Mistakes in Motherhood

When the baby gets here we will need to do a transition of sorts. The seven of us will be living together in a four bedroom home and that means the baby will need to bunk up with someone when he/she is around 4-6 months old, before then, we have a co-sleeper in our room. By then we are hoping to have transitioned Sophia to a toddler bed, and then I can get the baby a lovely set of crib bedding to coordinate well enough in her room. However, I have never had a toddler sharing a room with a baby, so I am not sure if that will go over well. When we got Matthew’s bunk beds, which is kinda like a loft bed with a rolling shorter bed on wheels that can be moved, we toyed with the idea that they may eventually share the bed, with the “bottom bunk” in her room, and his loft bed in his room with a “play fort” of sorts underneath.

However, we may have to have Sophia and Matthew sharing a room for a year or so until the little one sleeps through a noisy sister in the room. I can imagine using so many different kinds of cute feminine kids beddingadorning the twin bed if she uses it, instead of transitioning to her toddler bed she inherited from Matthew. Excuse me while I hop up on this soap box, because I am about to sound like my mother.

Nothing grosses me out more than sleeping on a bed without a mattress pad. If you spend money on a mattress, get a quality mattress pad. Mattress pads are an inexpensive way to protect the bed from sweat, drool, and any other body fluids you encounter when you have kids (urine, vomit, etc). I don’t care how good you cleaned after Junior peed the bed, don’t expect that the next person is sleeping on a nasty mattress covered with only a thin layer of fabric, ewww. I will judge you if your beds lack mattress pads. And for kids, have several on hand. Matthew has three for his bunk beds, Sophia has two for her crib… both theirs are waterproof. I have one that I spent a fortune on, because it is waterproof and does not crinkle. We often have kids climbing into our bed at night, and that pad has paid for itself 20x over with how many times it has saved our bed. Austin and Christopher have one each, they were just cheapies, but they will tell you, I will get mad if I see a naked bed.

No Comments | In: This is how I roll | tags: A lot about nothing, Confessions, Domestic Diva, Family, House Stuff, Humor, Parenting, Silliness, Sponsored. | #

If you have a loan (credit card, auto loan, mortgage) call them and see if it would be worth it to refinance or lower your interest rate. About once a year for credit cards, you can call and tell them that you have been an excellent customer, with a strong history of paying on time, and you may even want to mention you are looking for a lower rate even if it means taking your business elsewhere. Especially now, with so many companies hurting for money, lower interest rates, and wanting to keep the customers they have, you may find it much easier to lower those rates.

I just realized today the power of credit unions, vs. banks. I currently have my minivan financed at a credit union for 8.75% for a vehicle I purchased 18 months ago. I decided today that I do not like that rate, and so I looked at the lowest rates my bank of 10 years had to offer… 5.25%, not bad. I called my credit union that hold my loan to see if they would negotiate refinance and they said they could offer me 4.99%, fantastic! With the numbers crunched, if I went to a 60 month loan (I have 66 months in my current loan), I would still manage to lower my monthly payments by $150 a month and pay it off 6 months earlier than I would now. They took my application over the phone and I should have an answer in a few hours.

In the past, I would do this same thing about once a year with my credit cards, and usually while I was on the phone I would have my answer. I could usually lower my interest rates by between 1-5% with a 15 minute phone call.

Other things worth trying… I have successfully had my satellite bill lowered by a customer service rep, I have had my DSL provider give me a “new customers only” rate by calling and asking. I have had credits given to me by my cell phone company, and my residential phone company. Calling your insurance company is a great way to see if they can find ways to lower your automobile or your homeowners insurance. I have had my electric company give me ways to lower my energy consumption, or tell me of improvements I can make to earn an energy rebate (I got $250 for sending in the receipt to my dryer).

Haggling is hard, but especially in mom & pop businesses, it is easier to get a discount. Yesterday I bought a new (better) tank for my carpet cleaner to replace mine that was cracked. I was told the tank would be $50 and I said “wow, those are $35 on amazon.com!” And the sales person said “well, if you order it online you will pay shipping, but I can sell it to you for $35″. You don’t see that at big corporate chains. I also got a few dollars off my purchase of cloth diapers yesterday… not because I asked, but because I was dealing with the owner of a small business and she felt like giving me a discount. Sometimes it pays to avoid the national “rollback” business and support your neighbors.

