Redefining Perfect

I was making Erik’s favorite for dinner last night, cowboy spaghetti. I’ve been waiting all weekend to make it (I forgot to get garlic at the grocery store..I got some yesterday).

I fried up the bacon, it was perfect. took it out of the frying pan and set it on it’s paper towel-lined plate. I turned on the burner under under the water for the noodles on high (because it takes ages to boil)…and began cooking the beef for the sauce. Everything was going swimmingly.

Five minutes later….

BANG!!!

Scared the crap out out of Erik and I….

I had turned on the wrong burner. The burner that I had set the bacon on was blazing red, the plate shattered, pieces all over the place, the papertowel – on fire- on the floor.

It cleaned up pretty well, the floor was not burned badly, most of the pieces were big.

I did find a few small pieces of ceramic in my plate of spaghetti, though. I’m the only one that got any, of course. *lol* At least, Erik was kind enough to not tell me if he did get some.

Well, when you’ve been kicked, it’s hard some days to find the joy. After learning our car is terminal over the weekend I’ve been struggling with my usual cheery disposition (really, I am the optimist in this house, believe it or not!).

Over the weekend we went to the movies – $40 gone. I remembered I still have to buy a present for my nephew when I thought I was done with Christmas presents (looking at another $10 there at least). I have the expense of Christmast dinner (ham is EXPENSIVE!! Sheesh! And I thought our turkey breasts at T-day were bad)…and other random things. I’m looking at our currently stable savings (small though it is) and trying to figure out how long it has left to live. At this point I’m figuring 1 – maybe 2 – weeks before it’s DOA.

Erik calls from work says he’s going to pay on his account at work (he works for a water purification/water softener company – from which we regularly buy salt for our softener, and filters for our R/O)…and then take out $20 for his carpool buddy to help cover gas costs (he and I agreed $20/2wks)…and the $30 for my remaining Christmas presents.

In a panic, thinking of our cash levels, I pull up the account. I expect to see a certain moderate amount in our account (on hold until mortgage is paid on Friday)…instead I see $200 MORE than I expected.

Apparently Erik got a bonus at work. No one told him *lol*

So our random joy for today is a bonus!! It’s not a huge one (not like the one he got two years ago, unfortunately), but it’s bigger than last years crap…and enough to cover our date night this weekend, AND Christmas dinner!!

Now if UPS would show up with his present…and the other one would make it before Christmas I’ll be totally joyous! (One gift was mailed standard USPS on Saturday…God willing it will get here before Christmas day!!)

We have begun our fourth (or is it fifth?) round of attempts to potty train. Molly has begun to show intermittent interest in the potty, and annoyance at her diapers. We had one successful run to the potty yesterday, and were hoping to have repeat success by going into the bathroom just about every hour. No success, and by the end of the day she was annoyed with the potty. We’re not giving up this time, though. She’s smart enough and almost 3…we’ll get it, I’m sure of it! If for no other reason than because she’ll be thrilled to know that if she learns to go on the potty her shoes won’t have to come off ALL DAY…until she gets changed into pajamas *lol*

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On a potty side note…I’ve had to begin taping Kennedy up like I used to do with Molly. Her diaper, that is. Even with her PJ’s on backwards. She plays with the diaper through the sleeper until it’s loose and halfway down her legs. Not a problem I ever had with Molly. *sigh* On a good note, though…because Molly is potty training, K is starting to show interest as well. Maybe I’ll get her trained at an early age.

*no spoilers, promise!*

Erik and I went on a date tonight!! We went and saw “I Am Legend” I’d have to say that even if the movie sucked…just seeing Will Smith working out – no shirt – would have made it worth it.

HOWEVER, it did NOT suck! It was actually a very good movie. Well made. It brought you so into Robert’s mindset that you were suspicious of an event that happened at the end yourself.

It was $40 spent…and not money I regret spending at all. It was good to get out with hubby and to see a VERY good movie (seriously at $10/ticket it would take a LOT to make it worth it to go to the movies…this one did). One we will be definitely getting when it comes out on video.

