Hanging up the bikes

Last week sometime, we were cleaning out my garage and took the time to hang up the bikes. As we were doing so, I kept myself from saying the words that I wished we could go for one more ride. It seemed so "final" for the season to be putting them up.

I wondered to myself... ok, so you think you didn't take enough bike rides this summer? Why not?? What stopped you, in all the wonderful days that you had? Why are you hoping today for one last ride, when you could have had dozens earlier.

Huh.

Good thought to ponder, and motivate myself to "take more rides", whatever that ride may be, when the time presents itself. I know what it felt like to want one more ride as we were hanging up the bikes, what about all the other "rides" that I forego in life? What will it feel like when I've run out of time for them?

Getting Old

I really must be getting old, or having a mid-life crisis or something. It seems like every time I turn around these days I'm thinking of some vegetable I could be growing and/or canning. Realize, though, that I don't have a garden nor a canner. I grew up with both, though, and have parents and In-Laws who still do both. (And I'm able to enjoy a bounty of IL's handiwork.)

Maybe it's because I don't have a garden or something, but for some reason, I want one. Bad.

I still think I'm getting old.

Team Lead

Hmmm... turns out that there's a Team Lead position available in our group. We have about 55 people in our Dev group, and someone higher up the chain left. A team lead took her place, and so the team lead position is open. Applicaitons are due tomorrow.

Interesting to think about being a Team Lead. What would it take to be a team lead? Could I be a team lead? Would I want to be a team lead??

If I don't want to be a team lead, what do I want to be?

Of course, I have a gajillion things going on in my life right now that could possibly conflict with any aspirations of moving up the feeding chain, but I'm still curious as I'm a natural leader. I have no problem just "taking charge" in just about any situation. Oh, and not taking charge in a bossy sort of way, but in an organizing/planning sort of way.

Wellness

At work, we're having Wellness week. For me, it may as well be called Guilt Week. lol

I weigh too much. Not grossly too much in my eyes, but I'm beyond the "overweight" BMI classification and am in the "obese". All my other numbers look good (bp, choloesterol, etc). Just that darned weight.

At one event, there was a thing you could put on that would show you how 20 more pounds would feel. I want the one that shows me how much better 20 LESS pounds would feel. I feel good. Would any improvements in myself be worth the effort to lose 20lbs? Since no one can tell me, I'm talking myself into trying it.

I've weighed this much forever, for at least 10 years, I peeked at my doctor's chart so I know for a fact, and I'm all about facts. Ok, I weighed a little more when pg, but oddly, not much more. All three times, I've come back to rest comfortably at this weight. I have no idea what it would be like to weigh less. I might have to try it.

Personal Growth

I think I'm doing really well. Of course as soon as I say that, something's bound to happen to make it not true, but I'm definitely feeling the 2-steps-forward type of momentum right now instead of those pesky backwards ones.

Tyler's almost sitting up. Derek and Gavin are doing well. I've gotten some work done on my woodchips by the back patio and the side of the house. I even planted some petunias already.

I've got my eye on some outdoor patio chairs... and am trying to figure out if I really should buy them or not. Money doesn't grow on trees, but golly, I *want* to splurge a bit.

Milestones

Derek is trying to skip, and Tyler's nearly sitting up.

Last night, Tyler went to bed at 9, was up at 2 and 5:45. Not too shabby at all!

Who is this for?

Yesterday I found out that today is Back to the 50's dress at school. I was pretty excited about it. Well, last night on the way to Tyler's chiro appt, I told Gavin about it in the car. (The boys love to come along to play with their toys.)

I told him that he got to dress up as Back to the 50's and he said, "I don't know what that is."

I did go on to explain, and he was interested in what things were like when Gma was a girl, but somehow it really got me to thinking... just who is this theme for anyway?? These are all K-2nd graders. How many of them have been exposed to a great deal to anything from the 50's? I remember listening to the music in my later elementary days, but surely not as a Kindergartener.

Given the choice of hair gel or not this morning, he opted for no hair gel. He is wearing a white t-shirt and black pants, both of which are rolled. I could have had him tuck in the shirt, but that would have only lasted to the first bathroom break, so I didn't bother.

Something to which I previously objected

Every once in a while I find myself being handed my former beliefs with a side of crow. I'm fairly black-and-white when it comes to many issues, so can easily find myself on the wrong side of gray.

One such thing, to which I previously objected, is co-sleeping. Prior to having kids myself, I was adament. No co-sleeping would happen in my house. I maintained this adamance through the birth of my first, and colicky son. Granted, in despiration I believe I may have tried to lay him in bed with me, but since he was crying anyway, him keeping me awake in bed seemed like salt in the wound, I suppose. No matter, my anti-co-sleeping stance remained intact.

Then my 2nd son was born. He loved to nurse, and hated pretty much every bottle he ever saw. He found a nifty solution to hating bottles, he'd eat the bare minimum while I was away at work, and tank-up while I was with him. A great plan, except that many of the hours we were together he and/or I should be asleep. It turns out that co-sleeping saved my sanity. He could happily sleep-nurse while I dozed. Getting him out of our bed was a bit of a hassle, though. Next month he'll be turning 4 and I cherish every snuggle that we shared co-sleeping.

So, when my crib-in-my-room 6mo awoke last night to nurse, I felt no guilt when I laid him right down in bed next to me and snuggled in. Sure, I could have sat up in bed and fed him as usual, then promptly returned him to his crib, but last night, I banked a few slumbing snuggles as I know all to well how quickly time passes, and how soon it'll seem that he'll be turning 4 himself.

