Me: I suppose for the same reason you did when you were little.
Kate: Hmm. I guess because I was curious. [pause] And because I didn't have to clean it up.
Me: You think so?
Kate: Perhaps!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Friday Funny
Kate: Why does Nate dump all the books out on the floor?
Me: I suppose for the same reason you did when you were little.
Kate: Hmm. I guess because I was curious. [pause] And because I didn't have to clean it up.
Me: You think so?
Kate: Perhaps!
Me: I suppose for the same reason you did when you were little.
Kate: Hmm. I guess because I was curious. [pause] And because I didn't have to clean it up.
Me: You think so?
Kate: Perhaps!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Friday Funny--The Joke is on Me
I still hand write checks. I know most people do it all online, but I just never have switched over completely. I have some things auto-deducted, and maybe now I should do a little more of that...
Call 1: This morning I got an automated phone call from the water company that I had not made my last payment. I flipped through my checkbook register and found the check number.
Call 2: Knowing that automated systems occasionally have errors, I called to confirm. The representative told me to contact my bank about the check because they had no record of it.
Internet: I paid the water bill online with late fees and convenience fee, so we wouldn't have to worry about a disconnect.
Call 3: I called my bank, assuming the check had been lost in the mail. I was assured that the check had cleared (and on the day after I mailed it no less). It did not appear fraudulent.
Call 4: I called the water company back to determine where to have the cancelled check faxed.
Call 5: I called the bank and requested a copy of the check be sent to the water company.
Call 6: The water company supervisor called to tell me they received the cancelled check...but the stamp on the back wasn't theirs. It belonged to the electric company (I also wrote a check to them that day). So my bank, who has by now paid this check and pulled up the cancelled check TWICE has yet to see the error.
Call 7: I called the electric company to see about paying any additional charges (as my water bill is less than electricity). I was told they put a note on the account and that I could just pay the rest of the charge with my next bill, as I would have to pay a convenience fee to make a phone payment. There is no late fee, since I did pay my bill on time, sort of--you know with a too small check written to the wrong company.
At least we still have water and electricity and everything has been sorted out now--I just evidently lost half of my brain somewhere.
Call 1: This morning I got an automated phone call from the water company that I had not made my last payment. I flipped through my checkbook register and found the check number.
Call 2: Knowing that automated systems occasionally have errors, I called to confirm. The representative told me to contact my bank about the check because they had no record of it.
Internet: I paid the water bill online with late fees and convenience fee, so we wouldn't have to worry about a disconnect.
Call 3: I called my bank, assuming the check had been lost in the mail. I was assured that the check had cleared (and on the day after I mailed it no less). It did not appear fraudulent.
Call 4: I called the water company back to determine where to have the cancelled check faxed.
Call 5: I called the bank and requested a copy of the check be sent to the water company.
Call 6: The water company supervisor called to tell me they received the cancelled check...but the stamp on the back wasn't theirs. It belonged to the electric company (I also wrote a check to them that day). So my bank, who has by now paid this check and pulled up the cancelled check TWICE has yet to see the error.
Call 7: I called the electric company to see about paying any additional charges (as my water bill is less than electricity). I was told they put a note on the account and that I could just pay the rest of the charge with my next bill, as I would have to pay a convenience fee to make a phone payment. There is no late fee, since I did pay my bill on time, sort of--you know with a too small check written to the wrong company.
At least we still have water and electricity and everything has been sorted out now--I just evidently lost half of my brain somewhere.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
10%
I can't decide if that is a lot or just a drop in the bucket, but it is where we are today. We've completed 10% of 'next' school year--and we have 18 days toward the fall term to spend with the baby when she arrives. As of tomorrow, we'll be 20% finished with history and we will be 14% finished with science. We're keeping bar graphs of this year to teach that skill, so that's why I know all of our percentages!
Today isn't exactly a typical day, but here is how it was laid out: We started the day before 8:00 because we had places to go. We went through spelling, math, writing, and Kate's grammar. Then we piled into the van and headed to a park. Usually we meet friends there, but no one else came today--boo. Since no one else showed, we left after an hour and headed to the library. The kids all love books.
