Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and New Year. I don't know how much I will be around until after the New Year begins, so I wanted to get one last post in and hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. I plan on it and can't wait to have some egg salad sandwiches with spinach on them for Christmas. No this is not a tradition, a pregnancy craving and my mom makes the best egg salad sandwiches. I add the fresh spinach for health reason!!

Next to last

Today is my next to last day to work this year!! I know, mouth full. I am just excited to have nearly 2 weeks off of work to spend with family and friends. I am really excited to go see my parents. I am just about over not being able to visit my family in Indiana. I figure we will be going after April and then everyone can see the newest littlest monkey in the family and it will be even better. I will make sure that works out!
I still have a few things on my desk that need to go out before I take off tomorrow afternoon. They are not nearly as bad as the horrible project I had last week.
Okay, so I have one little gripe about gifts this year. Why is it that I keep getting gifts to me to use for the baby?!!? Am I the only one who is selfish and would like my gifts to be FOR ME?!?! And NOT the sweet littlest monkey in my belly? Two people have done this so far. One was an office exchange and we pick the people we buy a gift for and it is a secret until the exchange. I put a lot of thought into my person's gifts. I received a Babies R Us gift certificate so "the baby won't only have hand me downs"!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice thought, bad idea. I hope I don't sound ungrateful, I will put the card to good use. But DANG I would have like something for ME!!
Anyway, I guess I can buy some bra shields and that would technically be for me.

I am trying to figure out if I should still give the nanny a bonus for Christmas. We have a few small gifts for her and I had planned on giving her a bonus all along. But she is going to be getting paid for the 2 weeks she does not have my kids. Granted, she will be coming over to my house to check on my insane cats for the few days we are visiting my parents. Maybe I will just give a smaller bonus?! What do you think?

I have been reading the books by Dave Ramsey. I am hooked and have already started setting up my financial goals 2009. I hope to maybe post a generic version of them on my side bar to help keep motivated. I am going to try to get us completely out of debt without going insane trying. Of course all last week I was stressed about my financial goals! I know I need some help with my type A personality. I just need to relax and stick to the plan and if it all is successfully completed, great. If not, so be it. I will plan on for 2010! Anybody else follow Dave Ramsey?

The terrible 4's

Okay, so I always heard that the two's were terrible. I had heard that in all actuality the three's were worse than the two's. Well nobody told me how horrible the four's would be!!
Big monkey has been giving me fits for a while now. His mouth is going to be the death of me. He has the same problem that I do, he thinks he has to get the last word in. It is not a good thing.
He thinks that when he is in trouble he needs to say something to hurt your feelings or tell you he is going to do something if you punish him. Like last night for instance, he told me if I did not let him watch a show, he was going to put me on fire! Well he did, and I put him in the corner. He said he was not going to stay in the corner and he was going to wipe the pasta sauce all over the walls. So I took him to the bathroom and washed his hands and face and then sent him to bed. I am finished arguing and listening to that mouth. He had a bad report from the nanny that day too. Apparently he told her he was going to bite her if she made him do circle time. I don't really understand where this is coming from. I am VERY strict with the tv. They don't get to watch any kind of transformer or super hero type shows yet. I get that they are boys and will instinctively know fighting. I just don't have to like it!
I have found a new way of "training" the little ones and am currently reading up on it and trying to put it to good use. We had an excellent week last week and I think it was because of the new no warning type of obedience. I am hoping he is testing me this week to see if I am going to get lazy again or stick with it. I have news for that monkey, mommy is sticking to it and will have two (soon three) monkeys that listen and obey first time go around and will do it nicely!

Needs and wants

I read a post by Connie this morning and just had to copy. I went to google and searched "Shanna needs". Here is what popped up, thanks mostly to the moron Shanna Moakler (whom I might add says her name wrong)!

Shanna needs:
1. more time, it is running out - yeah the pre baby planning panic has started up already.
2. to kick Kim Kardashian's bootie.
3. to get over herself - I must say this is sometimes true.
4. to stay home with her kids - this made me a bit sad, I wish I could.
5. to spend less time gold digging - umm, maybe I could start this and stay home with my kids?!
6. to take the gum out of her mouth before posing for photos - funny considering I loathe gum with this pregnancy!

And now Shanna wants:
1. Ice cream - sure, who wouldn't?!
2. him. - who?!
3. to avoid Kim - only when I am chasing her darn dog out of my yard when the flea bag is pooping in it.
4. the last word - this is a necessity and something I most usually get.
5. more kids - absolutely.
6. her children to understand and appreciate diversity - this should be a breeze in ALABAMA HA HA HA!
7. to weigh her options on a c-section - eerily close to home.