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Two side notes…
1.) Car has been marked as terminal. We’ll get a couple more months out of it…if we’re lucky. Considering we have no money and no other vehicle, this is very much NOT good. Applied for a mortgage refi (pulling out equity when we do) in hopes of not only getting funds to purchase another vehicle…but to also get a lower mortgage payment in the process!

2.) My parents (and bro/SIL) watched the kids tonight. Apparently the girls did wonderful. K didn’t throw ONE fit while she was there…until I showed back up. Yeah. Great to know I’m a catalyst. And apparently Molly was just an absolute doll…super loving and all over the place with talking! YAY!!

A more randomized post for your reading pleasure (or not). Much going on..

*Erik and I are going to go on a…brace for it…DATE! *Gasp* It will have to be a short one, as my mom “can’t stay up late because we are singing on Sunday” *sigh* BUT, we’ll get to go to the movies! We’re going to see “I Am Legend” (hopefully). Will Smith *sigh* He’s no Hugh Jackman, but he sure works in a pinch.
*Molly asked for help!! First time ever! YAY!
*I was up until 3AM last night. Yup, 3AM. Remember my list from yesterday? It took me 3 hours to knock out the “finish organizing my desk” bit. I worked on it from 12AM-3AM. Went to bed and spent the next 4 hours being woken up intermittently by Erik for either snoring or to ask me about the kids school stuff or some other random deal.
*I realized that I was not completely totally and absolutely done with Christmas last night. I have one nephew that I forgot to buy a present for. I hardly ever see my nephews (even though they live right here)…and he’s at that age where it’s starting to get tough to get presents.
*I have no toilet paper in my house. At all. This is not good. Must drag Erik and kids into Wal-Mart tonight. I cringe at the thought.
*My girls are such drama queens. Heaven help me.
*Have to pick up Erik from work. His coworker that he carpools with was up as late as me sewing…and since she’s already sick, she made herself sicker…
*SOCCER!!! Sorry, Backyardigans…Soccer Monster…Girls favorite episode…
*List is shrinking AND growing…how is that possible?!
*Playing a game. I could get addicted. Oy.
*DATE NIGHT! (nope, not excited)
*Is it bad to regift a gift you got 9 years ago for one of your kids that still works and isn’t available anymore…to your nephew? Because that’s what he’s getting for his birthday. It’s a Leap Frog toy…so that’s good, right?
*Virtual Christmas Cookies to anyone that made it this far
*Must go get another task done on my list. Will likely post later!

I totally missed it and for that I feel shame. But I have to spam to mention it.

1 year ago on December 6th, my uterus, fallopian tubes, and one remaining ovary were cut from my body!! I have been in menopause a year. I’m 31 years old and on a menopause patch. Not as tragic as if I’d been 18, of course…or if I’d only had one child, not the 3 ring circus I do have…but still. It feels odd.

My consolation is that if I weren’t uterus free I’d still be dealing with spending money on pads/tampons…I’d have that gross sick mess that made me feel disgusting and dirty every month…and I’d still be in pain. The relief from the pain is the best part…even if it has been replaced with the hassle of patch-work on my ass.

Of course, my metabolism became shot in this. I now weigh what I did when I was 9 months pregnant with my girls and have that sick gross loose skin that two years of being pregnant twice in a row can put on you.

But I am free of the pain of chronic cysts. When I was 20 I developed a cyst. I was told it would burst. I got pregnant, the cyst was still there…I was told it would shrink. It didn’t. A year later my 5 pound cyst was removed. We say “along with the ovary”…but there was no ovary left…just a mass. From that time on I had regular pain…painful periods…random pain when I would stand, lift, bend over…it didn’t matter.

At 28 I knew I had another one. I was blessed with a doctor that immediately did an u/s instead of arguing with me…and offered to remove it, or try to make it shrink first. I took blood thinners for a month and thankfully it dissipated. From there I was blessed with two pregnancies.