We came home and I made lunch. They ate, and then I sent them off for quiet time. I love quiet time. I used to use to to get things done... right now I use it to rest.
We did history this afternoon, Kate worked on her missed spelling words, and they looked at library books. Between the park and the fact we did two science lessons on our last school day, we passed on it today. They had a snack and then they are on to free time. Miss Kate is reading away and after some time reading Gabby and Nate are upstairs playing together. I have dinner cooking and Justin is working late this afternoon and will be home after dinner time.
Today isn't exactly a typical day, but here is how it was laid out: We started the day before 8:00 because we had places to go. We went through spelling, math, writing, and Kate's grammar. Then we piled into the van and headed to a park. Usually we meet friends there, but no one else came today--boo. Since no one else showed, we left after an hour and headed to the library. The kids all love books.
We came home and I made lunch. They ate, and then I sent them off for quiet time. I love quiet time. I used to use to to get things done... right now I use it to rest.
We did history this afternoon, Kate worked on her missed spelling words, and they looked at library books. Between the park and the fact we did two science lessons on our last school day, we passed on it today. They had a snack and then they are on to free time. Miss Kate is reading away and after some time reading Gabby and Nate are upstairs playing together. I have dinner cooking and Justin is working late this afternoon and will be home after dinner time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Friday Funny
The girls heard a noise coming from their closet, so they asked Justin to investigate. It turned out they could here people talking outside through the window in the closet.
Two minutes later:
Nate: I hear something in my closet.
Me: There's nothing in there.
Nate: I hear a criminal spider in my closet.
Maybe they've been taking art detective a little too seriously...
Two minutes later:
Nate: I hear something in my closet.
Me: There's nothing in there.
Nate: I hear a criminal spider in my closet.
Maybe they've been taking art detective a little too seriously...
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Sugar, Sugar
I'm not sure why I dreaded it so, but I was sure I would fail my glucose tolerance test. I never have before, well I failed the screening the first time (I listened to the eat something 3 hours before and evidently hadn't gotten rid of all the glucose in the sandwich and fruit I had for lunch before the test), but I passed the full three hour test that time. The tech at the hospital, for that three hour test) gave me the wise advice to just always schedule for the morning, so I would have fasted over night. I passed this time too! Yay. I can continue to eat fruit this summer!
I had the blood draw yesterday morning and when I got to my email this morning there was a note that I had a message from my midwife on the secure website. I groaned--no news is good news, really fast must mean bad, right? And this was sent at 7:00 last night, not even 12 hours had passed. Evidently the lab and midwife are just both very efficient.
We still have 13 (or 14 or even 15) weeks to go, but everything has gone smoothly so far. I am quite grateful. I am also grateful for strawberries!
I've liked several of the midwives in the practice. It is a very large practice, so I'm still making my rounds trying to meet a few more. I know that no one will be like the midwife we had in Kansas who was willing to come in even if she wasn't scheduled, but we are glad to have midwifery care so close. Many people drive in from out of state because they are so wonderful, and I only have 20 minutes to go when the traffic is good.
I had the blood draw yesterday morning and when I got to my email this morning there was a note that I had a message from my midwife on the secure website. I groaned--no news is good news, really fast must mean bad, right? And this was sent at 7:00 last night, not even 12 hours had passed. Evidently the lab and midwife are just both very efficient.
We still have 13 (or 14 or even 15) weeks to go, but everything has gone smoothly so far. I am quite grateful. I am also grateful for strawberries!
I've liked several of the midwives in the practice. It is a very large practice, so I'm still making my rounds trying to meet a few more. I know that no one will be like the midwife we had in Kansas who was willing to come in even if she wasn't scheduled, but we are glad to have midwifery care so close. Many people drive in from out of state because they are so wonderful, and I only have 20 minutes to go when the traffic is good.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Life...
Life has caught up with me, I guess. I've not been writing (obviously). We've not had anything horribly exciting going on. Just a good bit of the day to day busyness.
We are 10 days into 'next' school year. We're moving fairly quickly through our history and science texts, though we are only having school three of four days a week for now. Generally we do art on Friday, but I've been skipping that for now, with plans for several 'Fridays' in a row after the littlest one joins us, and we start to get back in the swing of things slowly. At our most recent guess-timate of the time we'll spend prior to September, we'll need to get 22 days between birth day and Christmas to get us to the halfway point. We generally are past that in December, so I'd like to at least hit that number if we find it possible. That keeps a bit of a fire lit under us to do what we can now.
