What Child Labor Laws?

I have gotten to the point when the kids tell me they're bored or there is nothing to do that I will give them something to do. It ususally involves cleaning. I remind them there are no small jobs, just small people (like kids, I mutter under my breath).

Today after spending the last six uninterrupted hours with my son and 12 of his classmates I was spent of little people and their questions. So when Z-boy came in to ask if he could play on my computer (while I am on it, mind you) I frostily said no. Then he actually went without prompting and pulled a Clorox wipe out of the container and went to work. Look closely and you can see there is a also a pile of clothes he tossed in a pile from his and his brother's room. Sweet.

I think our next lesson will be about lawn maintenance.

The DHW

Yes, Virginia, There Really IS a Santa Clause

I love a deal!

Today I went to Linens N' Things and bought these just-add-booze mixed drinks tubs. I had intended to only get the Holiday Eggnog (add rum) and the Peppermint Twist (add vodka) with my 20% off coupons. Turns out they were having an unadvertised special of buy-two-get-one-free on the tubs and so I picked up a Cosmo tub as well. How *very* Sex In The City of me!

All this holiday cheer for the low, low price of $12.07.

The DHW

Tagged Again

I was tagged by Cassie over at the Smith House so here's my Turkey Day contribution to the blog world.

So here are the rules. Pay close attention because you may be the next to partake in all the fun! Remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump everyone up one place; then add your blog to the #5 spot.

1. Suz
2. Sheri and Suzan
3. Kami
4. Cassie
5. E

Next select 5 friends to piss off :
1. Dy
2. Beth
3. JK
4. Catie
5. Jenny

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I had been married for 3 years and had just graduated from college. I had just got promoted and was working long days and loving it! I got to hang out with members of the local media and spend many nights on camera talking about our lovely city. We had just bought our first house and were having our first Thanksgiving at our house. We were both working and had no kids and virtually no bills. Damn, those were good times.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
We were having Thanksgiving at my inlaws before we packed up and went to have Thanksgiving at my mother's house. I like going to other's house more than I like having the festivities at my house. It's the clean up factor.

5 snacks you enjoy
1) chips and hot sauce or queso
2) kettle corn
3) fruit smoothies
4) cream cheese with raspberry chipolte sauce and crackers
5) nachos.

5 songs to which you know all the lyrics
1) "The Star Spangled Banner"
2) "The Song Remembers When" Trisha Yearwood
3) The theme from The Nanny
4) "She Is His Only Need" Wynonna Judd
5) "Dreams" Fleetwood Mac

5 things you would do if you were a millionaire
1) Tithe...still.
2) Pay off my student loans.
3) Pay off my home.
4) Buy a new car for me, Papa, my mom and my brother.
5) Take the family on vacation.

5 bad habits
1) Not exercising enough
2) Procrastinating
3) Not spending enough time in His word
4) Buying too much scrapbooking stuff
5) Not being considerate enough towards Papa. After so many years together sometimes I forget to be kind.

5 things you like doing
1) Scrapbooking
2) Walking (when I do it)
3) Baking for other others
4) Having lunch with friends
5) Watching movies on Saturday nights with Papa.

5 things you would never wear again
1) Pegged or tapered jeans
2) Big 80's hair
3) Flashdance shirts
4) Parachutte pants
5) Half-shirts or crop tops

5 favorite toys
1) My camera
2) My DVR
3) My computer
4) My scrapbooking supplies
5) My new pink Nike's.

The DHW

WBW: Family

Ah, my cheating ways. This is an older picture of us. The little one was two in this picture and now he's four. The older boy was four years old and now he's almost seven. I guess that means it's time for a new family portrait. We were supposed to take some new ones for our Christmas cards, but well, we haven't yet. So enjoy this oldie, but goodie and we'll try to get caught up soon.

The DHW

Movin' Up A Bracket

Survey says...

...35-40 years of age.

Today I moved up an age bracket. Today I am supposed to start getting annual mammograms. Today I moved up into "high risk pregnancy due to age." Today I celebrated the 6th anniversary of my 29th birthday.

*sigh*

All in all not too bad. The teachers celebrated me with vanilla chai lattes and diet coke. My friends celebrated me with javanilla shakes and UT paraphernalia. My students celebrated me with candles, ornaments and other cute trinkets. My family celebrated me with dinero...way cool.

The DHW

ABC's of Me

Special thanks to Big Heavy for giving me something to post on day when I don't have much to say.

