Bonuses That Weren't Extra

My work gave out bonuses yesterday. I got half a bonus because I was out almost 6 months having Anyah. The economy is bad. The bonuses were much smaller than usual. I didn't have plans for a bonus being as I didn't know if we would be getting on.

My prayers are for the people I work with who were expecting a comparable bonus to the last 2 years and who instead got a small token of appreciation.

Times are tough. I am thankful I got anything. I am thankful I wasn't counting on it to feed my family because I know there might be some who were.

****

In other work related news, somehow I am being mandated to attend a confidential meeting next week on my day off during the day to serve as a "witness" regarding something that I want nothing to do with.

My bully is still an issue even when there shouldn't be an issue.

So much prayers in the work department would be much appreciated.

Down with the Sickness

Anyah is sick. Not an easy kind of sick either. With working nights there comes difficult moments occassionally, like that moment when you go off to work and leave your sick baby and your exhausted husband to stay up off and on all night and with 2 hours of sleep under your belt you make the best of an 8 hour work day in a place that's exactly where you wish you weren't even though it makes to since to wish to go home to the land of sickness and crying... yet you wish you were home, to hold her...

On having your cake & eating it too

Anyah's first Chocolate Mouse

(a family favorite from Olde Thyme Pasteries here in Turlock)
Layla and Mommy made sprinkle cupcakes on Mommy's last day off before moving to the night shift

Around here I have the firm theory that you can't have it all but damn it you can sure try! I let the kids eat cake when they want it and you know what, they don't want it as much as one might think (at least not most of the time) because when you're allowed to have cake, it's good, but it's not *forbidden food of the God's* type of good.

Sometimes I feel like I am tanking the mommy ship. I feel like a complete and absolute failure at being Super Mom. But who doesn't right? I mean no one is super mom...and maybe someone out there is damn close but it's not gonna be me. At least not this week. But, dang it all, I am still going to TRY.

First week of night shifts officially almost sorta done (ok more like 2/3rds done because I started with 8 days in a row- stupid rotation). I'm not as tired as I expected and I seem to be doing ok with it. The girls don't really know I'm gone so they're doing well. Jon is having to cover for me while I sleep, that's tough on him, but he's growing... it's the growing pains we're not so fond of lately.

But it seems like an ok choice. I love the staff at nights, I love the work, I don't feel stressed and I'm getting better pay. But you can't have your cake and eat it too... or so they tell me so we're stretching thin on some things this week and I am hoping that all works out for the best soon.

Because I'd really like to try and get as close as I can to that next slice of cake.

Ta Da!

So I am getting ready for my second work day on the night shift...or work ngiht...oh well you know what I mean. I am remarkably awake both during the day and at night when I need to be so for that I am grateful. My wonderful husband picked up the slack today letting me nap whenever a baby was napping or a toddler was napping and entertaining whomever was left.

The thing I seem to be struggling with so far is that overwhelming tummy confusion that comes from having a lunch break at 4:30 am and then not knowing when the heck you're supposed to eat the rest of the day.

I loved being able to come home and snuggle my babies still in their toasty beds this morning and I enjoyed my cuddled naps and the time downstairs listening to Layla play using her imagination and watching Anyah roll herself towards things she's not supposed to have.

I think I might like this.

Yes.

I think I might.

...loading...adventure...loading...

Today was my last "day shift" at work for awhile... you know... like a year. I celebrated in true adult style...I bought a snack from the vending machine, gave myself hives, and had to take benadryl...not once...but twice in order to get the swelling in my head to go down. I eventually finished my shift, stumbled home and took an hour nap. Then Jon and I went to the grocery store, and got dinner (since I had a migraine)...now that the babies are in bed and the house is cool and quiet I feel a little better (or at least like I am not dying).



I have grand plans for tomorrow and the rest of my last weekend off for 4 weeks (also I work 8 days next week so that should be interesting). Plans like cleaning house, sorting baby laundry, hanging out in my pajamas, possibly walking to the park and letting the girls play in the grass and playground.



Jon's car died, so we've been down to one car for a few weeks now. It's a special kind of interesting juggling two opposite (yet overlapping) schedules. Tomorrow I won't have a car. Sometimes not having a car has perks, for instance, it's not like I can be expected to go somewhere this weekend with two kids and nothing to drive.



