Friday, August 26, 2011

Goodwill goodies.

I haven't been to Goodwill in a couple of weeks! Seriously! I wanted to go when hubby was on vacation, but we ran out of time. I was beginning to have withdrawals! Mercedes & I planned a trip on Wednesday, 1/2 off day. But when I got there, I learned 1/2 off day was only the 3rd Wednesday of the month. I missed it by one week. Pfft. In we went anyway.







(I'm telling you, it's a sad day when one goes to Goodwill & gets miffed it's not 1/2 off day. Heehee.)



Anyway...



3 shirts, 2 jammie lounge pants -$2.99 @ - $14.95

1 Bugle Boy button up - $4.19

5 books - $1.00 (one dollar!)

George Forman Grill - like new! - $6.95

Mason jar - $.95 (I have no control)

Glass jar - $1.25 (I have no control)

Cute little decorative church - $3.95

Electronic drum - $1.95

Hello Kitty cassette player - $2.95



Total: $38.14

- $10.00 Goodwill stamps

Total with tax: $31.29



When I first became a thrifter (is that like, a drifter? Thrifter drifter?), I didn't buy toys. But, I've discovered along the way that if she finds a toy that holds her interest & keeps her busy, I can browse a little longer. ;o) Mercedes spotted the Hello Kitty cassette player & would not put it down. I noticed the battery cover was missing. I kept trying to explain to her that it more than likely wouldn't work once we got it home. I put it back two different times & attempted to persuade her with other toys. She wasn't having it. She was so persistent - finally I decided just to buy the darn thing. Low & behold, it works! I had to put tape over the battery compartment & let me say, she has not put that cassette player down since bringing it home. Best $2.95 I've ever spent. Was a tad challenging to find a cassette for kids around these parts. :) I typically don't buy items like the George Forman grill either. Ew. But, I spotted this puppy & it's like brand spankin' new! Not sure what to do with it, but I'll figure it out! Maybe.



Happy weekend! Ü

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

It's not his first offense.

He walked in from work. Audi says "I think...I think I see some...fuzz?" Ahem.







To which, we all inspected, of course.







Typically he wears Dockers or Lees or the like to work. These, however, are 'suit' pants. I reckon they're just a little old. 'Cause they definitely aren't too tight (or they're not now, now that they've 'loosened up'...heehee). Regardless, you would think someone would know when they're advertising to the world, & those who are included in important meetings, the junk in their trunk.



Then he bent over. I was laughing so hard, my head went down on the table & my hand started banging (on said table). Obviously, that's my consistent reaction when witnessing something so incredibly stupid funny. I just cannot imagine walking around all day not knowing the seat of my pants exploded. Ü







Years before miniature people arrived, he came in from work one day & sat on the ottoman. He had beige Dockers on. That had dark brown patches sown inside the thighs. I remember thinking 'what in the sam hills?' Evidently, he took his pants to the cleaners to have the inside of the legs patched (God forbid the man just, you know, buy new britches). The day he picked them up, he put the pants on immediately (a habit of his), but never inspected the patches. The new, large, dark brown patches. He wore them all day at work, in that fine, newly remodeled condition. After I picked myself up off the floor from laughter, I took photos. Film photos. Maybe I'll come across them someday. Ü



I am thankful our life is not boring. Challenging at times, yes, but never boring. I am also very grateful for laughter, & lots of it. ♥



Saturday, August 20, 2011

"MckMama" as "Dana".

Here is how I got there:

Go to: theblogfrog.com. Search: "MckDaddy". Click on: "MckDaddy Community Community". On the left side, click on: Created by: "MckDaddy". You will find the page below:



See the upper right hand corner? That is who "MckDaddy" follows. One is "MckMama". The other is "Dana". "MckMama's" photo used to be where the exclamation point is. She/they have since removed the photo. If memory serves me correctly, it was the photo of her in blue. Very pretty photo. Click on: "See All". You will then see the below page:

Click on "Dana's" name. You will then see the below page:



If you cannot read the "About Me" section it says:

"About Me

I am in love with Jesus, my Rock. My husband and I met when we were babies. Now we have four babies of our own! I love to be active and we don't own a tv. I'm obsessed with baby names and bright colors. I thrive on routine and a clean house. I love f more ...

Author of
MckMama

Twitter
@ily239"


And there you have it!

**For the most part, I no longer discuss the brand "MckMama" on my blog. However, seeing the number of girls who visit my blog searching for information regarding said brand, I thought I'd encourage you to visit www.mckmamatruths.com for any questions/answers you are seeking.

Good luck!

$30 chest of drawers.