I spent the weekend going through every single item of clothing the children have. All of the girl clothes have been sorted from newborn to the size 10 (!) dress I bought for Kate. Kate and Gabby's drawers are cleaned out and the smallest baby clothes are waiting in a dresser. The others, sorted and stacked by size from 3 month to 5's are waiting in the back of Nate's closet, with all of the dresses hung. We found we have gaps in size 12 month, 18 month, and 2T sizes that we'll need to fill. That gives us plenty of time to watch for sales for those items. All the too small boy clothes have been boxed and are ready to be given away. We'll hold on to the jeans and baby girl may get to wear some of those too.
We'll need a few of the odds and ends one needs for a new baby. And we have to get an infant car seat. I've been trying to decide about a travel system. I'm leaning towards skipping it. We have a double stroller taking up space in the garage that can accommodate a Graco carseat for any longer walking trips we would take (and it can hold a second tired kid and a bunch of gear). Honestly I carried Nate almost exclusively in the Moby. It allowed me not to lug that heavy seat and it also left me with two free hands to wrangle other children! I think we may opt for a nice umbrella stroller later (one with long handles that make it easier to push) with the money we save on the travel system stroller.
Our vegetable garden is growing well. I do find it humorous that this is the year Justin put in a bigger garden, since I'm not sure how much use I'll be in putting it all up. I told him I'm going to just freeze it all, but he's unimpressed, citing that the freezer won't hold it all. We'll see how it goes...I may be giving away veggies in the fall if I can't get to them fast enough!
Other than being a bit more tired than normal, the pregnancy is going smoothly. The littles keep asking when they get to meet their little sister. They are not impressed with the long wait. I would guess by halfway through September I'll be tired of the wait too!
We are 10 days into 'next' school year. We're moving fairly quickly through our history and science texts, though we are only having school three of four days a week for now. Generally we do art on Friday, but I've been skipping that for now, with plans for several 'Fridays' in a row after the littlest one joins us, and we start to get back in the swing of things slowly. At our most recent guess-timate of the time we'll spend prior to September, we'll need to get 22 days between birth day and Christmas to get us to the halfway point. We generally are past that in December, so I'd like to at least hit that number if we find it possible. That keeps a bit of a fire lit under us to do what we can now.
I spent the weekend going through every single item of clothing the children have. All of the girl clothes have been sorted from newborn to the size 10 (!) dress I bought for Kate. Kate and Gabby's drawers are cleaned out and the smallest baby clothes are waiting in a dresser. The others, sorted and stacked by size from 3 month to 5's are waiting in the back of Nate's closet, with all of the dresses hung. We found we have gaps in size 12 month, 18 month, and 2T sizes that we'll need to fill. That gives us plenty of time to watch for sales for those items. All the too small boy clothes have been boxed and are ready to be given away. We'll hold on to the jeans and baby girl may get to wear some of those too.
We'll need a few of the odds and ends one needs for a new baby. And we have to get an infant car seat. I've been trying to decide about a travel system. I'm leaning towards skipping it. We have a double stroller taking up space in the garage that can accommodate a Graco carseat for any longer walking trips we would take (and it can hold a second tired kid and a bunch of gear). Honestly I carried Nate almost exclusively in the Moby. It allowed me not to lug that heavy seat and it also left me with two free hands to wrangle other children! I think we may opt for a nice umbrella stroller later (one with long handles that make it easier to push) with the money we save on the travel system stroller.
Our vegetable garden is growing well. I do find it humorous that this is the year Justin put in a bigger garden, since I'm not sure how much use I'll be in putting it all up. I told him I'm going to just freeze it all, but he's unimpressed, citing that the freezer won't hold it all. We'll see how it goes...I may be giving away veggies in the fall if I can't get to them fast enough!
Other than being a bit more tired than normal, the pregnancy is going smoothly. The littles keep asking when they get to meet their little sister. They are not impressed with the long wait. I would guess by halfway through September I'll be tired of the wait too!