In other interesting points of note, I recently volunteered to work Thanksgiving and the day after. My shift is at 10 pm so it's not like that will muck up my turkey day plans and holiday pay is always pleasant, plus I'm the "new" girl so I think it probably looks nice. I've started gathering my Turkey Day supplies, I wish there was room in my freezer for a turkey because those are really inexpensive at Safeway this week.



Family pictures are scheduled for next week. The girls both need jackets. I can't find my tiny travel diaper bag. These are the things on my mind at 10:15 pm on a Friday night, this means I am officially a boring adult, right?

Layla has decided that she must verbally narrate every single thing that happens all day long. I feel like there is a sports commentator following me whereever I go. While I know that this is a stage in development, it is officially driving me and Jon crazy. CRAZY. crazy.



Lastly, Anyah's 6 month old appointment was this week. She's 17.4 lbs. She is 26.5 inches long. She's 65% for height and 50% for weight. Perfectly average but a tiny bit tall. She is ahead on milestones (sitting up, swapping things hand to hand, rolling speed). The Doctor confirmed her cat allergy treatment again. He also encouraged my co-sleeping, baby-wearing, and table food giving parenting tactics. I love our pediatrician.



So that's it here. Every thing changing, growing, adapting, loving...

Crazy Times

When this posts I'll be at work. I'll be at least knee deep in ringing phone lines, paperwork, forms and computer databases. It's my life. I accept that sometimes I'll have to work when I don't want to be there.

On Saturdays, my little people stay with Daddy or Nannie (depending on the weekend) and I trudge off to miss the best parts of the day. My body says sleep in (even though it hasn't really done that since we had kids) and my mind says leave on your jammies but instead I drag myself from the land of silly socks and songs sung by cartoon characters dancing next to giant primary colored shapes...and I get the job done. I'm even able to say with reasonable confidence that I am pretty good at going to work.

But, I am better at being home. So earlier this month I was offered the opportunity to take a job change and flip our entire existence up side down. I discussed it with my husband. I discussed it with my mom (Nannie Playcare) and then I jumped in with both feet...

And my new job will work all night long. It will be exciting, new, and better paying. I'll come home in the morning (wearing jeans & crazy socks-no more dress code) and I'll eat breakfast and snuggle my babies. Then I'll take a nap, or two, or maybe three if I can swing it.

But I'll be home if someone needs me. I'll see Anyah's first steps and I'll get to take Layla to dance. I'll still be tired. I'll still be working. I'll still be mommy and wife and employee every single day. But I won't be trudging off during the best part of the day.

I'm blessed that I'll have people helping me get through it so I can sleep if I need to or take a break if I need to. I'm also blessed that I know I get have an adventure in every day life... one that someone will actually pay me to go on.

So the question gets asked daily. How can a mom of two little kids go to graveyard shift? The answer: How could I not take the opportunity to give my children more of me...even a sleepy me... if that was an option.

On Puppies, Birthdays & Adult Life

First things first, Layla's party is a puppy theme, because as you can see, she is still totally into pretending to be a puppy. She even licked Anyah... who has informed me...she is not scarred for life. Good times.

The birthday party invites didn't go out until Monday because mommy has a J-O-B and sometimes she doesn't have the time/money to run to the post office and buy a gazillion stamps. We never mail anything. I don't own stamps. It's 2010, the only reason Layla knows what a letter looks like is because Blue's Clues gets mail.

Today was my day to sign up for health insurance benefits and like every adult before me I got to weigh the difference between PPO and HMO. After that was done I had to fight the moral dilema between double insurancing or just having Jon's health insurance and my dental/vision. I went with option two because 1) my MRI was good and 2) I don't plan on having more kids. So for now we'll have one insurance like everyone else.

This week is schedule bidding at my work. On the 18th of October my work is changing their hours and everyone is bidding for new work schedules based on a rank determined by all sorts of things. My rank is pretty not awesome due to having a baby and being sick from having a baby. That's ok. There are no awful schedules just different ones then my first pick. I'll adapt. It's crazy stressful to think about change for me though so I am dealing with that part...poorly.

Anyah has decided that she doesn't like to be put down this week. Something about her mouth being invaded by giant teeth...honestly I didn't hear the exact explaination she was giving me because it sounded like SCREAM whine whine whimper SCREAM. Poor kid...

And that is that... 2 days down on the oh so normal work week.

Getting it Together

This was eye level in our closet under the stairs last week.
The stuff was stacked eye level high from the very back all the way to the door.

Two days ago we went on a mission to clean out the closet and get it put back into some sort of order. It didn't take long once Layla was at Nannie's house and Jon was alternating between helping me with the closet and helping me with Anyah.