Though uncleaned, it's in excellent condition. Which is kind of pointless, because I plan on painting it. I have two other projects waiting to be painted (it was 3, but I sold the desk) - I really need to get researching how to refurbish furniture because not knowing is hindering my progress. Ü



I see when I relocated it against the wall, I popped the upper dowel loose & now the top looks bowed. Pfft. Hopefully it'll pop back in. This chest of drawers will belong to Audi. I am so over long, bulky, heavy, obnoxious dressers & this will replace his. Although his dresser is like brand new & in immaculate condition (& it's 8 years old!), it's too big. This garage sale find should do the trick! :)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Patty-cake.





Some people. LOL :)



Jewelry organizers.

I detest jewelry boxes. Have never liked them, so I currently use small, plastic drawer organizers lined with felt. Reading blogs today, look what Megan discovered! Currently on sale for $17.99 each!



So darn cute! Thanks for sharing, Megan! :)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

My sickie.





Fortunately, we don't have many ear infections around here. Even though we've had a few, no child has experienced ear pain like she currently is. She's happy here - the Advil (which is stuck like glue around her mouth 'cause "I do it myself!" did it herself :) must be working. Hoping her antibiotic really kicks in so we can have a super day tomorrow. Isn't it cute how she's removing the 'heart' bling on her shirt? Love her. ♥



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Moments.





I was so unhappy with the other photo of her I previously posted. Not that she wasn't just as gorgeous, but her daddy did her hair that day & it was a little on the dry side. I don't like her hair dry. So I took her outside quickly this morning & reshot. Her eyes are just amazing. ♥







Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Define: Homemaker.

home·mak·ernoun /ˈhōmˌmākər/ 

homemakers, plural



1.A person, esp. a housewife, who manages a home.



Web definitions:

housewife: a wife who manages a household while her husband earns the family income.

wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn



(homemaking) the management of a household.

wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn



A homemaker handles household responsibilities as his or her main daily activity. While not a paid occupation in the traditional sense, as it is not usually undertaken for monetary remuneration, a homemaker may work full-time to maintain the home environment....

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homemaker



(Homemakers (magazine)) Homemakers is a Canadian magazine that covers women's lifestyles, published nine times a year. It offers recipes and articles on food, health, style, home and living.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homemakers_(magazine)



(Homemaking) Housewife is a term used to describe a married female who is not employed outside of the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household. ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homemaking



(homemaking) One of three areas of emphasis in the Relief Society of the Church.

www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/vocabulary_eom.htm



Occupation often listed on campaign finance reports for wives of major contributors who give through their spouses (and other family members) as a legal way of getting around individual contribution limits.

www.uta.fi/FAST/GC/cfinglos.html



An individual who has the skills and abilities to maintain a home and actively functions in that capacity as a result of substantial Vocational Rehabilitation service provision to improve the individual’s homemaking abilities....

info.dhhs.state.nc.us/olm/manuals/dsb/VR/man/Definitions.htm



General term referring to a variety of non-skilled at-home services which may include some minor hands on care such as assistance with dressing and personal care, but also includes shopping, meal preparation, laundry services, housekeeping and similar activities....

www.deha.org/Glossary/GlossaryH.htm




A person who assists in the home with homemaking activities such as preparing meals, cleaning, laundry, shopping.

www.caregivers.utah.gov/glossary.htm



A trained personnel working under agency supervision. Activities are limited to shopping, menu planning, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and laundry for the client.

www.esmv.org/caregiversglossary.asp



Trained homemakers offer light housekeeping, grocery shopping, errands, laundry, and simple personal care.

www.thehomecarecouncil.org/displaycommon.cfm



means a person who performs household chores that include housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, shopping assistance, and routine household activities for an elderly, handicapped, or convalescent individual. A homemaker is non-medical.

www.justcheckinginmom.com/index.php



*********************



I registered my children for school today. I noticed the online form(s) had my job description already filled in. 'Homemaker', the form(s) stated, is what I do. Homemaker. I have always disliked the word. As I stared at the prefilled form(s), I realized today that I actually detest the word. Homemaker. Just a Homemaker. Too damn stupid to check the 'Homemaker' box myself, so they (whomever they are) did it for me. Yet smart enough to fill out the remainder of the form(s). Also on the form(s) were our phone numbers, which were also prefilled. Note this: my husband's cell phone number was listed first. Then, our home phone. Third, my cell phone. Now wait a minute. My husband works outside the home. I'm just a 'Homemaker'. Yet he's listed first? Does that make any sense? Could it be because on paper, he looks a little smarter than I? Or is it because they just didn't pay that much attention when filling out the form(s) & typed in the numbers in no particular order? I wonder if my job had been, oh, 'Account Executive', would my number had been listed first? For what it's worth, I transposed the order.



