Searching for creeps

Go check out this link. I was visiting The Trenches and she posted the link to check out sexual predators in your area. I usually try to check this every month or so. We have a Salvation Army a few blocks down the road that apparently houses convicted sexual predators (this is a long story and the reason I choose to give to other charities instead of the Salvation Army) and we had one close at one time that liked to victimize young boys. So I am pretty vigilant about checking on our area. You should too. It takes just a few minutes and you can see all of these creeps (though hopefully you live in an area like us where there is only one and he is 80 years old now). Of course these are just the ones who are "honest" and register. It gives me the willies every time I check, but something that every parent should do.

Passed the test

I just got back from my glucose test at the doctor. I passed with flying colors. The hardest part is drinking that orange crap when you have not had anything to eat yet!! I am now scarfing down an artichoke and spinach egg souffle thing from Panera bread. So. Yummy.

NEVER

Never again will I shop at the good old neighborhood Walmart. I normally shop Target or the local grocery stores but I had a small amount of money on a walmart gift card so I thought I would give the nice new one down the street another try. Wrong decision. I never have any problem with coupons at the super friendly Target. This is not the case at Walmart. They refused to take my coupons because they were over the amount of the product cost and the cashier was appalled I was trying to get something for free. She could not understand that the store gets reimbursed for the coupon (they were manufacturer's coupons) plus 8 cents (read the fine print you twit). The manager was no better, he said you can not use two of the same coupons in a transaction. What a crock.
I actually kept my composure and simply said it was not a big deal, I would use the coupons at Target. She then gave me an attitude about wanting to take the items off of my ticket. So basically Walmart can kiss my heinie! I am done.
Have a good day.

Suggestions

I am getting many great suggestions for names for this little bundle of joy due in 10-11 weeks!! Thanks so much. We still have yet to just sit down and hash it out. I guess because we are trying to avoid arguing about it. Part of it is because I have it in my head that his name is Adrian. The monkeys already call him that and are insistent upon calling him that. It aggravates my husband. It is not that I don't like others, I do and if I could talk the monkeys into changing their minds easily, it would be all solved by now I suppose.
I would love to use my maiden name as the middle name. Only thing is, my maiden name is not really one of those cool names that can be used for a first/middle name. It is just a last name, but I did love it.

Our Mardi Gras rehearsal is Saturday. I should be really excited but I guess since I don't get to ride I am not really that revved up. I am very curious to see how this costume is going to look...I may be exposing the littlest monkey due to a short shirt. Now is when I really wish I had some sewing skills. I also need to see if I can get away with flats or very low heels. We are supposed to be "Paris, the city of lights" so I would guess the higher the better. I am excited to start going to the other parades though. The monkeys have the best time catching all that junk. Big monkey cracked me up last year yelling "throw me something mister!!" We have a good time. You all should come visit for Mardi Gras.

I did some nesting/cooking this weekend. I have mentioned our extreme budget a few times (not really extreme, but any budget for us that really limits our spending is extreme!). Well, the food part has really been cut and it has caused me to do some extra cooking. So in order to actually do the cooking without exhausting myself during the week, I started bulk cooking. Well, as much as I can without owning a deep freezer. I made 3 meals worth of turkey meatloaf, turkey meatballs, banana muffins, and pizza dough on Saturday. I also made fresh green beans and 3 batches of waffles on Sunday to freeze. Anyone know a good way to freeze the cooked green beans? I have no canning abilities so that is out of the questions. It was great to get those made and frozen and I can add them to my list of possible dinners, etc. If I had a deep freeze, I would probably make more meals more often, especially with the new baby coming. It is so nice to just pull something healthy and not prepackaged out of the freezer.

We also started organizing the upstairs for the littlest monkey. It looks worse than it did right now, but we did get the entire storage closet cleaned out and put into the attic (space my husband thought was great for laying fishing poles flat HA HA). So now we have some more room to work with. We also added to the yard sale pile. I am trying to throw together a street wide yard sale so we get a lot of traffic and make a lot of money!

Lost Love it

Again, it is on again!! And it has completely captured my mind, body and maybe soul!?!
I am talking about the show Lost on ABC. I love it. I started watching this show on a Saturday evening marathon catch up with the show deal when big monkey was just an itty bitty baby. I was hooked from the get go and have not missed an episode yet. I even put off meds after my c-section with little monkey so I would not drift in and out during the show. (I did a quick dose during the last 10 minutes!) This is really the only show I watch faithfully. It came back last night with a one hour recap show and then the 2 hour premiere and I was in heaven. I have not watched that much tv in a consecutive sitting in a LONG time. I just don't have time, but I made time last night. My husband was at class so I knew I was on my own with the monkeys and bedtime. I somehow managed to make us all dinner, bake banana muffins, make waffles to freeze for the rest of the week, clean up the kitchen, bathe my monkeys, and get them to bed in time without falling asleep with them in order to watch my show. I was a bad mommy for a few of those minutes, I let the monkeys watch a show while I watched the first 30 minutes of the recap show. I was lucky that they had yoga-nastics that day so they were worn out and missing a nap. That was great, since it took all of 6 minutes for them to fall soundly asleep.
It was a great episode. Things are so twisty and I love it. It is sort of weird considering I really am a scientist at heart and this show plays against this part of me. I do somewhat believe in destiny and fate, but I also tend to overanalyze and look for a logical answer for everything. Well, you don't get many logical answers with Lost. And so far, I am okay with that. So, 8 pm (CST) Wednesdays - you know where I will be!!
Anybody else watch? Who was hoping Sawyer would never find another shirt?! Love his nick names for people.

Name Game

I am taking suggestions on names for this baby! I am 28 weeks and not even close to coming up with a name yet. The baby is a boy and we like the more traditional names, but are open to unique names at this point!!
Thanks!

Happy Work Day for me

Little monkey had a great birthday weekend. He was spoiled rotten by all on Saturday (his actual birthday) and had a blast at his party on Sunday. He is not usually an attention hog or spotlight kind of guy, but he really enjoyed it on Sunday. I think it was a successful weekend.
My parents came this weekend and the monkeys thoroughly enjoyed their company. It melts my heart watching them all together and seeing how much they obviously love the monkeys and the monkeys love and adore them. They had to leave this morning to go back (some of you get the day off today, not me!!). I left before they woke up but called to make sure they got on the road this morning. I know the boys were sad to see them leave. Little monkey started worrying about it yesterday morning. My mom said they were standing in the window with sad little faces waving goodbye to them as they drove off. I have a feeling they will both be attached to me all night tonight.
Now I need a nap!! I think these birthday weekend marathons wear me out more than the monkeys. It was FANTASTIC not to have to worry about anything by having the party at a location other than my backyard or house. But I am still a bit tired and woke up with a stuffy nose/headache. It is probably the beginnings of a cold and I hope it stays minimal and goes quickly.

Funny story, and it further proves my theory that men are the way they are from birth. Big monkey picked up a long (think willow tree type branch) thin stick in the parking lot after the party yesterday. Somehow he managed to sneak it in the van and was poking us all with it while we were driving home. Then he said he was peeing on me (I was seated in front of him and the stick was shaped like the stream of pee would be for a little boy who was peeing outside). That was not too shocking. But then he said he was peeing on me with the biggest winkie in the whole world!!!! I just about died. And then he of course repeated it several times and the van full of adults was rolling with laughter. I just could not believe he came up with that one all on his own at 4 years old!!!!!!!!