This is what this week is made of at our house. Monday I go back to work. I already had a conference call with work this week and the reality of "oh my god I'm leaving my baby at home" has finally sunk in all the way.

I think I am ready.

My mom is staying with the girls here at the house every day until Jon or I gets home from work. That is a HUGE blessing. I love leaving my girls with someone I know loves them enough to always do the right thing for them.

But, I don't want to leave her here in chaos. So closets have been cleaned out. Bathroom cabinets organized, dishes put back where they are supposed to be, pantries sorted, baby clothes have been put in right drawers for easy access.

Mainly, I am trying to get my shit together so I can hopefully spend a few days feeling like my shit is together before it all changes back to working mom chaos.

I am blessed to have a job and to have had 5 months at home (1 with just Layla and almost 4 with both girls). Now if I could just keep that perspective while I hyperventilate about Monday.

Next Weekend

Next weekend I turn 31. That day my daughter officially earns the half in 2 1/2 years old. The next day I turn 9 months pregnant. Funny, I always thought adult life would be like this but I never thought it would be exactly like this.

Being home (while forgiven of the stresses of working) adds a different bundle of anxiety. Twenty four hours a day with a toddler, spending all your free time with either you mom or your husband (no matter how much you love them) and not being able to do anything by yourself or go anywhere alone...well... it's exhausting...for everyone. Add to that an unknown decrease in income yet to be determined between SDI and my supplemental disability insurance, some HR paperwork that just keeps trickling into my mailbox and the constant destruction of my carpet that can only be caused by a small person who knows you're already busy... well... it's going to be a long 5 to 6 weeks.

This week should be a fun one though. Layla's 1/2 birthday post will be up a day or two early because I will be enjoying some birthday fun this weekend. Friday night my family is coming over for pizza and cake. Then Saturday night we have dinner with another couple. Sunday I get 2 fun things in one day... lunch and a pedicure with a girlfriend followed by a Wrestlemania gathering we've been invited to. Yes, I am a wrestling dork, yes, I am excited.

What about you? Any fun plans this week?

What's that?

Ahh the sounds of Monday. Alarm clocks. Work emergency line buzzers. Little girls who talk too fast to be understood. Dinner dishes clanging. Husbands clicking their crops to harvest on Farmville.

Welcome to the week.

Enjoy.

The Cycle of Mornings

Most mornings I get up in the cloak of darkness, stumble to the bathroom and get ready for work while making as little noise as possible. Then I make my way downstairs in the dark and turn on the kitchen light while I try to talk myself into making a lunch for work. When that's done I sit in my favorite chair and wait for it to be time to go to work. Sometimes if I work the later shift (on Saturdays) I throw into the mix entertaining Layla while she tries to mimic everything I do in the bathroom mirror and runs circles around me until Nannie shows up to watch her.

Exceptions to this are my days off. The first day off every week is usually spent trying to reclaim my house. The upside to free childcare is that it's free. The downside is it takes place in your home and because you're not paying for it you can't exactly say...excuse me can you please start picking up after yourselves. So most weeks by Saturday/Sunday my house is a mess. Jon and I both do damage control during the week but a once a week overhaul is usually necessary. I also do baby laundry and at least 2 loads of dishes. Dishes are something that I loathe.

I usually try and make a real breakfast for Layla on my day off. Eggs and sausage or pancakes and sausage are our favorites. I attempt to spent a little time actually playing with my kid (today we busted out the chalkboard already). We watch movies while we eat and usually as a result of picking up and trying to get things done I nap when she naps.

The first day off doesn't really feel like a day off. That's actually my "issue" with the way my work does weekend rotation. On my weekends off I get 2 days in a row (Saturday and Sunday) but on my weekends on I get split days off (Sunday and Wednesday). Usually with my day off during the week I end up scheduling appointments and so those days stay pretty busy. My catch up day ends up being Sunday and I end up feeling like I had no days off. I usually don't get to sleep in at all on my 4 weeks without Saturdays and I can't exactly catch up with my friends when I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Don't get me wrong. I'm greatful to have a job, especially one with good insurance since I have a baby on the way. I just wish everyone always got 2 days off in a row. I think it would increase our rest and help us to help the people we're working with better. But that's just me.