Once, I went into a toy & hobby store with my brood, and just because I told my children not to touch the models that someone worked very hard on making, the sales person gave me a “15% good mother discount”.

Deals are to be had in all economies, but right now is probably the very best time to find discounts and sales. Don’t be afraid to ask, the worst they can say is no. And remember, they best way to get something for 100% off, is not to but something you don’t need just because “it was on sale”.

No Comments | In: Frugal, not cheap!, This is how I roll | tags: A lot about nothing, Finances, Public Service Announcements. | #

So the 25th was a particular windy day, gorgeous and warm, but very windy. My friend Tracie and I had taken the kids (half of mine and her two) to Chick-fil-A because not only do they have yummy foods and healthy choices, but they have an awesome indoor play area that Matthew loves to pretend is his “tree-house home”. Matthew and Tracie’s oldest daughter were playing inside the play area, and Tracie and I are chatting while our babies shove food in their faces faster than we can break it apart. Sophie’s gaping maw had already hoovered down a chicken strip, two potato slices, 2 pieces of mandarin orange, a slice of apple, three grapes, a strawberry and two heaping spoonfuls of chicken noodle soup (without the soup) that contained carrots, celery, noodles, and chicken. She was happily sucking on a saltine cracker when an employee started asking anyone if they drove a blue Honda. Well, at home I have a dark blue Honda Civic, so when he came to our table I said no… my Honda Odyssey seems more of a silver to me (technically the color is “Slate Green Metallic” but it does not look green at all to me). So when he gets to the next table and asks them if they drive a “Blue Honda minivan I start to think maybe he is talking about me…. and he was.

Seems that he was trying to move, repair, or remove a sign when the wind took it for a ride, sending one of the stakes flying into my windshield of my 1-year-old minivan.

Of course everyone was super professional and the manager came over to apologize. I got a stack of free meals and free ice cream for everyone. They assured me that the damage would be fixed by their insurance company and thanked me for being so cool. Of course why wouldn’t I be?? It was not their fault, it was just a window, and no one was hurt.

The easiest way to fix the damage was just to replace it myself and submit the forms to their insurance company who called me the next day. They would have gladly done the work and paid for it themselves, but I was in a rush for the replacement, but not so much the funds now that we are on the Dave Ramsey plan. So bright and early the next morning I got a pretty new windshield. And since my van could not fit into the garage without and have the doors still accessible, it was a great excuse to rally the kids and get their help re-organizing the garage they had just been paid to clean.

I just got the paperwork notarized and will be mailing it to C-f-A’s insurance company in the morning, and I should have my money back in a week or two. The overall experience has been quite pleasant and I joked that Colorado is bad on cars and in the first year of ownership the Civic had already been painted twice… first because of a wind/sand storm that pitted all my paint and glass. The second time because of hail.

I just hope that Northern Virginia is nicer on my poor cars!!

I forgot the very best part… So when I picked up Austin (age 12) from school, I told him how it happened. Well he suddenly fell very quiet, serious and deep in thought. Finally, when we got home he looked it over a few times and said…”what I don’t get mom, is why they would use steaks to hold up a sign, I mean is steak even heavy enough to hold down a sign, and how did a hunk of meat break your window….?” When I finally caught my breath from laughing so hard, all I could say between fits of laughter was “Austin…. STAKES…. like tent stakes” to which her responded the word he is most famous for.

“Oh”

3 Comments | In: People, Places & Things | tags: A lot about nothing, Finances, House Stuff, Photography, Silliness. | #

Over the next few days I am going to be changing some of the formatting of my blog. This probably mostly has to do with OCD issues of needing to make sure I am sorting out some of the new features WordPress has recently added.

2 Comments | In: Geek Speak | tags: A lot about nothing, Blog/Blogging, Technology, Wordpress. | #

And what a week it’s been! My server crashed this week and my host just reset it.