After K was born I knew it was happening again. I went to my OB, he did an u/s because of my history. A cyst was there but they believed it to be functioning…so I was told to just relax it would go away. Two months later I went back and demanded another u/s. The cyst was now 2 inches (not huge, but big). He offered to just remove the cyst, I said no. I didn’t want it to ever happen again. I’d had 3 kids and wasn’t interested in ever having anymore (If I do “have” more kids I’d adopt)…and could he please take it all out?

He informed me it would send me into menopause.

I told him my mother went into menopause at 33. I have always followed my mother in the reproductive aspects of my life (she had cysts too, but PCOS, not my issue)…so I knew I would. I also informed him I was relatively sure I was in pre-menopause already.

He agreed and a week later I was without my womanly parts. I felt better than I had in years…well, except the extreme surgery pain *lol*

So just a quick memorial for the things I lost…and a happy joy that I’ve made it a year, and still feel better than I ever did in my fertile years!!

I’m feeling mildly accomplished today. Only mildly…but accomplished none the less.

I just confirmed an order on Amazon.com that will complete my Christmas shopping for the year!! The kids have been done for a week and a half, but I had to purchase one final thing for Erik. It’s all done now!

Now I just have a bit list to complete….
1. Dishes (seriously, my kitchen’s a pit right now)
2. Laundray (ongoing forever and ever)
3. Finish organizing my desk (another mild pit)
4. Sewing (purses must be finished)
5. Knitting (must finish mom’s sweater by christmas)
6. Wrap presents
7. Bake second round of cookies
8. Insurance paperwork (and all other applicable paperwork found on desk)
9. Put away girls’ clothes (currently piled in laundry baskets in living room)
10. AmVets comes on 12/20 for outgrown girls clothes (including the most adorable jacket ever *pout)

The list is ever growing…we’ll see how I knock it out!!

I stole my husband’s phone from him.

Several weeks ago we went to the AT&T store to get new phones. They only had one in stock of the one I REALLY wanted, which was an update of my phone, the walkman phone…the Sony w550i:

The new one is really nice, sleek. You can bump up your memory with a card to put more songs/pictures on it…take pictures in B&W. They have it in white, but you can’t get the white one anywhere but online (or apparently Best Buy). It’s quite depressing, actually…but, still, it’s nice in black, too, see:

So, anyway, the store only had one. Erik wanted it…so I didn’t fight, and let him have it. I bought the Samsun SYNC. I took it back two days later. HATED it. I went back to my old version of the walkman.

Last night I switched phones with Erik. He’s been pestering me for the past couple of weeks knowing I wanted it…so last night I did it. I stole his phone.

BAD wife.

He says he’ll get a razr in the spring, which is what he really wanted anyway (not sure why he didn’t get one then). He doesn’t like the walkman so much because it doesn’t come with a custom case…and he LOVES the custom cases. So, that’s why he wants the razr. Silly boy

You know ladies and gents…I’ve thought about it…but I just cannot be silent for a full day most of the time. If I HAD to be silent on a day I know it jsut wouldn’t happen *giggle* So I doubt I will ever be participating in Wordless Wednesday.

But I DID get a fun picture for this weeks upcoming Picture Hunt. So I may start doing that in time for the new year. I keep meaning to better my picture taking (I’m hoping for a fancy schmancy digital next year, our current one sucks monkey butt)…so that gives me an excuse and a challenge

CF Clinic was today. K was a total witch again. Throwing herself down on the floor (which, by the way, is 3 feet of concrete with a pretty layer of tile on it…how can that NOT hurt??)…throwing a huge fit pretty much 98% of the time we were there. Dr. was a doll…I just adore her…she called me insane for backing 5 different types of cookies (I didn’t tell her I was planning on making a second round of 4 of those types).

Umm…oh yes. Car worked like a dream. Like there was absolutely nothing wrong with it ever. We’re thinking the fuel got frozen in the line or something…I hadn’t run it in about 36 hours….and it gets COLD at night here!!

I posted the cookie recipes over at Side Dishes!!!

Yes, the Polish Apricot ones are there