the bell was ringing).

Here are the pics he would let me take of him.

I got this one before he realized what I was doing and smiled instinctively.

No, he isnt crying, this was me trying to make him smile

This was him getting tired of me trying to make him smile.

Here is my new do, or some of it....

Whacked it off and got bangs, which I regretted 5 minutes after I did it, which happens every time I get them when forget how much I hate them.

I like it over all, the bangs are really annoying me...

A Breather?

The last 2 weeks have been RIDiCULUS with work. This is what happens when they fire everyone and everyone else leaves for greener pastures. Good grief... It appears I have a small moment to actually take a breath....

I am getting very excited for summer to be over with. I much prefer having a schedule with the kids, I could have a schedule with them during the summer, but that requires too much effort on my part..so, yeah, I will do it when I only HAVE to. LOL.....

Haden won the Air Hockey Tournament at his daycare yesterday, he got a little medal. I am so proud of him, especially because he is so competitive! I have to take him down a notch or 2 when we play Wii or Board Games...he seems to feel he should be able to Bowl a 300 in real bowling because he can on Wii...and he thinks he can throw 98 mph b/c he can on Wii baseball...I love him being competitive...I think it will make him work harder for things he wants in all aspects of life....unfortunately, I think many kids his age will not be competitive..why should they when they get trophies for just participating and schools dont expect more of them..anyway, dont want to get on that rant....

Christian's teeth are still in his head, seems they tightened up pretty good at his last checkup, just a wait and see, I dont want to pull them unless necessary..and they should be coming out on their own by Kindergarten

Good news, I will be able to go back to my regular in home sitter in a few weeks, thank goodness, we have missed her so much. Daycare just isnt my forte.....

I have no pics to post, because that would require picking up a camera....

So please enjoy the ridiculusly old pics of me and others in high school....I remember thinking the higher I could get the poof on my head the better....LOL

"FAIL" Thursday

I still continue to be amazed when people or organizations do real bone-head stuff, it just seems people do not think at all before doing certain things



The Tea Party



I like what the Tea Party stands for - stopping the ever expanding govt, stop raising taxes, etc.

But seriously, what dumb a*& thought this was going to get their message across











I am not an Obama fan by any means, but I dont think he is like Lenin or Hitler...come on! You didnt think this would reflect negatively on the entire party? FAIL


The Department of Justice (DOJ)




I was floored when I heard that the DOJ had dismissed the case on the individuals in this video.


Voting Poll


I was even more floored when an additional video was located on the individual holding the night stick


Kill


Are you kidding me? If this had been a white guy, there would have been a very fast trial and he would have been put away. Unreal. I still cant believe it every time I hear this...why isnt this guy in jail for hate speech or intimidation or a terroristic threat..


DOJ - You FAILED!!!



Obama (or whoever handles the stimulus money distribution)

Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs

Sigh...I dont even know what to say....you dont think 15 million or even 5 million could have been spent on something else??

"Tired Mommy" Thursday

Again, it wont let me move pictures...weird.

OK, today was the zoo, in the rain!!

We were planning on going on Wednesday, but it was raining..since the weather was the same today, I thought what the heck. We had an umbrella and that is all we needed...there was some standing water...and the rain came and went and came and went again and so on....it was nice actually, there were very few people there AND it wasnt sweltering hot....it was pretty nice....

Meerkats wondering why all of the stupid humans are standing in the rain looking at them

Baby elephant.....ahhhh...

Giraffes are always cool

Boys in the rain