Bobby called me this morning to tell me his rental car was broken into. They stole the GPS, but thankfully left all his personal belongings alone. We got so lucky, he had all his luggage back there, including two laptops! ACK! When he got to the airport he subjected to a random inspection and then his bag was 3 lbs over weight and so he had to pay $80 to get it on the plane. He did not have a very good morning… he said the bright spot of his day was getting stuck in the middle seat between two beautiful women… Ha Ha. Life is so hard.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow, it is my one day off. Other than getting my house clean and an afternoon appointment to get a health exam for additional life insurance, I plan on doing NOTHING. I really underestimated how difficult it is to get up and have the kids ready to go by 7:15 am.

No Comments | In: People, Places & Things | tags: A lot about nothing, Bobby, Insanity, Lame-o, Technical Difficulties. | #

Bobby and I did our legal paperwork today. We each did our wills, living wills and power of attorneys to prepare for this big trip. I feel so sorry for our notary, it was not pretty and we ended up messing up on two of the documents which we will have to reprint and take in tomorrow. Next time we are getting a lawyer, this was really a HUGE pain in the butt.

We have also been dealing with a mess with HR, they want too many things done with not enough time to get them done. I am hoping that the new change in location and divisions of his company do not interfere with our current health insurance, or more importantly my appointment with the rheumatologist on the 28th, it could be 6 months to get another appointment if I have to miss this.

I have been having mini-panic-attacks all day with the realization that it is only 3 more days before he leaves. He will have a few days to come home after his trip to Virgina, Massachusetts, and Georgia for training, but then he will be gone for a year, with only one trip home in that time. The guys over in Iraq that he will be working with have been amazingly helpful. They have told us he will have his own room, cable TV, a personal cell phone that he can use to call home for around 9 cents a minute, SLOW wireless in his room. He is also going to be in a well established area, with 2 gyms, a Subway, a Burger King, a Pizza Hut and a CINNABON! WAHHHH, I told him it sounds like he is going on a long vacation, not a hardship tour. I know better. I know this will be much harder on him than it will the kids and I. We have each other, we are in the comfort of our own home. He is a very special man to be able to make such a selfless sacrifice to ensure his family is taken care of, and to keep moving up through the company ladder.

No Comments | In: A lot about nothing | tags: A lot about nothing, Bobby, Health, Insanity, Lame-o, Overseas Assignment, Ranting. | #

School started back up after a long winter break. Enough said!
YAY! YAY! YAY!!

No Comments | In: A lot about nothing | tags: A lot about nothing. | #

Elfed daddy & the kids. Not enough room for mama elf. Enjoy!

No Comments | In: A lot about nothing | tags: A lot about nothing. | #

Today, before I took Bobby to the airport for his interview tomorrow, we had to stop by his work to get his phone chargers and print out some driving maps from the airport to the hotel, etc. We had finished at his office and were getting ready to go to the car, when Bobby had to run back in to get his maps that he forgot. Three year old Matthew looks up at me and says “what did daddy lose mommy??” and I told him “he lost his marbles”. Matthew thinks a second and says “where are his marbles mommy?” and I said “they are in my purse, Matthew said “oh, ok” and that was the end of that.

So we are walking towards the van when Bobby spots a co-worker he wants to show off Sophie to, and she is talking to Matthew and admiring his boots and Matthew says to her “you know what?? My mommy keeps my daddy’s marbles in her purse!” All three of us were laughing so hard and Matthew totally did not get what he had said, but none the less was super proud of making us laugh. She also agreed that her husband’s marbles were also in her purse.

1 Comment | In: A lot about nothing | tags: A lot about nothing, Humor, Matthew. | #

Bobby and I voted for the first time ever this year, I am 29 and he is 31 and we have been BAD by not setting a good example for our children. I am not sure why, I remember my parents taking me to the polls every 4 years and telling me the importance of voting, but I guess when we were living in Texas in 2000 and did *not* support Bush, but we lived in a state where we knew he would win the majority and get the electoral vote, no matter how we voted and so I just did not care enough to go in.

I still don’t agree with the electoral system, but oh well. The last week I have been talking to my kids about how important it is to vote, no matter what state they reside in. We took 3 of the 4 with us when we went to vote, but Chris had to get to class since the line was about 90 minutes long.

Anyways, I hope my children do as I say and not as we did and take the responsibility of voting more serious than we did.

No Comments | In: A lot about nothing | tags: A lot about nothing, Advocacy, Confessions, Family. | #