As I sit here thinking about how much I feel like I never have time to rest I wonder how much moer complicated my life is about to get. Soon there will be a baby in this mix. Spiritually that is exhausting for me to think about. I feel stretched thin already, I don't know how much farther I can pull. Today I woke up cranky and then the morning was rough and I can't imagine having this bad of a morning while breastfeeding an infant every few hours.

Egads, what did I get myself into.

Saturday's on the rocks

The first Saturday you work in a rotation is always the hardest. It's hard to leave your toddler as they cry because normally this is the day you hang out and watch movies and do crafts. It's hard to start work an hour later and to stay at work an hour later as a result. It's hard to put up with cranky people and the generally unfun to help when you know you could be home in your pajamas instead.

The hardest part of Saturday for me is the fact that I usually get home AT dinnertime and I have to rush from work to making the toddler something to eat and as soon as she's eaten she's all full of energy and I'm ready for a nap.

I'm cranky and she's acting like she's on crack. I feel bad for Jon.

Fuel

Yesterday in a facebook comment another Mommy blogger friend of mine said she was delusional. Every time someone tells me they are delusional I say the same thing someone said to me almost 5 years ago.

"Delusions can be cured with good beer or bad company, choose the beer, the headache is shorter lived"

Witty no?

It's from back in a time in my life where it was not uncommon on a weeknight for a group of random people to get together for dinner and drinks after work. We were all single, we all had adult jobs, and we all liked to laugh and mock the "burdens" that life threw at us.

If I had known then, what I know now I would have taken more pictures and tried more mixed drinks. Now I'm lucky if I text a friend a couple times a week, phone calls are rare and dinner with drinks is like wish upon a star.

All grown up and suddenly thrust into a life with real responsibilities I take little glimpses of what I knew then and try to apply them but it's not the same. Not that I want it to be the same. I mean back then I didn't have Jon and Layla for whom which I would trade anything this world offers. But, if there was an option where I got to keep the loves of my life and still hang out once in awhile with a girlfriend without having to reschedule 5 times or where the people who used to come over just to eat dinner and a movie still thought we were cool enough to hang out with...well that would fuel my soul just as much now as it did then.

New Year New Prospective

I'd love to say that with 2010 rushed in a bunch of relief and financial freedom but no one expected that to happen because that's not how real life works. What did happen in the last week is a lot of re-evaluation. I have some very skewed perspectives about things and my expectations are very high for other people. They are the same expectations I give myself, which are also too high (or so I am told).

I spend a lot of time being boiled over with anxiety because I never feel like I'm doing enough, being enough, finishing enough. The truth is, I have been informed, my idea of enough must be higher than other peoples. This would also explain why when things happen that put others in crisis mode they always think I am going above and beyond when I think I am barely helping.

Enough with enough. that's my new prospect for 2010.

Although, I don't think I'm doing enough of it. ha ha ha!

No seriously, my anxiety level is a still a 9.5 on a scale of 10 but last week it was an 11...so I'm getting better and I'm still working on it.

How about you, is there a personality trait you would love to work on this year?

Free at last

Today I am blogging at 6:25 in the morning in my livingroom on a new laptop. My mom got me this lovely mini netbook for Christmas for two reasons...ok...3 reasons... 1 she's awesome, 2 I started a book I'd really like to finish writing but it is impossible to write a book while being trapped in the kitchen with a toddler climbing all over you, and 3 she's awesome.

We were blessed that a friend of ours no longer needed his wireless router so Jon hooked that up for me last night and now I have the ability to do some awesome things, like blog on a regular basis while the baby plays or to let Layla skype with her cousins in South Carolina. I'm very excited.

Now while you might see the words "new laptop" and think how the heck can you get a new laptop and have a bah humbug Christmas let me just say that how you feel about what happens to the people you love can have a HUGE effect on how you feel about everything that happens to you. Now I know that Jon will eventually get a very late Christmas gift and I know that people out there might have it worse than me. That doesn't make my suck feelings about Christmas any less sucky.

But, Christmas is over. I packed it up yesterday while Layla spent the day being spoiled by Grandparents and eating things that kept her cranked up until passed bedtime. I put it away and looked at my sparse shelf tops and clean floors and a huge sigh of relief could be felt through my entire being.

I then sat in my rocking chair and watched a DVD or two and waited for Anyah to move in my belly (she doesn't move nearly as much as Layla did so I have to be VERY patient) and then we had dinner while the baby tried to spread a thin layer of plastic toys across my newly cleaned floor. It was my kind of evening.