That was fun, you should all try it. I was amazed at how many Shanna girls there are out there now. I did not meet my first Shanna until high school, and did not meet my first Shanna who pronounces it the same until Grad school.

Still running

I just got back from a really nice run, even though it was on a treadmill staring at myself in the mirror. I kept wondering how long I will be able to keep this up. I wore my belly brace and felt no pain/discomfort in my belly. I felt some fatigue in my right leg and think it might be getting time for some new shoes, afterall these two pair got me through the half training and are well worn by now. I hope I can keep going for some time. Even if it is only a couple miles here and there, it keeps me sane and makes me happy. I really do feel my mood shift about a mile into the run and it seems to last the rest of the day.
I am hoping to get out on the road with my running buddy this weekend and get some "therapy" in before the holidays.
I really hope my great friend who just ran her first 5K is still on the C25K bandwagon. I would love to run/walk one with her in January.. hint hint.

Brotherly Love

Just look at these two gorgeous monkeys! I did my best at taking some photos for my Christmas cards this weekend. We had some good ones, and some that make it obvious I don't know how to use my camera very well yet! But this one just makes my heart happy! I love it and I am now trying to find a card to do it justice!
Can you tell which one is the youngest?! He looks so grown up with his big boy haircut.

Motivation

Okay, I need some motivation. I should be cleaning some of my house right now but just can't get myself in gear. I have sprayed the bathroom down and could easily get it finished in 20 minutes if I get my rear in gear. Instead, I found myself upstairs in the office checking out the blogs! Husband is at work, monkeys are in bed, Sammy kitty is keeping my left arm warm. I have the SEC football championship game on just hoping the Gators win. Not because I am a fan of theirs, but I sure do admire what Tim Tebow stands for.
I got to watch the second half of the Hoosiers getting beat by Gonzaga. I was not in the least bit angry, I was impressed by the hardwork this mostly freshman team put forth against a 5th ranked team. I look forward to future years of Hoosier basketball if they keep this attitude. I also really want a "B-Town" t-shirt. I should use this team as my hardworking motivation! HA HA. I think I might just need a nap. Afterall, I did take a 3 year old and two 4 year olds to a Christmas parade, bath and body works, and Santa's wonderland at the Bass Pro Shop (I will try to post pictures later). We ate lunch at the restaurant at the store and everyone was pretty darn good. I even got my regular compliments about how well the little monkeys were behaved.
Alright, time to get the bathroom done before the soap dries and I have to start over again!

Spoiled rotten

I slept in this morning. I thought that if I was going to drag my happy self into work that I was going to sleep past 4:30 am and come in at the time everyone else does. It was great, only man does the traffic suck at that time! I am spoiled and am used to flashing lights in the morning. This morning I had to actually stop at the lights. And every mini van (I love mine by the way) was on its way to drop kids off at school.
I also decided that I was going to treat myself to an overly expensive hot chocolate from Starbucks. I have been craving hot chocolate this pregnancy (and spicy chips) and have actually been indulging in my cravings a bit. It was tasty.

I can feel the anticipation in the air over the possibility of getting our bonuses today. I am really excited to be getting one, especially after listening to Glen Beck this morning. He has nearly put me in a panic over the economy and his predictions for this time next year. I am trying so hard to get our budget/finances worked out so I can get that 6 months salary in savings and bills paid off. We have been doing pretty well considering I just started a couple of months ago. Of course my Starbucks trip this morning was not preplanned. I started using PearBudget and really like it so far. What was really great was using it for the first month free to see if I would stick to it. It is something I could easily set up on excel, but I found it worth my few dollars a month not to have to think, just enter and read.

I am going to meet the nanny at the monkeys' haircut place at noon and then bring them back to the office where I am hoping they will eat lunch and I can get another hour or so of work done. I may download a movie for them on one of my computers to keep them occupied. I wonder which one will spill the beans to my husband about the leather recliner sitting in my office?

Work, work, work

This week has been really busy and I am probably going to be swamped until right before Christmas with actual work stuff. Of course Monday I get back from Thanksgiving and everybody is in my office (or inbox) letting me know they need something right away for their projects. I have a HUGE project on my desk right now and I don't have time for this other junk. My deadline is the week after next and it will probably take that long, or longer, to get it done. So I will be working tomorrow (my day off) just to try to get caught up. I thought it might suck, and it probably will anyway, but there is a rumor that we will be getting our holiday bonuses tomorrow (early). That will make the day look a bit brighter!