A is for Age – 34 until tomorrow
B is for Booze – Bailey's Irish Cream
C is for Career – Domestic Engineer and Early Childhood Educator
D is for Dad’s name – Dad....duh!
E is for Essential items to bring to a party – margarita makings
F is for Favorite song at the moment – Call On Jesus by Nicole C. Mullens
G is for Goof off thing to do – scrapbook, watch Lifetime TV, blog
H is for Hometown – Austin, Texas
I is for Instrument you play – Three Blind Mice on a recorder
J is for Jam or Jelly you like – Jalapeno w/ cream cheese
K is for Kids – Yes, 2 boys
L is for Living arrangement – married w/ children
M is for Mom’s name – Mom
N is for Name of best friend (that's not your spouse) – Prolly Lily, Joy & Di
O is for Overnight Stay in a Hospital – both my kids w/ C-sections and foot surgery
P is for Phobias – phone, dying
Q is for Quote you like – "Get messy, take chance, make mistakes"
R is for Relationship that lasted longest – husband, 16 years together, married 13, and counting
S is for Siblings – one brother
T is for Texas, ever been? – Um, yeah.
U is for Unique trait – ability to spin pretty much any situation
V if for Vegetable you love – asparagus and those green beans they serve at Chinese food buffets.
W is for Worst traits – procrastination, being just a tad cynical
X- is for X-rays you’ve had – dental, foot, back
Y is for Yummy food you make – carne guisada, meatloaf, caldo
Z is for Zodiac sign – Sagitarius w/ cusp of Scorpio

Just another glimse into the DHW's life...or lack thereof so it might seem. Now you play if you're up for it.

The DHW

SPF: All My Lives

Sounds like a soap opera, but no, it's this week's SPF. This week Kristine has us reflecting on ghosts of past, present and future. Our assignment:

Something that represents your past
Something that represents your present
Something that represents your future

Let's begin, shall we?

Something that represents your past

This was our last DINK (dual income, no kids) purchase. Our big screen TV. We're talking 60" of Dr. McDreamy in living color. The TV started showing signs of impending death so we sent her to TV hospice (Salvation Army). We loved this television and my boys have never known anything but a life-sized Barney. My youngest cried a river when the men came to take the girl away, but make no mistake all three boys shed a tear.

Something that represents your present

My PTA stuff. I'm a homeroom mom and effective December 17 will sit on the board. I know the rules this week state not to use your kids as your present, but at the moment this is my life. Monday I have to set up a dessert buffet as a thank you to the teachers and staff at school. Arts Day is the week after and then collecting for the teacher's gift to be presented at the class party the week after. I swear it's a full time job. It seems that so many parents just check out of any involvent once their kids reach school aged. That's too bad, because I know the kids still want to see their parents there during the day and not just for the class performance. They love the simple pleasures like having dad at lunch or mom at Library time. I get so frustrated when the students tell me that their mommy and daddy can't come because they work, but the truth is most of the time parents can take *some* time to come hang out even if it's just once a month. Sometimes I hate it that I have to pull the weight of other parents, but most of the time I'm tickled pink I get to do it.

And here is my current little part time gig. Though I'm not ready for a full time work outside the home, my job at the Y meets several needs. One, my child gets to be a part of the program at no cost to me, I get to bring home a few (and I do mean few) bucks every couple of weeks and I have something on my resume that isn't a big fat blank spot for the last 7 years. All that and I get my wardrobe supplemented to boot!

Something that represents your future

I have a confession. Most people would think I'm sick. My family thinks I should be committed. Okay, here goes:

I want to be an accountant.

There I said it.

I've always worked with accounting in some form or fashion trying to get through school. I finally graduated with a degree in Communication, started working in with the media and left the accounting world behind 10 years ago. As much as I enjoyed life in front of a television camera or behind a radio microphone it's not a career I choose pursue in my future. Working in the media is not exactly family friendly.

Now I hope to be able to segway back into the life of accounting I left behind. Unfortunately I don't have an education in accounting so I fear my opportunities may be limited. I suppose time will tell. I really do love the work. Accounting is problem solving. It tells a story by looking at a company's past, present and future. Just the thought of locating $.33 in an audit tape in order to balance a $100,000 transaction practically makes me giddy.

I need help, I know.

The DHW

You Say You Want A Revolution

Oprah is having a bra and jean revolution.

As it turns out I'm certainly in the wrong bra and probably in the wrong jeans. My bra band is too big and my cups are too small, but I'm having a mental block with going up a cup size. I mean don't only stippers wear that size?! As far as the jeans go apparently I shouldn't be wearning "boot cut". Gals under 5'4" shouldn't be doning the flare that boot cut offers according to the demin expert.

Just more confirmation that I am a complete fashion disaster.

The DHW

Smell Ya Later

I cannot find a deodorant I like.

I used to have one. Secret "Shower Fresh" solid. I don't know if they changed the formula or what, but it just doesn't smell the same in the tube. I won't put something on me if I don't even like the smell in the tube. With this new coupon freak I'm on I've been able to try other deodorants at free or fabulously reduced prices, but...eh.

At least this change didn't happen in the dead of summer where I could potentially lose all my friends. Friends don't let friends wear crappy deordorant.

The DHW

Coupon Freak

I joined this local online group for getting the most out of coupons. These people are hard core. The main focus seems to be how to get something for free. Great goal if you need the item, but it seems some of these folks are getting stuff gratis that no one really wants. I mean how many bottles of generic Panteen shampoo does one household need at a time?

Now I did score pretty well on the local quad coupons up to $2, but now I have a gross ton of cereal (good thing my kids LOVE cereal and would eat it all the time if I let them) and juice. I did get a few Really Good Deals even if they weren't free.

I just don't see the point of running all over town to every discount drugstore, grocery store and specialty shop to save a few extra pennies and depending on what it is, even for free. I'm still finessing my approach to this coupon thing.