This week is a short week at work and I'll be back on the phones so I am glad about the shortness of it all. I have my regularly scheduled day off (Wed) and I also get off Friday for New Year's. We actually have plans this year...weird.

I am feeling better. Not enough better that I will say that I am well but enough better that I don't feel like an OBGYN should have Anyah on a monitor to make sure I am not killing her by coughing both of us to death.

I am thankful for those who kept us in their prayers during the WORST month. I am also thankful for a new decade and a new year which are just around the corner because I am hopeful that we have finally earned ourselves a good one.

Decisions DECISIONS decisions

It's been a long week of being forced to make up my mind.

First, there was what to take to Papa Mark's BBQ for dessert, what to wear, what does the baby wear.

Sunday, it was all about what to BBQ for the Father's Day celebration at our house.

And then Monday there was the breakfast potluck at work to plan for and attend, and I also noticed at work that the position I originally applied for at work was now posted and available again.

So then I spent most of Tuesday ignoring a birthday potluck (which I ate too much at despire "trying" to ignore it) at work and trying to figure out if I am the girl who takes a job she'd like with no chance of advancement or stay at a job she doesn't like because someday she'll make more money...which by the way I am still figuring out and will have to finish figuring out soon before the job vanishs of the intranet.

Then Wednesday, mom left me a little cash to get myself lunch at work on Thursday but I decided to use it for dinner (mmm Mexican food) instead and then I sent Jon off to watch Transformer's with George after dinner and enjoyed some alone time with a terrible book (but I couldn't decide if it was bad enough to stop reading so I finished the whole thing). While he was gone I got the call from my Dr.

The Call...a non-punctuated re-enactment...

"hey allie remember when you went to the ER last month"

"ya when I miscarried" (like a person forgets that)

"they found something in your test results"

"i know one of the girls said I might have hypoglycemia and you already called about that"

"no not that. on your ovary...they found something"

"you mean the cyst I've had for 3 years that is the reason i have fertility issues?"

"oh...we knew this was there? (silence) oh yes i see it here. (more silence) well you might want to have it removed because it will be very painful when you have periods"

"it's already painful when I have periods, it's been there 3 years, is it sick or making me sick? is it making me not pregnant?"

"no it's just a cyst"

"ok.. i want to think about surgery and call you back. i kind of don't want to take more time off work if i don't have to"

"ok decide and let us know...no rush... it's not cancer"

To which I stiffled a "no shit it's not cancer you already sent me a bill for that $1000 test" but anyhow...

So now there's that to decide. And, for the record, I love my doctor and this re-enactment should in no way be reflected as a bad opinion about him.

And today at work, I learned that someone has to plan what my team does with $600 in award money to be spent as a team. Do you know how I found out? The group sent me an email asking for ideas because I'm creative. NO PRESSURE THERE *sigh*

Actually, it's been a good week... only minor drama, good food, and a lot of stories to tell my kids someday...if I decide to.

Little Green Month

One of my girl-friends at the new J O B is challenging everyone to be more "green" during the month of April. She (on behalf of the girl scout troup she runs) asked us to make 10 commitments for the month of April to help save the planet a little at a time. These are my 10 commitments (she had a list of ideas so some are from that and some are my own). I would like to challenge you blog universe to do the same and make the world a better place this month (or longer if the mood strikes you).

Jon and I are already mildly "green" people. So I picked somethings that I sometimes do and am commiting to ALWAYS doing them this month as well as some things I've never done.

1. I will plant 1 plant/tree for each person in my family.
2. I will ALWAYS recycle my cans/cardboard products.
3. I will stop wasting leftovers and unused foods by buying with a meal plan that uses my leftover food.
4. I will ALWAYS attempt to get local fresh foods.
5. I will ALWAYS commit to buying 50% organic when shopping.
6. I will ALWAYS recycle or reuse items I need by both getting and giving things to people I know when I am done with them so that they can use them. (I am pretty good about doing this with baby clothing/things but I'm awful about doing it with adult stuff)
7. I will drink more water and I will not drink water from plastic bottles from vending machines unless it's unavoidable.
8. I will use this month to teach my child about 1 more "green" process than I normally would.
9. I will ALWAYS refuse extra paper napkins when I go out.
10. I will ALWAYS be aware of how much power is being used in my home by unplugging unnecessary items and turning things off when I am not using them.

It was like going back to work, but shorter

I went back to work Monday morning, all ampted up from my little vacation and ready to tackle the world. I came home at the end of the day exhausted because having 4 days off really put me on the wrong schedule.