I do more than manage a home. I have four little people God entrusted me to raise. What they know is what they learn from me. I'm not a home manager. That comes automatically with the blessing of a family. Therefore, instead of managing a home, I build people. Character. Including honesty, beauty, emotion, personalities, morals, ethics, happiness, contentment, hearts full of love. In addition to - the knowledge I have in finances is commendable. The responsibility & dedication I demonstrate daily is unmatchable. My determination & perseverance cannot be outdone. I'm more than a maid. I'm more than a cook. I do more than grocery shop & clean toilets. I'm also a person. A person whose label and/or title should be listed first, not last. I don't get paid monetarily, though I should. My hours are long. The sick pay sucks. The vacation time certainly is no vacation. There is no overtime. Very few breaks. Rarely a lunch break. No getting off at 5:00. No nice dinners & no Christmas parties. No insurance, dental or vision coverage.



Did you read the degrading italized paragraph? "General term referring to a variety of non-skilled at-home services which may include some minor hands on care such as assistance with dressing and personal care, but also includes shopping, meal preparation, laundry services, housekeeping and similar activities...."



"Non-skilled". Really? Non-skilled? I beg to differ. It is a true talent & takes great skill to work from home, raising a family. My occupation description is lengthy & detailed. And if I screw up (& I do), I have some little people who I disappoint. That's not an easy load to carry. It's tough one.



There has to be a better term. I know there is. A term that we, as devoted wives & mothers, would be proud & honored to accept. A term that builds us up, defines as us as strong, intelligent, gifted women, equally as important as other occupations/titles that work outside the home. A term that makes us proud to x that box.



So please don't call me a "Homemaker". I take my occupation seriously. Though I reap amazing benefits & wouldn't trade my daily occupation for the world, I don't make a home. I build life. A beautiful, challenging, difficult at times, life. I'm a Lifebuilder, not a Homemaker. Let's put an x by that.



Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda.

I'm stealing from Bridget, again. Who stole from Amy. Who stole from...well, Amy isn't honest enough to say. Heehee. Ü

Here we go!

I can't:

*live without post-it-notes.
*cook well.
*keep my house clean anymore. Something is always dirty.
*golf. And I'd really, really, really like to play golf.

I can:

*pick up almost anything/everything with my toes.
*whistle like you wouldn't believe. (ahem Bridget. Heehee. :) Seriously. & I whistle all the time.
*10-key faster than anyone you know.
*pop many bones in my body.

I won't:

*yell anymore. I don't care how I was raised. NO MORE YELLING!
*ever paint my toes blue again.
*ever eat at Subway again.
*ever claim to be someone/something I'm not.

I will:

*Always love, adore, treasure & accept them for them - my children!
*Always take a stand for what is right! I don't care who doesn't like it.
*live to be inspired.
*lower my expectations.

I shouldn't:

*always be so tired.
*put off until tomorrow, what I can do today.
*be so curt.
*continue to change blog names. So, I won't. Pinky swear.

I should:

*draw more. I ♥ art. I have many hand-drawn sketches, dating way back when.
*print more photos of my kids & display throughout my home.
*remember to read books to my littles right before they go to bed.
*always, always strive to be a better person.

Happy new week! Ü

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

We Want To Know Wednesday.

Today I'm trying something new. Bridget has done this for a while now & I love reading & learning more about her! She is so much fun! So for today, I thought I'd join her. :)

WWTNW hosted by: Mamarazzi and Alicia aka Queso.

Photobucket

{1} If you could spend a day with a blogger, who you haven't met in real life, who would you choose?

Kelle Hampton. Her zest for life & positivity is such an inspiration to me.

{2} What website do you check first when you go online?

People.com. Gotta start my day with celebrity gossip!

{3} What is something you are saving money for right now?

I would love a new camera & lenses. But right now? Heck, I'm just trying to save any money!

{4} What is your go to silly face when a silly face is needed? (post a pic of it and be entered to win a prize from Mamarazzi.)

This is all I can muster today. The only makeup I have on is what has not sweated off! It's so stinkin' hot, by mid-morning(s), I pull all of my hair up & back. Bentley is sick today with Strep (the post below is a photo I took of him right before I took him to the dr.), so I snapped this photo while ago while waiting to pick up his prescription. Maybe better luck next time. :)



{5} How do you relieve stress?

Such a simple answer for me. HGTV, a Bath & Body Works candle & US magazine. Works every time. ♥

Moments.