The DHW

Decisions. Decisions.

The convergence on our t.v. has been going awry for awhile. I talked to a guy, a friend of someone I work with, who used to fix TV's at an electronics repair shop. Bottom line the part that he thinks it is will be about $300-$700 JUST FOR THE PART. He can install it, but we would have to buy it since he can't front that moolah. Of course. Still we're talking money for the labor too.

Just thinking aloud here...

I know the TV fading fast because it went from a corner of loss of convergence to about 6" off the top in about 6 weeks. At this rate it should be dead by the new year. We have the Sony which is awesome and big enough for the living room. We put the game cube on a seperate tv and the boys can burn out a $50 telly as opposed to a more expensive variety. I don't worry about keeping the GC in one of their rooms since they have to ask permission to use it and it's portable enough to yank out as a consequence. Besides we only have so many rooms in the house and you gotta do what you gotta do.

So I'm wondering what does one do with a gigantic t.v. that the picture is going out on? I have no desire to fix it if it's going to cost near a grand to do so. Our stop-gap repair cost was about $300, maybe $400. Then my herditary cheapness gene kicks in and I hate the idea of parting with such an expensive-at-purchase item. Still when I break it down to the ridiculous it cost us about $40 a month, a little more than a $1 a day, over the course of the last 7 years to own and love the tv.

What to do?

The DHW

Something Else I Never Expected To Say

Girl At Reception Desk: (to me) "You have a call on line 3. She says it's Poppy The Clown."

Me: "Oh, yeah! I'll take it."

20 minutes of conversation with Ms. Clown

Girl At Reception Desk: "I'm not sure if I'm more alarmed at the fact that a clown is calling you at work or the fact that you weren't at all surprised to receive the call."

We'll never know.

The DHW

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Flower

That's what I told my teacher in second grade. I think that's still true.

I'm once again facing the issue of what do I want to be when I grow up? Two things bring me make me ponder. One, my birthday is a comin'. It's a year that gives many people pause for thought I'm just wallowing in it. The other is this new thing Oprah's got going on about reinventing yourself.

Into what? The article says that sometimes people just fall into or back into their calling or a job that gives them joy. Okay. Then it goes on to say something about how we are not our job, but we are what is our joy or some crap like that. I'm so confused!

Who am I?

I was in the media, now I'm not. I'm a parent. I'm a teacher. I can't do what I did and I don't qualify to do what I want to do so where do I go? Ahhh, that's the question, Grasshopper!

Time to up my medication...

The DHW

SPF: Back In The Saddle Again

I took a slight hiatus with SPF, but this seems as good a week as any to jump right back on into things. This week’s assignment, compliments of Kristine at Random & Odd:

· Your Door Mat
· Your Rug/s
· Your Favorite Socks






My door mat
This assignment makes me realize it may be time to upgrade this bad boy. I’ve had it awhile and it’s showing some real signs of wear and tear.

My rug
This is the only area of the rug that is even close to being presentable enough to show. At that there is still a serious vacuum - or lack thereof - issue. This is the floor in my older boy’s room. It’s sort of a charcoal gray. The best thing I can say about it that it hides the dirt well. The floors in my home are a source of contention. I hate them. This house was a rental before we moved in and everything is very industrial especially the floors. We are finally replacing them with wood laminate in the spring. Yay, us!

Another awwww picture. These are the socks my grandmother gave to me for my 19th birthday. I wear them every year on my birthday so I’m realizing how long (and I do mean long) I’ve had them, but hell I don’t wear them all the time! My grandmother died seven years ago so wearing these socks on my birthday reminds me of her. Oh and so does the fact that she died right before my birthday so the service was *on* my birthday that year. Yeah, that sounds like her…

So Apparently Addiction IS Hereditary

My youngest is constantly asking to go to Starbucks to get a Frappachino. He's come to expect it on the way to school, when we go to Target, because it's daylight...

Papa suspects I'm not trading my scrapbooking supply purchase habit for Starbuck's, but rather simply adding to my vices. He's right, but I won't tell him. I mean is there anything better than a trip to Michael's with a Cafe Vanilla or chai latte? I think not.

So I'll own the fact that I'm enabling my youngest. I'll happily supply him with his Frapp Fix. It's what any good mother would do in this situation.

Then DHW

Someone Didn't Get The Memo

Last night we took the kiddos trick-or-treating. We just hit a few of the people in houses around our block, most of whom we already know. We hit one or two houses that we didn't know, but seemed okay. Still as prudent parents (and because we wanted dibs on the good stuff) we went through the boys trick-or-treat bags before they were allowed to partake. Would you believe that there were two "homemade" goodies in their bag? One was a ziplock bag of popcorn and the other was a baggie of nuts. I thought everyone knew you don't give out non-factory-sealed stuff? I mean they totally drill into the kids at school so I thought the word was out.

Yeah, Halloween is done for another year! Now on to the unofficial start of the consumer spending season...or at least the retailers attempt to push this season. Indeed I've already heard holiday commericals on the radio this morning. Is it any wonder I'm getting more and more cynical?

*snort*

The DHW