I did take time at lunch to go to Target. I made out like a bandit. I got 20 2-packs of batteries, 9 ham steaks, 2 yoplait kids yogurt packs, 16 oz american cheese, and some santa stocking chocolate for $3.19. It was fantastic. I made a beeline for the door, afraid I was going to be called back and made to give it all back! I really love getting good deals!

Disappointment sucks

My husband called this afternoon to let me know that the guy who was trying to buy our business had an issue with financing and it is a no go. This is very disappointing. My husband pretty much hates his business (long story about being roped into it by my wonderful in laws) and wants to go back to school to get his degree finished. He has been taking night classes but was really hoping to get into it full time and over with in a year or so. We do have a back up offer on the business which is fantastic. Unfortunately it means more time running the business and no trip to Indiana to see family at Christmas time. I am pretty sad and think the monkeys will be too. We will still go to my parents' house for Christmas, that is great. It has been 2 years since we visited Indiana and I was really looking forward to it. I guess we can always try during my time off after having the baby. I hope this other offer goes through and everything works out. I am ready for the husband to start doing something he likes and not hating most of his day. Any positive thoughts would be much appreciated! I am thankful for the underlying results of this business, he has an immense amount of experience now and it brought us to a place we really enjoy living and raising our children. It has been a rough time though and we are ready to move forward.
I am going to try my best to shake this off and not let it make me sad.

An update on my dad, he broke his leg in 3 places. Two at ankle level and one about 3 inches below the knee. He has to stay in bed on his back until Friday to get the swelling down enough to put it in a cast. My mom has called twice wanting to send him down to me already!!

Back in the saddle

Well, back to work for me today. Eww. I can't believe how fast 5 days off of work can go. I had a good rest, though I did fight a headache for two days that turned into a mini migraine for a day and now have a sore throat. Hubby was sick and little monkey ended up sick so I am sure it is leftovers from them.
I don't want to be here. I had one heck of a time getting out of bed this morning. I was wide awake from 3:30 on, just could not get my lazy self out of the bed. Big monkey has been begging me to let him wear underwear to bed instead of a pull up. I told him he had to go 5 nights without accidents, he did. So Saturday night I let him wear underwear, he was dry and we were all excited. Last night, not so great. He woke up at 3:30 and had wet himself. He was very upset and I tried to console him without giving off the idea it was perfectly okay to wet the bed so we decided he would try 5 more nights in pull ups before we try again... that should put me to the weekend again. I really am not pushing this, I would rather he stay in pull ups at night until 5 or so!

On another note, I know I am going to have to listen to the Alabama Auburn game commentary from co workers all damn day today. I am not looking forward to it. It has already started and well before 7 am!! I am a Hoosier, I don't care about football nearly as much as these people do. I don't care about either team. My husband is an Auburn fan and so are my monkeys by default. I am happy for the Alabama fans that the team is doing so well, really I am. I just wish they weren't the worst fans I have ever come across. And I have seen some nutty fans (275 pound Ohio State fan who tried to get into a fight with three 19 year old IU coeds during a game that was never going to be close considering how bad the IU football team is, I am talking about you). But I have never seen such obnoxious fans before I came to Alabama. I think they really think they are on the team themselves, playing every play. They are not nice, and have no clue about good sportsmanship. It is disheartening to hear how mean they can be and how much hate they harbor for other teams. And now that they finally have a winning team, they are really coming out of the woodwork. I genuinely hope they get their crimson elephant heinies beat by some team like Texas Tech or Oklahoma, or anyone soon. I am glad the season is nearly over. And now onto basketball!!

We got our Christmas tree yesterday. A bootipul (as little monkey goes on and on about it) specimen it is. I put the lights up and am waiting until tonight to put the popcorn up and ornaments on. I hope there is enough popcorn, but I imagine I will be stringing some more tonight! The monkeys are so incredibly excited about the season and I am having so much fun watching their excitement. It is going to be a Christmas to remember.

On a somber note, my dad broke his ankle in two places over the holiday, playing ping pong. Now, for those of you who know this man, you will immediately chuckle and realize that he was probably having a few holiday warming concoctions and doing a few fancy movements to show off make sure he hit the game point. Anyway, cross your fingers and say a prayer for a speedy recovery. I can't imagine this is going to be easy to deal with the next time he and the monkeys get together.. they are rough!

Well I better get some cyber shopping work done.