How I can love something to which I had previously objected I'll never know.

My "Sweetness" is 6mos old today

I don't know why, but for some reason, I call my youngest "sweetness". Anyway, he's 6months old today. Such a big boy already (although not big in comparison to other kids his age, just getting older faster than I can seeminly take in).

He's my last, so I'm making extra sure to drink in every last drop of baby time with him. He's my sweetness, but as he grows, I'm finding some things bittersweet.

The dork that I am

I know I'm a dork. I'm completely fine with this. Just this morning, while checking the balance of my checking account, I was pleased to see it at an even dollar amount. While it is just a number, it is pretty cool to see that it's .00, when the chances of that happening are 1%. So, the next 99 times, I'll expect it to be something else, but will still be surprised when probability throws me a bone and I'm back to .00.

Fun stuff!

Goodnights Bedtime Theater

A gal I know online has had the opportunity to review GoodNites new program, Goodnites Bedtime Theater. Bedtime Theater is a series of 20 short (3 to 5 minutes each) audio stories that follow the story of a boy named Iggy as he embarks on wild adventures with his Wiggy Bed, building self-confidence along the way. You can download all of the adventures to an MP3 player, or even burn them to a CD for free.

Here is her review and

http://thedailydribbles.blogspot.com/2010/03/goodnites-bedtime-theater-review-and.html

I think it's an interesting idea for the techno-gadget type. At my house, we do bedtime stories the old fashioned way, I read. We read chapter books, mostly Bevery Cleary ones so far. I'll normally read a chapter a night. The boys LOVE it. So, I can imagine, that kiddos would also love the thought of cuddling up with their parents to listen to one of these adventures.

Playing the coupon game

You know, it's odd... I grew up with a Mother who clipped coupons. That's just what she did. Then, as I moved out, it didn't seem to pay. Either I didn't need many of the items or the coupons just never got clipped and used or whatever.

These days, I'm finding myself buying a lot of store brands and saving money that way. There are some things, though, for which I really have found myself preferring the brand name. One of these things is diapers. I love Hu.ggies.

I half-heartedly saved money in the past by buying a Sa.m's Club membership and buying their boxes. It turned out that I really didn't need anythign else in the store, and found the prices not all that great, so, in a new effort to save money, I've been watching sales a bit, and clipping coupons. I now get the Sunday paper soley for the ads. We read probably less than an eighth of the news in the paper, but I do go through the coupons. Also, I've now tried online printable coupons.

This brings me to yesterday. We needed diapers. Normally, my Wal.greens has them priced at 11.99 for 42 of them in a ju.mbo pack. That's .285 per diaper (28 and a half cents).

They were on sale, though, for 8.99.

And, I found two $3 coupons

And, the store offered $5 in "re.gister rewards" (cash towards a future purchase) if I bought 3 packs.

Adding that all together gives this:
11.99 x 3 = $35.97
8.99 x 3 = $26.97 (sale price)
Minus two $3 coupons = $20.97
Re.gister Re.wards of $5 = essentially $15.97 for 42 diapers which equals .127 (12.7 cents) per diaper.

Amazing. Less than half price!

I was telling my hubby last night, though, that I don't know if I should be proud of myself for working the deal and saving the money, or be offended that I had to work the deal at all.

99 Friends on the wall

I'm not sure why my mind does things like this, but it does. It judges. See, by saying "my mind" judges, it would seem as though "I" don't actually judge, but my mind does. :wink That way, I don't have to be the bad guy.

Anyway, on Fa.ceboo.k, I'll notice sometimes that people will have hundreds of friends. How is that even possible?? How can they be that close with so many people? And online? Don't they have lives?

Well, I've been noticing in myself that my friendships seem to be all online. While I don't think it's unhealthy to have online friends, having ONLY online friends might be. I do have close relationships with some family members, but not any not-related-to-me people. So, I've decided that I will have friends. Presto!

No, no friends have materialized in front of me magically, but some will. I promise myself that some will. I plan to attend a P.TA meeting next month, and will hopefully meet some lovely folks there. In the meantime, I've been looking at my own friend list on fb, and seeing that there was room for some pruning. Hey, maybe this is a spring gardening itch that I've got going! Anyway, I've clipped a few branches back, hoping for some re-growth in real life.

And, I currently have just 99 friends on the wall.

In a Row

How's that for ya?? Two in a row. I'm on a roll. :)

Took both big kiddos for T's chiro appt last night. It was fine. T cries throughout the session, but it's because he's laying on the table and we're not picking him up. You know, because Mama always picks him up. I'm such a wimp that way. Oh, and the table? It has this most wonderful cushion thingy on it for babies. Imagine an oval shaped innertube, covered with the softest most cozy material you've ever felt. It's like a cloud. If that thing were a tad bigger, I'd be asking him to move over so I could cuddle up in it myself.

Wow, that was fast

Time flies when you're having fun they say. Well, I must have been having a blast! lol

This morning I was able to walk Gavin to the school bus stop. A rarity for me, as I'm supposed to be nearly to work by the time the bus comes. But, Tyler's decided that he can sleep in a bit if he's snuggled next to me, so my natural alarm clock is gone. I may have to set an actual alarm clock for the first time in over a year. Seriously, that will be weird. Oh, and Derek now goes to the livingroom when he wakes up, not our room, so his early-bird wake-up call isn't one I'll hear, either.

The sun is shining, it's a great day.