Then for reasons beyong my control I had to call in sick today and I already have tomorrow as a regularly scheduled day off (which I'm sure looks bad-but what is a girl to do at 2 am).

I'll work Thursday (my mom is arranged to watch the baby just in case) and Friday (when I'll hurry home because Jon goes to work as soon as I get back to the house) and then I'll have Saturday off because it's my four weeks of weekends off this rotation.

Several countdowns are playing out in my head right now. The one to the next paycheck, the one until Jen & Mel finds out if their babies really are pink or blue and mostly...the 18 days until Lynn comes home for three weeks and I get to hang out with her and my lovely little God-son.

Today I told Layla that Pheonix would come over and play later this month and she spent a good twenty minutes talking in baby gibberish. I know she knows who he is because we talk about his pictures and Lynn's pictures...so I wonder what she's trying to tell me. Knowing my kid she's planning future play dates at the park and a trip or two to go visit.

Collective Sigh

I feel like I could resort to one of those blog points with bulletins that everyone else writes so I am going to...

• I had to stop taking the fertility pill I was on. I started getting Lactic Acidosis and my liver was very unhappy. There was blood. Lot's of blood. And I'm not talking about the 22 day menstrual cycle I had either. Different blood. And metal tastes in my mouth. Yucky. Project baby is on hold until I can get a Dr's appt about that.
• Today I drove to my grandfather's to suprise him with a visit. This is the 4th time I've tried and he wasn't home this time either. This time I resorted to leaving a note. I quit.
• Work has been good. I'm past the 90 day probation period but still stranded at "not my desk" while someone else is training and it's killing my moral.
• Last night I actually got a full nights sleep for a change. The baby went to bed at 7 (thank you time change) and slept in until 7:35 with only one wake up for a new diaper. It was sweet.
• I'm very worried about money.
• My 30th birthday is coming up and I think I'm going to plan myself a nice dinner out with friends and family now. I mean it's getting close and it doesn't seem to be planning itself. (But most things don't)
• I have today off because I am working Saturdays right now. I love it and hate it all at the same time. I will work 3 Saturdays and then I will rotate off. It was supposed to be 4 Saturdays but I took a 4 day weekend for my birthday.
• I can't find my sunglasses.
• I miss having a family that did things together. I recently heard about yet another family going through a divorce and I wish I could write the person in question an email and say... listen dude on behalf of your kids... you're ruining every holiday they have forever.
• What do you put in an Easter basket?
• My black eye is going away.
• Everyone else is pregnant and I am starting to get bitter. So I pray. Then I get tired of praying and I get bitter again. Nice cycle no? I'm working on it.
• 11 people I know are pregnant.
• Niobe's baby is beautiful. He makes me smile & I've never seen him in real life.
• I miss scrapbooking with other girls. Hell I miss talking to other girls in my home.
• I remember when being someone's friend meant you commited time to them and didn't just read about them on the internet.

Which leads me to the most important thing I'm thinking about right now. I'm thinking about making this blog private.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Spring Cleaning Bug

Jon and I have both caught the spring cleaning bug. Last week we moved around furniture...giving our living room and dining room a little make over to make them both baby friendly for feeding times. Then yesterday there was the purging of baby toys to boxes, the cleaning of Layla's room, and the reorganizing of our office filing cabinet. Today I'm not sure what will get done but here are some things on our to do list... in no particular order...

1. Dig the Easter decorations out of the attic
2. Clean out the closet under the stairs so it is usable not just a giant pile of junk.
3. Clean out the two baskets in our closet
4. Donate baby clothing to charity to get it out of our closets
5. Re-organize the garage and get rid of things we don't need.
6. MINIMIZE our collection of collections... do we really need all this stuff??

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Today I'm airing out the house and getting some much needed posting lined up on my food blog. I also posted baby pictures finally on Layla's blog and I think I'll make some cowboy cookies later this afternoon. I need to make one more trip to the grocery store and to take a shower with out a baby underfoot and shave my legs.

I'm super excited I start my new shift tomorrow. 6 am to 2:30 pm Monday to Friday for the month of February...then it changes again. That leaves weeks and afternoons with my Layla bug and hubby as well as plenty of time to go back to school.

So I'm going to go deal with the spring cleaning and when I'm done I'm going to get out my work clothes and get ready for tomorrow. Both of which seem much more important then finding a blog prompt right now when I can't think of anything to blog about.