To dig or not to dig?

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I woke up at 6:30 and really wanted to sleep another half hour. I couldn't. My mind wouldn't settle. I finally got up and determined that not financing the second half of the payment was not worth the stress, headaches, and tears that would surely remain. Getting back to stable ground is going to be rocky enough but I needed the assurance that I could pay all the bills while dealing with this.

But my yard is ready for a garden. Don't you think?


Unfortunately.... they didn't get anything done today. Apparently, the pipe wasn't where they thought it was. Or they weren't able to do things the way they intended. So they dug a hole in my yard. And then filled it back in. Don't people have dogs to do that? Note: not all of the dirt in my yard is where they dug. There's a lot of loose stuff covering grass. But still. Now they are coming back tomorrow to dig another hole.

I drank my water today though. Good for me. I also cooked a yummy dinner. Best of all, I spent some great time with my cheerful Kaelyn. Seeing her smile and hearing her giggles helped lift my mood.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

POOKAQUEEN 8/12/2010 12:42PM

That's the way to turn lemons into lemonade. Definitely turn it into a garden. You can grown your own tasty fruits and veggies there, beautify your yard even more, gets some nice relaxing exercise taking care of it, and not have to try to regrow the grass over it. I hope they get it done quickly for you though. 2 holes is manageable, even if they are a pain. Report Inappropriate Comment

Fine. I want to be fine.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Get out of here. Life was FINE. Get it? FINE. I did not need a visit from Murphy. I really didn't. We were doing just fine.

The joys of homeownership. Today's lesson learned: don't buy a house that hasn't been lived in for quite a few years. Especially if there are large trees near the house. Specifically over the water pipe that runs right under said trees.

Oh yes, that's right. Enough was enough. Our basement was flooding worse and worse. And getting stinkier and stinkier. We called in The Experts. After 1 1/2 hours, the news wasn't happy. The roots are wrecking havoc. The cheapest option isn't cheap. At least they start tomorrow because anything we do that involves water means more water in the basement.

This is a huge financial stress to us because we don't do credit. We don't own credit cards. The only loans we have are our car loan, mortgage and a student loan. The last loan we got caused us problems and we didn't want to do it then either. We're not doing it now. But it leaves us about $36 to our name for about a week. And then the paycheck that comes in is going to bills. Maybe I can eek it up to $50. To live off of. For 2 more weeks. I'm stressed. I'm allowed, right?

I'm so trying to not be so stressed that I over eat and don't walk. Today would be a bad indication of this because I ate 4 cinnamon rolls (that I made even because I have been craving them but I wasn't intending to eat that many) and hardly did anything physical. But it was today which is the worse day because that's when we found out the worse about all of this.

Oh wait, I haven't told you the worst. If it is discovered that the pipe is broken, we are going to have to get the tree removed and a new pipe installed. Or I suppose we could live with a smelly, gross, water-logged basement but really, is that an option?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MCJULIEO 8/11/2010 9:53AM

Oh dear! Oh dear! I am so sorry that you're going through so much at one time. Hang in there! You are not alone, and if you'll pardon the expression, we're rooting for you...things have just GOT to get better! Report Inappropriate Comment

POOKAQUEEN 8/10/2010 9:13PM

Oh no! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, I'm hoping really hard that it turns out better than they estimated! Don't stress about the food and exercise today, that stress level would bring anyone down. Tomorrow is a new day, start over fresh. Report Inappropriate Comment

Grocery Shopping

Monday, August 09, 2010

I like grocery shopping. Not in the I-look-forward-to-it-so-much-I-can't-conta
in-my-excitement kind of like. More like the I-don't-mind-it kind of like. Mondays are my grocery shop day. I plan dinners and have vague ideas for breakfasts and lunches (I DO plan on changing that one day). I make a list. I go to the store.

I've been discovering organic foods over the last 4 or 5 months. I've never really paid attention to what food tastes like in it's naked glory. Even in the simple prepared foods like sour cream you will find a vast difference in the ingredients found within. Did you know Daisy has very few ingredients compared to the store brand?

There are some things I will only buy organic. And some things I'm still convincing myself to purchase organic all the time. It's pricey...

I love organic carrots. So much taste difference!
I love organic milk. I did a blind test with three different people. Organic came out tops. It has a much more consistent flavor than non-organic. Drinking organic vs. non-organic is like drinking 2% vs. skim milk. There's a difference. You can taste it.
I buy organic red potatoes. Can't really taste a difference.
I get free range eggs from my parents. I will also purchase regular eggs when needed.
Organic cereals taste better.
Stonyfield yogurt rocks my socks (and Kaelyn likes them too!).
Did you know that Heinz has a ketchup with less ingredients than their regular ketchup? I love how companies are coming out with better-for-you products.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MCJULIEO 8/10/2010 8:53AM

THIS: "I love how companies are coming out with better-for-you products. " Totally agree... Report Inappropriate Comment

POOKAQUEEN 8/10/2010 7:51AM

Enjoy your shopping, sounds like you have some wonderful choices! Report Inappropriate Comment

Pretty lists I made myself!

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Today was a rest day. Mostly. I still did 10 minutes of fitness, but it was very mild. Still drank my water. Just didn't do much else active-wise.

I still feel good about what I did do though. This is something I have been meaning to do for a while. What's the difference between knowing you need to do something and actually doing it? I've been learning something because making healthy choices in food and fitness is creeping into other places! I finally made a "household maintenance" list and an "after meals" list. I'm so tired of being the only person who knows (read: remembers) what a clean kitchen means. Or how often the floors need to be vacuumed. Or to clean the bathrooms. I mean... there are three adults living in this household! Why am I the only one who can pick up a cloth without being told 10 times? I'd really rather only be raising one child right now. :) I'm not really annoyed right now (although I have been plenty of other times). Just... saying how I see it.

Anyway, so now I have these pretty lists to hang (hmmm, maybe in a frame) and they can be written on with dry-erase markers and then erased each week or something. The last one I want to make is a loose schedule so we can do those important things I want to do each day (read scriptures as a family daily, go on a walk with Kaelyn, other daily exercise, etc).

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

FARM-CHICK 8/9/2010 3:08PM

lists!! Report Inappropriate Comment

POOKAQUEEN 8/9/2010 7:17AM

Wonderful lists! I am right there with you, if I don't do it, it doesn't get done. This is a wonderful idea (and I may steal it for my house too!). Report Inappropriate Comment

VITASANA 8/8/2010 11:42PM

Love the lists!! Report Inappropriate Comment

Day is done, gone the sun

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Do you ever have days when you feel overwhelmed by everything you need to do? That wasn't today. Just right now. The day was good with some rough spots which led to right now. Some things I just don't know how to start. Some things I feel discouraged before even starting. It's hard to feel like only my life changed when Kaelyn entered my world.

Weeded 7 foot tall weeds -- some were shorter... I wish I had my camera so I had proof that I really did do something in the jungle!
Came home and took a shower and used my special body wash -- Tahitian Renewal. Smells. So. Good. So relaxing!!
Got hugged by my sister -- the only person (out of four) to offer me comfort when I was clearly upset.
Talked with my mom -- we both had upsetting days because we had expectations that weren't met. And we know better than to have had those expectations in the first place.

I'm glad it's the end of the day.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

POOKAQUEEN 8/8/2010 8:20AM

Some days are like that, I think we all go through it. I know I do. Glad you were able to relax in the end and blog it instead of eating it! Report Inappropriate Comment